I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 409 I'm not that kind of person! (10k)

Upon receiving the exam papers, Fei Yi could immediately tell from a light pinch between two fingers that the paper was made from the precious paper mulberry bark produced in Jingzhou.

Its texture is delicate, like silk. Its color is bright, like white silk.

"In this world today, only the Han Dynasty could produce such paper, right?"

While expressing his feelings, Fei Yi also turned his attention to the question.

Laws and regulations.

There are ten questions in total.

These ten questions were not difficult; in fact, Fei Yi was able to discern the examiner's intentions the moment he saw them.

Because these questions reveal a lot of malice and self-serving intentions.

For example, the first question is "Shun secretly carried it and fled".

Shun's father, Gu Sou, committed murder. Shun believed that arresting his father would violate ethical norms, so he voluntarily gave up his position as emperor and fled to the seaside with his father to live in seclusion.

Fei Yi glanced around and saw that quite a few scholars had already frowned.

These people, of course, have fallen into the trap set by the question setter.

What everyone is being tested on now is "laws and regulations" rather than "scriptures and interpretations".

Naturally, the answer should be based on "laws and regulations," rather than quoting classical texts on the exam paper to argue with the question setter about who is right and who is wrong.

Only by understanding this point can we solve the problem.

Fei Yi calmed himself down and quickly found the relevant laws in the "Zhangwu Law" that he had memorized, and made judgments on the cases of "Gu Sou killing someone" and "Shun stealing and fleeing".

Even after Fei Yi finished writing, some scholars were still stuck on the first question, as if this question was the death knell for them.

Fei Yi was certain that these people would not get high scores.

In this matter, they were merely answerers and enforcers of the law.

At that time, Shun was not a sage, but a criminal who had broken the law.

If they don't obey the law now, how can they expect to obey it when they become officials?

Fei Yi composed himself and looked at the second question.

The second question was completely unpretentious, directly asking about the "Sanbei Case".

A man from the state of Lu served his ruler in battle, but each time he was the first to flee. Confucius asked him why, and the man replied, "I have an elderly father, but after his death, there is no one to care for him." Confucius considered this filial piety, and instead of punishing him, he appointed him as an official…

Even Fei Yi was taken aback when he saw this question.

Because criticizing the "Sanbei Case" is essentially digging up the roots of Confucianism.

The first reason is that people are afraid of war because of filial piety.

This inevitably reminded Fei Yi of Yang Zhu's famous "stinginess"...

Qin Huali asked Yang Zhu, "If I were to pluck a single hair from your body to save the world, would you be willing?" Yang Zhu replied, "The world cannot be saved by a single hair." Qin Huali said, "Suppose it could be saved, would you be willing?" Yang Zhu ignored him.

Qin Huali went out and told Yang Zhu's disciple Meng Sunyang.

Meng Sunyang said, "You haven't understood the master's intention. Let me talk to you. If someone were to harm your skin and offer you ten thousand catties of gold, would you do it?"

Qin Huali replied, "I'm willing to do it."

Meng Sunyang then asked, "If someone cut off a part of your limb and gave you a country, would you accept?" Qin Huali remained silent for a while.

Meng Sunyang continued, “A single hair is lighter than skin, and skin is lighter than a limb; this is quite clear. But skin is made up of individual hairs, and limbs are made up of patches of skin. A single hair may only be one ten-thousandth of the body, but can we disregard it?”

Qin Huali said, "I have no answer to you. But if you ask Laozi and Guan Yin about your words, then your words will be correct; if you ask Yu the Great and Mozi about my words, then my words will be correct!" Upon hearing this, Meng Sunyang turned back to talk to his companions about other matters…

The same reason.

The same applies to the Sanbei case.

Confucius could forgive a deserter for adhering to filial piety, but what should Confucius do if all the soldiers of Lu at that time refused to fight because they were serving their parents?

If Confucius agreed to these soldiers' request, then who would protect the State of Lu?
If Confucius did not agree to let these soldiers go, then why did he let the first deserter go?
Secondly, there was the "recommendation and recommendation" system, which was closely related to the examinations.

Confucius not only did not punish the deserter, but recommended him for an official position, solely because of his filial piety.

Confucius's approach clearly equates "filial piety" with "talent."

Filial piety is often equated with talent. This is a value that Confucianism has upheld for hundreds of years.

