Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 237 Royal Family Guards the Nation's Gate! (Bonus Chapter! Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

In addition to setting up four military camps in northern Bingzhou and parachuting in a new governor of Bingzhou, the administrative teams of the various counties in Bingzhou will inevitably undergo a major reshuffle.

When Ding Yuan, the prefect of Taiyuan, was transferred to Zuo Fengyi, the position of prefect of Taiyuan became vacant.

In Yong'an Palace, Liu Bian saw a large number of vacant official positions in Bingzhou and Liangzhou, so he summoned a group of important officials to discuss the matter. He saw the name of Guo Yun, the governor of Yanmen, in the battle report from Bingzhou and had the idea of ​​promoting him. He said, "Guo Yun, the governor of Yanmen, performed very well this time."

Liang Hu, the Minister of Personnel, had done his homework in advance, conducting background checks on all the candidates the Crown Prince might mention, and handed Guo Yun's file to the Crown Prince, saying, "But he is a member of the Guo family of Taiyuan Prefecture."

The Later Han Dynasty had a three-mutual law. Guo Yun, a native of Taiyuan Commandery, was not allowed to serve as the chief administrative official of Taiyuan Commandery. However, as the seat of Bingzhou, Taiyuan Commandery had to select a reliable governor.

Liu Bian did not want to break the constraints imposed on officials by the Three Mutuals Law, and he no longer mentioned Guo Yun, only sighing, "It is indeed a pity."

The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Liu Tao, had thought of a candidate and suggested, "Why not appoint Zang Min, the former envoy to the Xiongnu?"

"Can he do it?" Liu Bian could not trust Zang Min, not because of his loyalty, but because of his incompetence.

He was partly responsible for the disastrous defeat that turned the tide of battle between the Han and Xianbei, with over ten thousand cavalrymen wiped out, making him unable to trust Zang Min's abilities.

Liu Tao pondered for a moment and replied, “Your Highness, although Zang Min suffered a major defeat, he has served as the General of the Central Army to the Xiongnu, the Prefect of Zhongshan, and the Prefect of Taiyuan. He has a good reputation wherever he has served. He was also appointed as the Governor of Yangzhou in a time of crisis and quelled the rebellion of Xu Zhao, a man from Kuaiji who called himself ‘Great General’ in Gouzhang. He is still a capable man.”

"Moreover, with the four battalions in Bingbei, there is no need for Zang Min to fight. He only needs to govern the local area and appease the people."

Liu Bian nodded slightly. Another advantage Zang Min had over others was that he had served as the governor of Taiyuan Commandery, and his performance during that term was rated as above average. He should be able to govern Taiyuan Commandery well. He adopted Liu Tao's suggestion and said, "But who should fill the vacancy of the governorship of Wuyuan Commandery?"

“Your Highness, I have a disciple who has made some contributions in the battles against the Xianbei and Wuhuan in Youzhou. He has been appointed magistrate of Zhuo County for his merits.” Liu Kuan stroked his beard, while Lu Zhi, who was standing beside him, narrowed his eyes and his face suddenly darkened. Liu Kuan said, “This man comes from the Gongsun clan of Liaoxi. His name is Gongsun Zan, courtesy name Bogui.”

"Master Lu, if I remember correctly, Gongsun Bogui is Xuande's and my senior brother, right?" Liu Bian asked tentatively, looking at Lu Zhi's gloomy face.

The fact that a disciple of a giant of the Old Text School suddenly became a disciple of Liu Kuan, a giant of the New Text School, was evident in Lu Zhi's gloomy expression, suggesting that there was something fishy going on.

Lu Zhi sneered, his whole body radiating negative emotions, and said, "Heh, back when I was lecturing on the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals in the Goushi Mountains, it was inevitable that a few insignificant bastards would occasionally listen to my lectures."

Liu Bian did not respond, but turned to look at Liu Kuan. Liu Tao, Yang Xu, Xun Shuang, Cai Yong and others also looked at Liu Kuan curiously, obviously very eager to hear some gossip about Lu Zhi.

“Well, Gongsun Bogui studied the Ouyang Shangshu and the Jing Shi Yi under my tutelage. Fu Nanrong (Fu Xie), Duhe Zhubu Wei Qiqing (Wei Jie), and Lishi Chang Wang Wendu (Wang Yi) were all my students and studied together.”

