My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Chapter 249 The Five Barbarian Invasions: The Crime Lies in the System! Liu Bei: My plan is for the ages; I will never share the world with aristocratic clans!

The method to unify the world!
With just a single scroll, how could Cao Wei be wiped out, all the heroes under heaven defeated, and the world unified?
What a loud tone!
"Changwen, what are you doing...?"

Liu Bei was taken aback by Chen Qun's boastful words, and looked at the scroll in his hand but did not take it.

Xiao He smiled slightly, already guessing what Chen Qun was holding.

"This is a method for selecting officials that was devised by the collective efforts of many people over several years."

"Originally, the group intended to present this method of selecting officials to Duke Wei."

"However, since the Battle of Qingxu, the people have come to know that the Duke of Chu is more talented and ambitious than the Duke of Wei, and is also benevolent and righteous. If the Duke of Chu can unify the world, it will be a blessing for all the people."

"Therefore, after much deliberation, we took the opportunity of our mission to the State of Chu to meet with the Duke of Chu and present this system to help him unify the world!"

Chen Qun, looking excited, explained the reason.

Liu Bei suddenly realized and finally understood Chen Qun's motives.

This former advisor who had abandoned him has now developed regret and wants to return to his service.

The so-called method for selecting officials that he possessed was actually a ritual of submission.

Liu Bei couldn't help but show a look of joy.

Chen Qun was a man of great talent, whom he had always admired, and he deeply regretted losing him back then.

Now that Chen Qun has come to surrender on his own initiative and even offers a method to unify the world, this is truly an unexpected and wonderful surprise.

Liu Bei then tried his best to suppress his joy and, filled with curiosity, took the scroll and examined it carefully.

Unfold the scroll; the title contains five large characters:
The Nine-Rank System.

Liu Bei's interest was piqued, and he immediately focused his attention on the examination.

As he flipped through the pages, Liu Bei became more alert, his eyes widening as if he were holding a priceless treasure.

Chen Qun, observing Liu Bei's expression, noticed the change in his demeanor and a subtle smile crept onto his lips.

After a long while, Liu Bei let out a long breath, carefully closed the scroll, and looked up at Chen Qun with admiration in his eyes.

"Changwen, I was right after all. You truly have the talent of a prime minister!"

"The Nine-Rank System of Officials that you presented to me is indeed a good system for selecting and appointing officials, and it has eliminated the drawbacks of the current recommendation system!"

"If this method is used, all the talents in the world will be mine, which will indeed help me unify the world and rebuild the Han Dynasty!"

Liu Bei was in high spirits. As the ruler of the Great Chu, he clearly saw the advantages of the Nine-Rank System.

The recommendation system had been in place for hundreds of years, but by the time of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling, it had become riddled with problems.

Officials in various prefectures and counties formed cliques, engaged in corruption and bribery, and colluded with each other…

In short, the recommendation system had become so deeply entrenched that it was impossible to change and it was imperative to reform it.

Furthermore, the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Dong Zhuo Rebellion led to the fragmentation of the empire, with warlords attacking and killing each other, and the provinces and prefectures frequently changing hands.

This turbulent situation destroyed the foundation for the implementation of the recommendation system, making it unable to function properly.

Liu Bei had previously discussed with Zhuge Liang and others the idea of ​​reinstating the recommendation system in order to continuously discover and supply talented people to the State of Chu.

However, after much discussion, they could not come up with a good solution to abolish the recommendation system, so they had to put it on hold for the time being.

Unexpectedly, Chen Qun, his former advisor, has provided him with a valuable remedy.

"Your Majesty, I am not mistaken. Your Majesty's ability to see the original intention behind my system is truly remarkable. You are a man of great talent and wisdom."

Chen Qun went along with the flattery, then bowed and said generously:
"If the Duke of Chu can implement this system, he can not only win over all the virtuous and capable people of Chu, but also win the hearts of the virtuous and capable people of Wei."

"With this shift in power, the State of Chu will surely have a wealth of talented individuals, while the State of Wei will gradually lose its talent pool."

"If the Duke of Chu were to conquer the State of Wei and unify the world, wouldn't it be as easy as turning one's hand and flowing like the Yi River?"

Liu Bei was startled, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Talent!

The key lies in these two words.

Looking across the world, no other warlord understood the crucial importance of talent better than him.

Why did we lose Xuzhou back then? Why did we wander for more than ten years and suffer repeated defeats? It was because we were severely lacking in talent.

It wasn't until he persuaded Zhuge Liang to come out of seclusion, and later met Xiao He, a peerless genius, that he was able to soar to great heights and finally achieve his current status.

For a monarch, the more talented people the better.

Now that he has Xiao He, Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong and other capable advisors, if he were to use the Nine-Rank System to gather all the talents scattered throughout the world, wouldn't unifying the world be a piece of cake?
"Bowen, what do you think of Changwen's Nine-Rank System? Can I implement it?"

Liu Bei suppressed his excitement and did not make a decision immediately, but instead asked Xiao He for his opinion.

After all, the method of selecting officials concerns the very foundation of the nation, and it cannot be decided lightly.