However, with the collapse of the recommendation system, the so-called "filial piety and integrity" became the property of powerful families, and the so-called "filial piety" became a subjective evaluation that those in power and those in positions of authority could use at will. This system, along with its values, also suffered a major collapse and bankruptcy.

……

At this moment, a whole host of questions flooded Fei Yi's mind, and even he felt a little apprehensive.

This question is too dangerous!
Fei Yi was certain that many scholars, upon seeing this question, would likely go astray like they did with the first question, writing lengthy essays on their exam papers to explain the intricacies of the subject to the examiners.

But Fei Yi remained calm throughout.

These are all traps!
If you actually write your subjective evaluation on the exam paper, you'll definitely get a low score!

Therefore, Fei Yi still adhered to the approach used in the first question, without treating Confucius as some kind of supreme sage or teacher for all ages. He simply answered the question in a proper manner based on the content of the current "Zhangwu Law, Weijin Law and Zhizhi Law".

As Fei Yi had predicted.

At this point, most of the candidates in the examination room were completely in a state of excitement!
They quoted extensively from classical texts! They drew upon a wide range of sources! Their writing flowed like dragons and snakes!

At this moment, they were not answering questions! They were working with sage rulers like Yao and Shun! They were debating with sages like Confucius and Mencius!

Fei Yi's assessment of all this can be summed up in just two words—

"ill!"

Fortunately, the later questions were not malicious in the eyes of the question setters. Most of them were real cases found in the state and county, and the candidates were asked to answer them.

Without the filter of the former kings and sages, and facing only the "troublemakers" under their own rule, these scholars, deeply influenced by Confucianism, finally became impartial and incorruptible. They would rebel however they pleased, showing no mercy whatsoever. The methods they used to carry out these rebellions were almost on par with those of Zhang Tang and Wang Wenshu...

After finally finishing answering all the questions, Fei Yi finally saw the questions on government affairs.

"Ugh?"

When Fei Yi saw the question, he was stunned.

He flipped through the test paper to make sure there were no mistakes before looking anxiously at the question in front of him.

"Shao Zitan is stationed in Guanzhong, where he abuses his power for personal gain, trading with the Han Dynasty and selling warhorses. Half a month ago, Tan suddenly locked the passes and cut off trade. What was the reason for this?"

Fei Yi looked up at the railing of the pavilion where Liu Miao had stood, but which was now empty.

If he hadn't confirmed that the exam papers hadn't been distributed incorrectly, he would have even thought that Liu Miao had accidentally slipped the official documents into the exam papers!

Such a matter of national importance, just like that, appeared on the exam paper? Appeared before these scholars who had never even touched an official position?
"Your Majesty..."

At this moment, Fei Yi suddenly thought of Zuo Xiong's sentence in the "Yangjia New System": "Those with special talents or outstanding character may be exempt from age restrictions."

Without a doubt, the preceding legal section covers basic topics.

The real difference between high and low lies in the field of government affairs!

Fei Yi dared not be negligent. After carefully reviewing the question again, he finally began to write.

……

……

The scientific expedition has ended.

The scholars left the venue in an orderly fashion.

Liu Miao reappeared in the pavilion and waited until the last scholar left before asking Sima Yi, Lu Yi, and the others who were tidying up the exam papers, "How was it?"

“It’s horrible.”

The four-word reply left Liu Miao speechless on the spot...

"Most people answered the previous questions incorrectly. They used a lot of things to explain the actions of the former kings and sages, but they didn't use laws and decrees to answer the questions. It's like the 'Zhangwu Law' and a mere decoration. They each have their own reasoning... If you looked at those exam papers for the first time, you might think they were testing the interpretation of the classics."

Sima Yi's words made Liu Miao chuckle in disbelief.

"It's not their fault."

"How would they know how to act according to the law? Aren't they just interpreting things according to what they see and hear?"

Liu Miao leaned against the railing and shook his head slightly: "That's why I say the path of Taoism is arduous and long!"

The Tao is one.

One means one, not two or three.

When this doctrine of Taoism can be deeply rooted in people's hearts, then Taoism will have fulfilled its mission.

Liu Miao was somewhat disappointed.

"I've done so much for Taoism, yet these scholars from Shu haven't reacted at all?"

Liu Miao promoted Taoism before the imperial examinations. Any normal person would have paid attention to it, or at the very least visited a Taoist temple in the city to listen to its teachings. How could they possibly answer the question incorrectly?
"We really need to distribute more eggs..."