Liu Kuan was also somewhat embarrassed. He genuinely did not know that Gongsun Zan had studied the Zuo Zhuan under Lu Zhi at Mount Goushi. In the current situation, Lu Zhi probably thought that he was being sarcastic and that Lu Zhi couldn't even win over his own disciples who would switch sides to him.

It is possible for a person to have multiple teachers, but they cannot be from different schools.

What is it that the disciples of the Old Text School studied the Old Text version of the Spring and Autumn Annals, and then went to the New Text School to study the New Text versions of the Book of Documents by Ouyang and the Book of Changes by Jing?
For Lu Zhi, this was betrayal and abandoning the light for darkness!
This matter may not seem like a big deal, but it is certainly not insignificant. Puyang Kai was suppressed for many years because he taught both the Old Text and New Text schools of classical Chinese literature at the same time.

Liu Kuan began to explain, "Zigan, I... I really didn't mean anything by it."

Lu Zhi slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, then shook his head and said magnanimously, "Gongsun Bogui was poor when he was young, but he has an flamboyant personality, likes fancy clothes, cockfighting and dog racing, and is extravagant. I'm afraid he will cause trouble."

Liu Kuan nodded. It wasn't that Lu Zhi was deliberately smearing Gongsun Zan; in fact, he could see these problems as well.

It's not a big problem for people to be a little extravagant when they have money, as long as they don't become corrupt. As long as their entertainment doesn't interfere with their work, there's no need to interfere too much.

“Then let Gongsun Zan be appointed as the governor of Wuyuan Commandery. As for Wang Wendu, whom Wen Rao just mentioned, I think he can also be appointed. Let Wang Yi be appointed as the governor of Xihe Commandery.”

Liu Bian reviewed Wang Yi's resume. He was originally the magistrate of Lishi, but Lishi was captured by Xubu Guduhou's troops. Some people who had escaped from Lishi said that Wang Yi had been slashed six times by the Xiongnu and lay in a pool of blood. The court thought he had met with misfortune and issued a pension to his family. Liu Kuan also grieved for his disciple for a while.

Despite being stabbed six times, Wang Yi did not die. He escaped from Lishi with more than twenty other wounded civilians and soldiers and went into hiding.

So, there are still two vacant governorships in Shuofang and Shangjun, and for the time being, there are really no candidates.

Shangjun is alright, but the biggest problem is Shuofangjun.

With a population of less than 10,000, Shuofang Commandery was nominally headed by a prefect with a salary of 2,000 shi (a unit of grain), but in reality, serving as the prefect of Shuofang Commandery was no different from being exiled.

Those qualified to serve as governors of prefectures with salaries of two thousand piculs of grain are unsuitable for the position of governor of Shuofang, and those unqualified should not be appointed either. This is truly a headache. "Your Highness, I have a report to submit."

Liu Yu, the Minister of the Imperial Clan, who usually only listened from the sidelines, spoke up for the first time. He even left his seat and walked to the center of the hall to bow and pay his respects. His posture and tone were exceptionally solemn and dignified: "During the chaos caused by the E'er rebels, the four kings, Liu Yi, Liu Gao, Liu Zhong, Liu Xu, and Liu Xu, abandoned their cities, resulting in the loss of the cities and the slaughter of the people. People all over the world have grievances against the Liu clan members in various places. As the Minister of the Imperial Clan, I feel deeply ashamed."

"I believe that members of the imperial clan should guard the borders of the country, and the governors of Shuofang and Shangjun should be members of the Liu clan."

Liu Yu's solution was indeed refreshing to Liu Bian. Although the court had already demoted Liu Yi, the King of Xiapi, and Liu Gao, the King of Changshan, to commoners, and Liu Zhong, the King of Ganling, and Liu Xu, the King of Anping, had been expelled from the clan genealogy, which could be considered as due punishment, there were still people who had discussed the Liu clan members.

The image of the Liu clan needs to be salvaged, and the best way to do this is for "the imperial clan to guard the nation's borders."