Chen Qun's gaze also turned to Xiao He, stroking his thin beard, his brows exuding confidence.

It seems he was waiting for this legendary figure before him, who, like Liu Bei, would lavish praise on his masterpiece.

"Chen Shizhong's Nine-Rank System has indeed eliminated the drawbacks of the recommendation system and is a good method for selecting officials that can be seen to be effective in a short period of time."

Xiao He first affirmed this, but then suddenly changed the subject:

"However, in my opinion, if the Duke of Chu implements this system, in the long run, this law will cause the monarch's power to fall into the wrong hands, and bring disaster upon our great Han Dynasty, leading to the destruction of the country and the extinction of our race!"

Liu Bei's expression suddenly changed.

Chen Qun was also taken aback; the expectation and confidence on his face instantly turned into shock and astonishment.

The nation will perish and the race will be wiped out!

These four words struck him like a thunderbolt, truly startling him.

"Military Advisor Xiao, you're exaggerating."

"Since you claim that this system eliminated the drawbacks of the recommendation system and is a good way to select and appoint officials, how can you say that this system could lead to the downfall of the Han Dynasty and the extinction of the race?"

"Military Advisor Xiao, I truly do not understand what you mean?"

Chen Qun frowned and immediately questioned him with dissatisfaction.

Liu Bei was also surprised and hurriedly asked:
"Bowen, what do you mean by that?"

Xiao He remained calm and spoke slowly:
"To be considered a talent, one must first be literate, well-read, and knowledgeable about both ancient and modern times."

"Most ordinary people are illiterate, so talented people can only come from the families of powerful and wealthy families."

"If Duke Chu implements Chen Changwen's Nine-Rank System, he can indeed discover many talented individuals from powerful families in a short period of time and put them to use."

"In my opinion, however, there are two fatal hidden dangers in this Nine-Rank System: one is the determination of ranks, and the other is the Zhongzheng officials."

"In this system, all talents are recommended by the Zhongzheng official. This Zhongzheng official must be familiar with the people in the prefecture and state. Naturally, he can only be a respected and virtuous person from the local area."

"Then this Zhongzheng official will most likely come from local powerful families, which means that the power to select officials will henceforth be controlled by powerful families in this prefecture."

"The dangers involved are self-evident and I believe that Duke Chu understands them as well."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei frowned slightly, as if deep in thought.

Xiao He took a sip of tea and continued:
"Let's go back to the topic of custom-made products."

"Chen Shizhong's system divides talents into nine ranks, which include family background, ability, and virtue."

"At first glance, it seems to be well-considered and very fair." "But if you think about it carefully, Lord Chu, there is no unified standard for judging these two things. They are all based on the personal preferences of the official in charge of justice."

"Perhaps some officials prefer literary and artistic pursuits, so the so-called talents they recommend may all be talkers who can only compose poems and write essays, but have no practical ability."

"Talent is like this, and so is virtue."

“Only family background is clearly defined. If you are from a noble family, you are from a noble family; if you are from a powerful family, you are from a powerful family; if you are from a poor family, you are from a poor family. The hierarchy is strict and clear at a glance.”

"Moreover, this official in charge of the righteousness also comes from a prominent family. All his friends and acquaintances are from prominent families. As the saying goes, human nature is inherently selfish. When recommending talented people, he will naturally favor family background and ignore talent and virtue."

"Over time, family background will inevitably become the sole criterion for selecting officials. Whoever has a prominent family background and a good birth will hold a higher official position."

“If this continues, it won’t be long before all the key official positions from the imperial court to the prefectures and counties will be monopolized by powerful and wealthy families, resulting in a situation where there are no poor scholars in the upper ranks and no noble families in the lower ranks.”

"Moreover, these officials vary greatly in ability, and there will inevitably be a large number of people who have family backgrounds but are mediocre and incompetent."

“The powerful clans and aristocratic families control the power to become officials, while blocking the path to advancement for commoners and those from humble backgrounds. These people will inevitably harbor resentment towards the Duke of Chu and the country, and everyone will be thinking of rebellion and change.”

"From the court officials to the local officials of the prefectures and counties, all were controlled by powerful clans. These people intermarried and were closely connected. Over time, this inevitably led to the emergence of powerful clans that held sway over the court."

"At that time, it will not be the monarch who rules the world, but the monarch and powerful clans who jointly rule the world."

"Even the power of the monarch can be usurped by powerful clans and aristocratic families, making the monarch a figurehead!"

"Imagine a situation where imperial power has fallen into the wrong hands, powerful clans and aristocratic families control the court and local officials, officials at all levels are filled with mediocre and incompetent people, and commoners are full of resentment towards the country, with the people's hearts filled with discontent..."

"How can a country not perish when it has come to this point?"

Xiao He's words were like thunder, resounding throughout the hall, completely exposing the drawbacks of the Nine-Rank System.

Liu Bei suddenly realized his mistake, shivered several times, and his back was soaked with cold sweat.

Chen Qun frowned, looking at Xiao He with a surprised and cold gaze.

Clearly, Xiao He was already aware of these drawbacks, but he deliberately did not tell Liu Bei everything.