Just as Liu Miao was muttering to himself, Sima Yi said, "In fact, quite a few scholars have also used a lot of Taoist content."

"Oh?"

Liu Miao's eyes lit up!
But Sima Yi quickly poured cold water on his enthusiasm—

"However, most of these people were advising His Majesty not to easily believe in cults, and some even openly mocked the Hun Tian Theory..."

"..."

Liu Miao's lips twitched.

But Liu Miao quickly calmed down.

"Liu Biao's 'Map of Jingzhou' is indeed not convincing enough."

"In that case, one day when I take over Langjuxu Mountain and approach the North Sea, I will take a thorough survey there, and then take another survey in Jiaozhi in the South Sea, and let's see what they have to say then!"

Arguing is useless.

Since that's the case, Liu Miao will use more reliable data and more reliable "Tao" and "One" to shut them up!
At the same time, Liu Miao also realized...

"The Shu region is ultimately not suitable for the development of Taoism at this stage."

The problems in Sichuan before were land annexation and the gap between the rich and the poor. This is why the Five Pecks of Rice sect was able to take root and develop rapidly in this land.

However, with the end of the equal land distribution system, the Five Pecks of Rice sect clearly lost the conditions for its continued survival in Sichuan.

Looking at Jingzhou and Jiangdong today, they may be the most suitable places for Taoism to flourish!
Liu Miao sent Zhou Tai to deliver a message to Zhang Lu—

For the sake of Taoism, it would be best to return to the East with me.

However, this inevitably leads to a problem.

Zhang Lu was not only a leader of Taoism, but also the governor of Hanzhong.

If Liu Miao abducted Zhang Lu, it would inevitably make Zhang Lu suspect that Liu Miao ultimately coveted Hanzhong.

Therefore, Liu Miao handed the choice to Zhang Lu.

Alternatively, he could abandon Hanzhong and return to Jinling as a Taoist leader.

Alternatively, he could relinquish his status as a Taoist leader and return to Hanzhong to serve as its governor.

In any case, Liu Miao would never allow Taoism, a tool he had personally crafted, to slip out of his control and become someone else's prize!
the other side.

After receiving Liu Miao's "final ultimatum," Zhang Lu did not actually appear particularly panicked or condemn Liu Miao for breaking his promise.

What is a prominent field of study?

That means standing in the very center of the stage, facing wave after wave of battles, and then stepping over the corpses of the enemy to become the ultimate winner!
I've never heard of a field of study becoming prominent just by hiding in some obscure corner.

If you want to wear his crown, you must bear its weight!
When Zhang Lu personally confirmed that Liu Miao truly intended to elevate Taoism to a prominent position, he understood his own path.

He, and the entire Taoist community, had to follow Liu Miao back to Jinling, back to that true center, to fight!
Without such a mindset, Taoism would forever remain a lowly sect and would never become a prominent school of thought!

"I go!"

Zhang Lu responded to Liu Miao.

However, Zhang Lu also requested Liu Miao to return to Hanzhong to handle some unfinished matters.

Liu Miao did have some doubts about Zhang Lu's request.

What if Zhang Lu runs away and doesn't come back?
Zhang Lu seemed to have sensed Liu Miao's doubts and took the initiative to seek him out.

"I can send my relatives here first."

"No need, I am not that kind of person! Besides, I have decided to appoint Zhang Wei as the governor of Hanzhong, so you can rest assured."

When Liu Miao saw that Zhang Lu had come to find him, he felt much more at ease.

Without the Taoist incident, Zhang Lu certainly wouldn't have been able to directly offer up Hanzhong.

After all, forcing Zhang Lu to surrender would be like taking something for free.

But now, it's an exchange.

He used the position of Prefect of Hanzhong to facilitate the flourishing of Taoism.

Although this may not have been Liu Miao's original intention, it has indeed become a nominal reality.

Having figured this out, Liu Miao was no longer worried that Zhang Lu would not return.

When Zhang Lu heard Liu Miao's refusal, although he knew it was Liu Miao's attempt to win him over, he still felt a warm feeling in his heart.

"However, we must act quickly. Once the results of this imperial examination are in, I must return to the Central Plains. There is no time to delay."

"Here!"

Before leaving, Zhang Lu sent a letter to Zhang Wei, asking him to send his family to Chengdu as a gesture of goodwill.