Since the founding of the Han Dynasty by Emperor Gaozu of the Former Han Dynasty, apart from Emperor Xiaowen who served as the Prince of Dai in his early years, there has never been a case of a member of the imperial clan residing in a border region.

When those states of Yan and Taiyuan established their fiefdoms, their borders had already expanded northward, encompassing an entire prefecture, and they no longer needed to confront the foreign tribes on the frontier.

Therefore, if the matter of the imperial family guarding the country's gates is well publicized, it will bring enormous political benefits to the Han imperial family.

Then this matter absolutely must be done!

"Who can do it?"

Since Liu Yu, as the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court, was able to propose this idea, he must have already looked for a suitable candidate, and he believed that Liu Yu would be sensible.

Liu Yu replied, "My son, Liu He, is qualified to be the governor of Shuofang Commandery!"

Before Liu Bian could respond, Liu Yan couldn't help but speak up and say, "Bo'an, Boping is your only son!"

Liu Yu waved his hand, flicked his sleeve, and said loudly, "Among the men who die every year in the border regions because of the barbarians, how many are only sons in their families? Is Liu He the only son?"

"You, Liu Bo'an, want to put me on the fire!" Liu Yan said with a wry smile, pointing at Liu Yu, speechless.

Liu Yu even offered up his only son to serve as the governor of the most desolate Shuofang County. He had four sons, and if they did not cooperate with this so-called "royal family guarding the country's gate," how could he still be trusted by His Highness the Crown Prince?

After a long silence, Liu Yan gritted her teeth and made her decision.

Yes, he had four sons, so even if one died, he still had three.

Liu Yan took a deep breath, turned around and bowed to Liu Bian, and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, I have four sons, but I can't bear to send them to such a desolate place as Shuofang County. The remaining Shang County will be sent by my eldest son, Liu Fan."

"I bow to the Minister of Works and the Minister of the Imperial Clan!"

Liu Bian decided to give Liu Yu special respect and dignity for his noble character and Liu Yan's self-awareness.

After Liu Yu suggested that "members of the imperial clan guard the borders of the country," several most suitable candidates immediately came to mind for Liu Bian.

These members of the royal family don't need to be particularly capable; as long as they don't cause trouble or become lazy in governance, that's enough. The most important thing is their background.

For example, Liu Bei sent him to serve as the governor of a border prefecture. Who would know who Liu Hong, the father of the man who served as a minor official in Youzhou, was? People might mistake him for Liu Hong, the same-named Commandant of the Imperial Carriage.

Liu Tao's only son, Liu Pang, was even less healthy than his father and would probably die within a year. Liu Kuan's only son, Liu Song, was capable and had inherited his father's talents, but he was a drunkard who was often dead drunk, so Liu Kuan didn't trust him to be employed. (Note 1)

Moreover, being the only son of the Minister of the Imperial Clan and the eldest son of the Minister of Works, the head of all officials, sounds more prestigious and exciting than other members of the imperial clan serving as governors of border prefectures to guard the nation's borders.

Even the common people in the fields, upon hearing this news, would realize that not all members of the Han imperial family were as useless as the four kings. The Han dynasty had virtuous and capable members of the Liu clan who were willing to dedicate everything to the country and its people, including their eldest sons and even their only sons!
Of course, if Liu Yu and Liu Yan do not take the initiative to bring it up tactfully, then Liu Bian will have to help them to do so gracefully.

Look how good you are now, everyone's happy.

I have gained the benefits, and you and your sons have gained fame and a bright future. Everyone has a bright future. Isn't this a win-win situation?
(3103 words)
Note 1: The *Dian Lun* states: When the Emperor arrived in Xuchang, he sent Liu Song, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, to garrison Yuan Shao's army in the north. Liu Song would feast and drink with Yuan Shao's sons and brothers every day. During the hottest days of summer, they would drink vinegar day and night until they were extremely drunk and unconscious, claiming it was to escape the heat. Hence, there is a tradition of "summer-avoiding drinks" in Hebei.

P.S.: I'm going for a head massage and foot bath tonight, so I'm in a great mood and will add another 1000 words for this little update. I'm begging you readers to shower me with monthly votes since I've added 2000 words for two consecutive days!

(End of this chapter)