To his surprise, Xiao Heyan saw through these deeply hidden problems and drawbacks.

As a time traveler, how could Xiao He not see through the dangers of the Nine-Rank System?

When Cao Pi sought to become emperor, in order to gain the support of powerful clans, he chose to implement the Nine-Rank System created by Chen Qun, thus ceding some imperial power to the powerful clans.

The result was that powerful clans and aristocratic families rose to prominence, ultimately leading to the disastrous usurpation of the Wei dynasty by the Sima clan.

Of course, the Sima clan was aware of the hidden dangers of the Nine-Rank System. After successfully usurping the Wei throne with the support of powerful clans, they enfeoffed many princes to counterbalance the powerful clans.

This resulted in the even more insidious consequence of the War of the Eight Princes, plunging China into internal strife once again and giving the various nomadic tribes entrenched on the borders an opportunity to advance south and reap the benefits.

Ultimately, the Five Barbarian Invasions plunged China into chaos, and the land was submerged, marking the darkest period in three hundred years for the Chinese nation.

This is what Xiao He meant by "extinction of the race within the destruction of the country and the extinction of the race."

Of course, the Five Barbarian Invasions are a bit of a stretch, and there's no need to bring it up now to remind Lao Liu.

However, the mere threat of national subjugation was enough to terrify Liu Bei.

"Bowen is right, he is right."

"Although the Nine-Rank System is good, it is too short-sighted. With such a fatal hidden danger, how can I use it!"

Liu Bei nodded emphatically, his gaze turning to Chen Qun:
"Changwen, you have heard the drawbacks that the strategist pointed out. I'm afraid I cannot adopt the system you proposed."

Chen Qun, however, was unwilling to give up and cupped his hands in greeting, saying:

"Lord Chu, we believe that the drawbacks mentioned by Military Advisor Xiao are too alarmist and exaggerated."

"Among the powerful and wealthy families, there are certainly those who are merely famous but incompetent. Are there no such people among the poor and common people?"

"The key is that the rise of powerful and influential families is an established fact. Among the heroes from all directions who want to vie for the Central Plains, how many have succeeded without relying on powerful and influential families?"

"If Yuan Shao had not had the support of the gentry in Hebei, how could he have dominated Hebei?"

"Without the support of the gentry of Yingchuan, how could the Duke of Wei have defeated Yuan Shao and established himself as a powerful ruler in the north?"

"He who wins the favor of scholars will win the world!"

"If Duke Chu can implement this system, he will win the hearts of the gentry and the people, and thus unify the world and rebuild the Han Dynasty!"

"With the Duke of Chu's divine martial prowess and strategic brilliance, scholars throughout the land would surely bow down in submission, devoting themselves wholeheartedly to serving the country. How could such a situation arise where the monarch's power falls into the wrong hands?"

Chen Qun refuted Xiao He at length.

To put it bluntly, I know all the drawbacks that you, Xiao He, mentioned.

But what does that matter? The important thing is to implement this system, which will help Liu Bei achieve his ideal of unifying the world and restoring the Han Dynasty as quickly as possible.

that's enough.

As for the future... we'll talk about that later. Why worry so much now?

Xiao He gave a cold laugh and retorted:

"Duke Chu was a man of great talent and ambition, capable of suppressing the gentry of the land. But who can guarantee that every ruler of the future will be as brilliant and capable as Duke Chu, and able to suppress the gentry?"

Chen Qun was speechless.

Xiao He turned around and bowed deeply to Liu Bei:
"Lord Chu, as the sage said, 'He who does not plan for the long term is not fit to plan for the short term.'"

"I believe that what the Duke of Chu is planning is not only to unify the world and revive the Han Dynasty in the present moment, but also to ensure the eternal existence of the Han Dynasty and to ensure peace for future generations."

Liu Bei stiffened, as if a sense of mission had been suddenly awakened within him by Xiao He.

He who does not plan for the long term is not fit to plan for the short term…

May the nation's destiny endure forever...

May peace last forever…

These exhilarating words, like thunderclaps, kept echoing in Liu Bei's heart.

Long thought.

Liu Bei took a deep breath and looked at Chen Qun with resolute eyes:

"Bowen is absolutely right. He who does not plan for the long term is not fit to plan for the short term."

"Changwen, I can only appreciate your kind intentions."

"I regret that I cannot implement the Nine-Rank System that you proposed, for the sake of long-term considerations."

Chen Qun let out a long sigh, his face filled with deep disappointment.

He glanced at Xiao He, a hint of resentment in his eyes.

They came full of hope, presenting their masterpiece to Liu Bei, hoping to gain a belated merit in supporting the emperor's rise to power.

Who would have thought that Xiao He would ruin their plans?

How could he not be furious?

Taking a deep breath, Chen Qun, clinging to the last shred of hope, bowed to Liu Bei:

"Lord Chu, please reconsider carefully."

“If Duke Chu really decides not to use the system proposed by Qun, then Qun will have no choice but to take this Nine-Rank System back and present it to Duke Wei.”

"By then, it will be hard to say who will emerge victorious in this world."

(End of this chapter)