Zhang Wei replied immediately after receiving the letter.

"Brother! What virtue or ability do I possess to become the Prefect of Hanzhong?"

Zhang Wei pleaded silently in his heart.

Previously, Zhang Lu had been handling everything, but now it's suddenly been handed over to him without any preparation. How can this be allowed?

Zhang Wei asked Zhang Lu to return to Hanzhong, but Zhang Lu had already made up his mind.

"I will not go back to Hanzhong."

"I must urge His Majesty to Jinling! To the Central Plains! To the North!"

Zhang Lu wrote another letter, rebuking Zhang Wei and ordering him to obediently defend the territory of the Han Dynasty.

After receiving the letter, Zhang Wei had no choice but to accept it.

At the same time, after realizing that Zhang Lu had completely placed his life and fortune on Liu Miao, Zhang Wei also began to think about some things and sent another letter to Zhang Lu.

“Brother, since you are now determined to submit to His Majesty, why not strengthen our ties through marriage?”

"Wouldn't it be better if my brother married Yulan to His Majesty as his wife?"

Yulan was Zhang Lu and Zhang Wei's younger sister.

"This……"

Zhang Lu was still hesitant.

To be able to form a marriage alliance with the emperor would be the best possible outcome!
However, because his younger sister was obsessed with Taoism, she was a bit older, and it was unknown whether Liu Miao would find her disliked.

At this moment, a clever young Taoist disciple beside Zhang Lu reminded him: "Master, don't forget! His Majesty has a particular fondness for this!"

"Nonsense! How dare you criticize His Majesty?"

Despite saying that, Zhang Lu couldn't help but become somewhat convinced of the rumors after thinking about Wu.

Zhang Lu had already arrived in Fucheng when he received Zhang Wei's letter, but after reading it, he immediately turned back to Chengdu.

When Liu Miao met Zhang Lu, he was also puzzled: "Gongqi, it's over already? How come so fast? Did you take the Yinping Trail?"

Zhang Lu quickly shook his head and told Liu Miao about marrying off his sister...

"what!"

Liu Miao's pupils were filled with disbelief.

"How can this be? If word gets out, I..."

Liu Miao originally wanted to say, "What about my reputation?"
However, remembering Zhou Tai's past words, Liu Miao ultimately did not say them aloud.

Liu Miao guessed that Zhang Lu married off his sister to put his mind at ease, so Liu Miao emphasized again: "I am really not that kind of person!"

Moreover, Liu Miao's thoughts inexplicably drifted far away.

Now, Liu Zhang's sister-in-law, Lady Wu, is his wife.

Liu Zhang's father, Liu Yan, was probably Zhang Lu's mother's lover.

Now Zhang Lu wants to marry his sister to him. What exactly is the relationship between them?
"His Majesty!"

Zhang Lu rushed back in a hurry, not because Liu Miao refused!
"Your Majesty, this matter concerns not only my family, but also the Daoist school!"

Liu Miao's expression turned serious: "For the sake of Taoism?"

"Exactly!"

"It seems I have no choice but to agree!"

"Ok?"

Zhang Lu had been thinking about how to explain the reasons to Liu Miao, but Liu Miao's decisiveness rendered all his prepared explanations useless.

"I never expected that Gongqi would rush back for this reason."

Liu Miao shook his head, then, as if suddenly remembering something, asked Zhang Lu, "Gongqi, do you have another daughter?"

Zhang Lu's eyes instantly filled with fear!
"Your Majesty! I do have a daughter named Qi Ying, but she is only five years old!"

"No wonder!"

But by the time Liu Miao realized Zhang Lu's serious panic, it was already too late!
"I am really not that kind of person!"

"I know!"

"Your Excellency trusts me!"

"Your Majesty, I trust..."

"..."

With Zhang Lu's departure once again, and his inexplicable assignment of a wife to Liu Miao, Liu Miao finally calmed down to consider the resettlement and garrisoning of Shu after his departure.

After accepting the surrender, Huang Zhong stationed his troops in Zitong.

Zitong served as the gateway to Shu and could provide timely support to Hanzhong, a region rife with conflict. Therefore, Liu Miao ordered Huang Zhong to remain near Zitong, both to deter Hanzhong in the north and to pacify Shu in the south.

