Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 205 Lu Zhi: Is your Liu family so lacking in boundaries?
The setting sun, like molten gold, slowly disappeared into the towering peaks of the Xiaoshan Mountains, dyeing the sky a deep ochre red.

Inside the Imperial Palace's Secretariat, the copper bells jingled as they were shaken. The sound of the bells, along with the hunger in his stomach, made Lu Zhi realize in a daze that it was time for his shift to end.

Rubbing his sore eyes, Lu Zhi glanced at the pile of memorials on his desk, dipped his brush in ink, and finished reviewing the last memorial before putting down his pen. He then picked up the walnut mallet beside him and gently tapped his stiff back and aching thighs.

After a long while, he slowly got up, leaning on the table. Just as he was about to leave, he heard dragging footsteps and laughter from the corridor. Lu Zhi looked up and saw Liu Tao, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and Liu Yan, the Minister of Works, walking arm in arm to approach him.

The Three Dukes naturally had the power to record the affairs of the Secretariat, so Liu Yan also handled government affairs in the Secretariat. Liu Yan and Liu Tao were both members of the Han imperial family, so it was only natural that they were on good terms.

Liu Yan twisted his arm, silently breaking free from Liu Tao's grasp, and took Lu Zhi's hand, revealing a friendly smile, saying, "Zigan, how about we go to my residence for a few drinks?"

Lu Zhi lowered his eyelids slightly and shook his head gently, declining Liu Yan's invitation.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yan's smile remained unchanged, but a hint of gloom flashed in his eyes. He exchanged a glance with Liu Tao, and the two did not press the matter, leaving on their own.

After the two figures, so intimately linked, disappeared from sight, Lu Zhi stood with his hands behind his back, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the jade belt hook at his waist, and a barely audible sigh escaped his throat.

These two old men are openly and secretly fighting each other in the Ministry of Personnel, yet they insist on putting on a harmonious facade after their shifts, just to cover up their true power struggle.
So that His Highness the Crown Prince and the officials in the court would think that your dispute was only about official business and that you had no personal motives.

The Three Dukes were given the power to record the affairs of the Secretariat, but what does "record" mean?
The recorder is the one who oversees everything!
The Secretariat already has a Chief Secretary in charge of its affairs, but by the system, the Three Dukes, the Grand General, and the Grand Tutor all have the authority to oversee the Secretariat's affairs, and there are also many court officials who have been granted the authority to oversee the Secretariat by special permission of the emperor.

No Grand Secretary likes having several people sitting above him besides the monarch. Therefore, Liu Tao couldn't be said to be completely unwelcoming to Liu Yan, a relative of similar age and Minister of Works. He could only hope that Liu Yan would fall seriously ill and be dismissed from office due to illness.

Liu Yan made it clear that he had ill intentions and was plotting to become the master of the Ministry of Personnel.

Liu Yan felt that since he had slaughtered the entire Yuan clan of Runan for the Crown Prince, he was a trusted minister of the Crown Prince and the only one of the Three Dukes who was holding a normal position in the court!
No matter how powerful you are as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, or how respectfully you are addressed as "Lord Liu," you are still just a mere official with a thousand-stone salary, a bronze seal, and a black ribbon.

I am the Minister of Works of the current dynasty, with a salary of 10,000 shi (a unit of grain), and a gold seal and purple ribbon. You are not on the same level as me. Do you think you can order me around?

Although Liu Tao was magnanimous and generous, he could not tolerate Liu Yan's attempt to usurp the host's position.

Even when Grand Commandant Yang Ci, Minister of Works Yuan Wei, and Minister of Agriculture Zhang Ji were all in charge of the affairs of the Secretariat, they didn't act so arrogantly. Who do you think you are, Liu Yan?
And so the two of them started arguing.

You nitpick my points, I criticize yours; the two clashed fiercely at the Ministry of Personnel. These seemingly dissenting words, though intended for the sake of dissent, sounded perfectly reasonable to everyone, as if they were merely arguing about official business. However, Lu Zhi himself couldn't quite grasp the true nature of the matter.

Who knows if these two weren't deliberately feigning discord due to their power struggle to reassure His Highness the Crown Prince?
If the emperors of the two Han dynasties wished for the Secretariat to have only one head, then why was the power to record the affairs of the Secretariat established in the first place?

Ah, even a unified and cohesive Secretariat should arouse the Crown Prince's suspicion. Is there any need for such a Secretariat to exist?
However, Lu Zhi wasn't too concerned about the truth behind it. Whatever the truth was, he didn't want to get involved, as long as it didn't interfere too much with state affairs.

Lu Zhi bid farewell to his colleagues and stepped out of the Ministry of Personnel. The summer heat hit him in the face, cicadas chirped incessantly, and the air was thick with heat. Lu Zhi raised his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sunset and felt the summer heat, which made him somewhat irritable.

The Crown Prince was considerate of his subjects, and when he was on duty at the Imperial Secretariat, there was an ice chest to cool him off in the summer heat. But once he went outside, it was a bit uncomfortable for him.

After boarding the carriage, they arrived at the General's Mansion in less than a quarter of an hour.

The Crown Prince often summoned Lu Zhi, so he specially bestowed upon him a residence near the palace. However, before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, Lu Zhi could smell the aroma of delicacies through the curtains fluttering in the wind.

Judging from this smell, it must be that brat who's here.

This aroma might just be the scent of a few delicacies for an ordinary official, but for Lu Zhi, a regular diner at the Crown Prince's residence, it was all too familiar.

Peppered venison and dogwood beef soup—the aroma of these dishes could be smelled even at the gates of the mansion, undoubtedly the work of the Crown Prince's kitchen staff.

Sure enough, Lu Zhi had only taken a few steps past the gate of the mansion when he saw a figure dressed in a red robe with a coiled dragon pattern jogging along in a rather frivolous manner, the jade pendants at his waist jingling loudly, shouting as he ran, showing no dignity whatsoever.

"Master Lu! I have been waiting for a long time, just for Master Lu to take his seat and have his meal."

"The deer spine newly presented from Shanglin Garden, Master Lu's favorite food!"

Lu Zhi was pulled along by the arm and led inside. Looking at the familiar mansion and roads, he suddenly felt confused. In a daze, he couldn't tell whose house this was. He felt as if he had become an outsider in this mansion.

This is his General's Mansion, but why do I have this strange feeling that it has been usurped?
Looking at the Crown Prince before him, Lu Zhi suddenly thought of the scene in the Secretariat, where Liu Tao faced Liu Yan. Could it be that he felt the same way?

Is your Liu family really so lacking in boundaries?
(End of this chapter)