Moreover, Huang Zhong's presence in Zitong allowed him to familiarize himself with the terrain of Hanzhong and the southern Qinling Mountains, which would greatly benefit his future plans to seize Guanzhong.

However, Huang Zhong was clearly somewhat apprehensive upon learning that Liu Miao intended to keep him in Zitong, and even personally wrote a letter to Liu Miao pleading for his life. After all, everyone knew that a major war was about to break out in the Central Plains, and Huang Zhong was now in his prime, the perfect time to make a name for himself. How could he bear to be trapped in Shu?
But Liu Miao still refused.

"Isn't the achievement of pacifying Shu enough for Hansheng to boast about?"

Liu Miao then had Sima Yi send some gifts to Huang Zhong.

"Too much achievement is not a good thing either."

When Sima Yi met Huang Zhong, he subtly offered him a reminder.

"His Majesty's refusal to deploy General Huang is also for your protection!"

Huang Zhong then understood and stopped submitting further petitions, choosing instead to stay and guard Zitong.

Gan Ning reacted in the same way as Huang Zhong.

However, compared to Huang Zhong, Gan Ning's resistance was clearly not as strong.

On the one hand, Gan Ning was originally from Sichuan. Now that he has returned home in glory, he must do something to "punish the three evils" and change how his neighbors perceive him.

On the other hand, in the future battles in the Central Plains, the main force will definitely be cavalry and infantry.

Yuan Shao would never engage in a naval battle with Liu Miao, so although Gan Ning was unwilling, he knew that he would probably have little opportunity to use his skills in future battles.

"Xingba, don't be discouraged. Just as I told Hansheng, the reason for keeping him in Zitong is to understand the situation in the southern Qinling Mountains so that we can plan for Guanzhong in the future. Xingba also has things to do in Chengdu."

Gan Ning's previously dejected eyes instantly brightened!
What is it, Your Majesty?

"Nanman!"

Strictly speaking, Liu Miao only pacified the Chengdu Plain this time, not the entire Shu region.

The southwestern barbarians in the south had never really listened to Liu Zhang before, so naturally they wouldn't listen to Liu Miao now either.

However, Liu Miao clearly did not have the energy to venture deeper into the barren lands. He could only leave Gan Ning behind to suppress the remaining demons and monsters in Shu, while also protecting the people of Shu from the raids of the southern barbarians.

"Ziyuan".

"Here!"

Besides Huang Zhong and Gan Ning, the other powerful general Liu Miao left behind was Wu Yi.

Wu Yi's current status is that of a maternal relative, and keeping him around can barely keep Gan Ning and other Shu generals in check.

After all, Gan Ning has a very fiery temper; if he doesn't like something, he's really capable of killing someone!
Wu Yi was used to being a submissive wife and was a good lubricant, so Liu Miao naturally continued to use her.

"The stability of Sichuan depends on you!"

Wu Yi, of course, knew why Liu Miao had kept him in Shu, and naturally nodded, saying, "Yes!"

Leaving three complementary generals—Huang Zhong, Gan Ning, and Wu Yi—in Shu should be enough to pacify the region.

Moreover, Liu Miao had not forgotten Zhang Ren.

"He can walk now?"

"can."

"And now? Still threatening to kill yourself all the time?"

"No, I'm just a little unhappy."

The one who answered Liu Miao was Fa Zheng, who exuded a somewhat murderous aura.

After capturing Chengdu, Fa Zheng immediately went to pay his respects to Zhang Song.

In the days that followed, Fazheng launched a frenzied revenge campaign against the entire Shu region.

Fortunately, even in retaliation, Fa Zheng punished the perpetrators according to the law. After all, they were powerful families with plenty of dirty secrets to their name, and he could easily find a way to kill them.

Seeing that Fa Zheng was acting in accordance with the rules and regulations, Liu Miao turned a blind eye and stopped interfering in Fa Zheng's affairs.

After taking his revenge, Fa Zheng, whether seeking inner peace or still feeling indebted to Zhang Ren, repeatedly visited Zhang Ren's home and naturally became very clear about Zhang Ren's situation.

"Since he's no longer trying to kill himself, let's find him something to do."

"Let him be appointed as the General of Yijiang and sent to see more of the southern barbarian lands."

Liu Miao saw that Fa Zheng seemed about to speak but then stopped himself.

"What? Does Xiaozhi have anything else to say?"

"I believe that Zhang Ren's mind is unsettled and he should not be given military power..."

Liu Miao remained unmoved by Fa Zheng's admonition, even reassuring him, "It's alright."

“Go to the south and see for yourself, and he'll know who the real enemy is!”

"There are many people like him in Shu now. They all think that I forcibly annexed Shu and took away the property of many people... But in a few years, as long as they have eyes and ears, they will naturally be able to see what is going on!"

The military deployment is basically complete.

What remains is the arrangement of political affairs.

Liu Miao did not forget that the main reason for attacking Shu was to enable free trade in Shu and gain access to its huge market.

If Liu Miao conquered Shu but then made a mess of it, it would clearly not have been his original intention.

But looking at the "misfits" around him, Liu Miao felt that there was no one he could use.

Fa Zheng is vindictive and vengeful. It is said that when he faced Zhang Su, who had reported Zhang Song in the past, Fa Zheng tortured Zhang Su for three days before he died. If he were to govern Shu, Shu would inevitably be in turmoil sooner or later.

Sima Yi, um... Sima Yi, at least at this stage, Liu Miao felt that there was no need to use Sima Yi yet.

Pang Tong was also completely unsuitable for political affairs.

Huang Quan was a representative figure of Shu and a key figure who ultimately helped Liu Miao peacefully capture Chengdu. He was destined to be placed in the central government of the Han Dynasty as a role model.

After much deliberation, Liu Miao could not find such a person.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to recommend someone!"

Just as Liu Miao was having some doubts, a voice rang out at the perfect moment.

It is Pang Tong.

"Whom does Shiyuan want to recommend?"

"Xu Shu of Yingchuan! Xu Yuanzhi!"

Liu Miao suddenly realized!

Previously, Liu Miao disliked Xu Shu, Cui Jun, Shi Tao, and Meng Jian because they were all scholars, so he sent them to Jingnan for training.

Now that so much time has passed, the four of them should have reached the end of their leveling journey.

“Shi Yuan is right. In that case, let’s summon Xu Shu and the other three to Shu.”

After the allocation of personnel remaining in Shu was sorted out, the examination papers in Shu had been completely graded.

And the person ranked first was again one of Liu Miao's "acquaintances".

"Fei Yi?"

"It's him."

Huang Quan also specifically reminded Liu Miao: "This person comes from Liu Zhang's maternal clan. If Your Majesty does not like him, you may not use him."

"Why not?"

Liu Miao countered Huang Quan's question and demanded Fei Yi's exam paper from him: "Since he is first, then he is first! This is the essence of the Dao."

Huang Quan presented Fei Yi's exam paper.

Liu Miao could read ten lines of the previous test questions at a glance.

Seeing that Fei Yi had not fallen into the trap set by the Ministry of Law, Liu Miao then looked at the policy essay.

"..."

"interesting!"

Liu Miao commented on Fei Yi's answer.

"How interesting! Gongheng! Summon Fei Yi, I want to see him!"

Fei Yi has been staying at the home of his cousin Fei Boren these days, eating, drinking and sleeping as usual.

Fei Boren often tried to dissuade Fei Yi, and recently he asked him to move out and not have any dealings with the Fei family, but Fei Yi refused.

"The relationship between the Fei family and Liu Zhang is known to everyone in Chengdu. Does living outside of Chengdu mean that people will think I, Fei Yi, am not a member of the Fei family?"

Fei Boren continued earnestly, "But this is ultimately related to your career, Wenwei!"

Fei Yi remained unconcerned: "My talent is sufficient. If His Majesty does not wish to employ me, even if I live in Yang Xiong's Ziyun Pavilion, I will not be summoned; if His Majesty wishes to employ me, even if I live in front of Liu Zhang's tomb, I will still be highly valued!"

Just then, imperial guards suddenly arrived at the Fei family residence.

In a panic, Fei Boren told Fei Yi to go into hiding, but Fei Yi laughed and said, "This is my fortune! Why should I need to hide?"

Fei Yi calmly opened the door, and upon hearing that it was the emperor's summons, he immediately strode confidently into the carriage outside, leaving Fei Boren and a group of neighbors speechless with disbelief...

When Fei Yi met Liu Miao, Liu Miao was holding his exam paper.

"You're saying that Yuan Tan suddenly closed the passes to show his loyalty to his father, Yuan Shao?"

Without any pleasantries, we went straight to the point.

Fei Yi remained completely calm and immediately followed Liu Miao's lead.

"Of course!"

Fei Yi explained: "It is not yet time to reap the rewards, and Yuan Shao and Yuan Tan will certainly not head south at this time. Yuan Tan's sudden cessation of trade is certainly not aimed at the Han Dynasty, but rather he wants to confess the matter of smuggling to Yuan Shao."

"Isn't Yuan Tan afraid his father will kill him?"

"If the question Your Majesty gave is correct, then it is quite obvious that such a big thing could not have been accomplished by Yuan Tan alone."

Fei Yi looked serene, as if he were a witness to these events.

"Now is the best time for Yuan Tan to be honest with Yuan Shao. It will allow father and son to stop being suspicious of each other during the war and focus on the war against the Han Dynasty."

"Although I do not know why Yuan Tan would trade with the Han Dynasty and sell warhorses to the Han Dynasty, I think that as Yuan Shao's eldest son, he has not yet been made crown prince, and what he seeks is nothing more than the position of heir apparent."

“Now that Yuan Tan has powerful backing, he is likely to coerce Yuan Shao into not daring to restrain him. So, with no worries about his rear, he should naturally focus on the war and destroy the Han Dynasty.”

The fact that Fei Yi had guessed the situation to this extent without much information already pleased Liu Miao.

However, this was not enough for Liu Miao to summon Fei Yi alone.

The key was Fei Yi's assessment of the subsequent battle—

"Yuan Tan's actions may not be just a matter of being fearless."

"More than anything, it's about deceiving the world."

Liu Miao read aloud Fei Yi's policy proposal.

Why would you think that?

"Your Majesty, I have always admired you. Therefore, I often study Your Majesty's battles in order to admire Your Majesty's heroic figure."

Who says geniuses don't understand social etiquette?
Liu Miao chuckled upon hearing this: "What did you figure out?"

“During the Battle of Hedong, Yuan Tan was not actually a man of courage but lack of strategy.”

If Yuan Tan had been a reckless man and taken a gamble during the Battle of Hedong, he might not have suffered such a crushing defeat.

Now that Yuan Tan has suddenly blocked the passes, letting Yuan Shao know about the smuggling, doesn't he know that this will make a lot of people in the world gossip and watch the show?

Therefore, Fei Yi made a guess—

"Now that there is such a big rift between Yuan Tan and Yuan Shao, it is very easy to assume that Guanzhong and Hebei will act separately during wartime."

"But is it possible that Yuan Tan and his son Yuan Shao are deliberately misleading the world? In fact, after Yuan Tan sealed off the passes, he led a large army to Hebei to join forces with Yuan Shao, so as to use the empty Guanzhong region to contain the Han army's forces?"

The "filial piety" between Yuan Tan and Yuan Shao makes it seem unlikely that the two would be able to completely unite their armies.

It's just like Liu Miao and Cao Cao back then.

Although they were allies, they couldn't help but worry about betraying each other, so neither Liu Miao nor Cao Cao dared to join forces.

But Yuan Shao and Yuan Tan were different.

They are a legitimate father and son!
Even couples who fight in bed make up before they get out of bed, so what grudge could a father and son who have fought together hold against each other overnight?

Is Yuan Tan's blockade of the passes a cover for secretly sending troops to Hebei to catch Liu Miao off guard, while also tying down some of Liu Miao's forces in Guanzhong?
Guanzhong is a true land of kings and hegemons.

Liu Miao dared not be unprepared for Yuan Tan's attack, and even at the very least, he deployed 20,000 to 30,000 troops to Nanyang to guard against a sudden attack from Yuan Tan's flank.

After all, Yuan Tan did the same thing before!

If Yuan Tan had decided to lead his troops to Hebei and completely trusted Yuan Shao, then the troops in Nanyang would have been wasted.

War is nothing more than you deceiving me and me deceiving you, and then seeing who can gain an advantage in a local battlefield, and finally launch an offensive to achieve victory in the campaign by spreading the deception across the board.

If Yuan Tan had not sent troops from Guanzhong, and with the addition and subtraction of troops, there is no doubt that he would have created some advantages on the main battlefield in the future, thus increasing his chances of victory.

"Tsk! The little fox has learned bad habits from the old fox!"

Liu Miao was quite interested in Fei Yi's conjecture.

Fei Yi, however, looked at Liu Miao with some concern: "Your Majesty, is what I'm thinking too far-fetched?"

Not at all! Make a bold guess, then verify it carefully!

On the battlefield, anything can happen. Every imaginable idea that comes to mind can provide a new line of thought in the strategic planning. Liu Miao was hoping that Fei Yi could come up with a few more ideas!

"hey-hey."

Liu Miao looked at Fei Yi with admiration in his eyes.

"Can you drink?"

"I know a little."

"Going to the brothel?"

"I went there secretly."

"very good!"

If someone can drink and frequents brothels, they're sure to become a good official in the future!
Liu Miao extended an invitation to Fei Yi.

"Would you like to come to Jinling with me?"

"miss you!"

Fei Yi's answer showed no embarrassment or hesitation whatsoever!

"Excellent! Truly a great talent who emerged from the imperial examinations!"

Liu Miao laughed heartily: "Go back and pack your things! Prepare to return to Jinling with me!"

In this imperial examination, a total of more than 500 people passed.

I dare not say that all five hundred or so people are upright and good officials, or that they all possess extraordinary talents, but at least they are familiar with the laws of the Han Dynasty and have the ability to distinguish right from wrong.

These five hundred people were scattered throughout Shu, not seeking great achievements, but at least able to maintain the operation of local governments, becoming one cog after another in the machine of Shu.

Simultaneously.

The ratio of four to one has reignited the enthusiasm of the people of Sichuan!
How could such an unprecedented rate of people entering officialdom not drive people crazy?
In addition, Fei Yi, who ranked first in this imperial examination, was also exposed by some people with ulterior motives.

He was directly hired by the provincial television station, working right next to the emperor!
As Fei Yi said, everyone in Chengdu knew that Fei Yi and Liu Zhang were related by blood.

If it were during the recommendation system, Fei Yi would not have been recommended by his superiors based on this relationship alone, thus avoiding trouble for himself.

But now, Fei Yi is openly following the emperor. Doesn't this prove the emperor's impartiality?
So much so that when Liu Miao decided to leave Shu, the people of Shu spontaneously came to see him off.

Zhang Ren, who had recovered, stood beside Liu Miao, who was about to leave.

Liu Miao glanced at Zhang Ren, but saw that his expression was still very conflicted.

"I admit that I did kill many people during my trip to Shu."

"These people are human too; they also have relatives, friends, and families..."

"Therefore I know that there will definitely be many people in Shu who hate me in the future."

Liu Miao's tone was serious yet indifferent.

"But, in the end, there are still more people who love me, haha!"

Liu Miao lifted the curtain of the jade carriage and glanced outside.

The number of people lining both sides of the road now exceeds what can be described as a ten-mile-long street.

"I like to have the majority bully the minority! So whenever there are more people on one side, I like to stand on that side."

Out of the corner of his eye, Liu Miao caught sight of a middle-aged farmer holding his child, who was waving at Liu Miao with his son's little hand.

Unfortunately, this is the majority every time.

Liu Miao waved and greeted the other person, who was so surprised that they jumped up and down with joy!

But Zhang Ren took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, I have a question!"

"speak."

"Is having money a sin?"

"Of course not, otherwise I and the people around me would be guilty of heinous crimes by now."

Liu Miao gave Zhang Ren the answer—

"However, if one is so rich that he cannot let the people live, then that is a sin."

There is a saying in Taoism: "When water is full, it overflows."

“Once they overflow, even if I don’t deal with them, they will be dealt with by someone else sooner or later.”

Liu Miao turned back and took one last look at Chengdu.

"I know what you're going to ask next. It's nothing more than, 'I'm also a rich man. Aren't you afraid that one day someone will come after me?'"

Zhang Ren hesitated for a moment, but still nodded seriously.

"That's right. So I was afraid the water would overflow, so I kept trying to make the cup bigger to make sure the water wouldn't spill."

Seeing Zhang Ren's dazed expression, Liu Miao thoughtfully took out an adapted copy of the Daoist classic and handed it to Zhang Ren.

"Study hard! Next time I see you, don't give me that sour look again!"

With a flick of his sleeve, Liu Miao departed quietly, just as quietly as he had come. He took not a single possession from Shu, but left behind much for the land.

"It's time for me to go back."

"Otherwise, that old codger Yuan Shao would probably be getting impatient! Haha!"

(End of this chapter)