The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 109 Zilu’s rescue
Mi Weidao:
"The troubles of the three prefectures are external to the turmoil in the world and internal to the obstruction of mountain roads."

"As the Prefect said, if the way is not open, the people will not follow."

"If the people do not support the county, the county will not prosper."

"Now that the counties at both ends of the three prefectures have been restored to their rightful place, the three prefectures can be somewhat isolated from the turmoil in the future."

"Next, we should clear the roads and bring in the mountain people so that they can become prosperous and strong as soon as possible and support the east and west sides!"

"Does Your Excellency agree?"

With such a clear and unambiguous stance, Shen Dan could easily understand.

After a moment's thought, he replied:

"The Commandant's words are quite right!"

"Tomorrow, Shen will summon the prominent families and powerful clans of the county to jointly raise funds from the people to repair the roads!"

Miwei shook his head and said:
“Simply clearing a path is probably not enough. To attract the mountain people down from the mountains, they need fields to make a living.”

Shen Dan immediately said:

"There are still unclaimed fields in the county. After a thorough investigation, they can be used as military farms!"

The words "unclaimed" are clearly emphasized.

Mi Wei nodded slightly, but then said with a worried look:

"The prominent families in the prefecture are all loyal and righteous men. If they sacrifice their private interests for the public good, won't they harbor resentment towards the imperial court?"

"It's alright. For the sake of the King and the court, I, Shen, am willing to take the lead in donating my family's wealth to set an example for the entire prefecture!"

Mi Wei nodded in satisfaction and cupped his hands in greeting:

"Your Excellency's noble character is no less than that of Lord Meng, who died to protect the people!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Dan subconsciously glanced at Meng Da.

But he saw that the latter was also looking at him.

Each of them felt a tremor in their heart.

But then Mi Wei said again:

"What is past cannot be changed, but what is to come can still be pursued."

"The deceased's merits and achievements will be discussed by the government in the future."

"But Lord Shen sacrificed his family fortune to relieve the nation's distress and devoted himself to public service. There's no need to wait for tomorrow; we'll address this now!"

He then instructed Pan Mi to fetch Pan Jun's letter recommending the Zhou Maocai (a talented scholar) and display it to the public.

Shen Dan noticed that the signature appeared to have been altered with a pen.

But a clear and unmistakable character "申" is already written above.

His expression changed several times in an instant.

Finally, he spoke in a trembling voice:
"Captain...is this true?"

Mi Wei: "This is a letter from the Prefectural Governor, so it's definitely genuine. If that's not enough, we can add a letter from General Guan tomorrow. Then, I ask you, will this Prefectural Scholar be able to run off to someone else?"

That is impossible!
Shen Dan secretly exclaimed with delight.

During the Han Dynasty, the recommendation system involved prefectures recommending candidates for filial piety and integrity, and provinces recommending candidates for outstanding talent.

The latter is not only rarer than the former, but is also often used to recommend incumbent officials in order to highlight their talents.

Those recommended for the title of "Outstanding Talent" can, once they enter the imperial court, have a career path that can lead directly to high-ranking officials.

Therefore, it has always been monopolized by noble families and officials of prefectures and counties.

Shen Dan is now a prominent local family, though they dare not aspire to one that will one day reach the rank of Wan Shi.

But with this opportunity, his family will surely be able to break through the limitations of this small place, and the future is promising!

Therefore, giving up a meager plot of land in the mountains, or even a position with a salary of two thousand bushels of grain in a mountain prefecture, might not be a bad deal.
Not to mention, Miwei immediately added:

"The Shen family is of noble lineage, and many of its members are talented. I think it's not impossible to recommend one of them as a 'Distinguished Scholar'!"

In other words, this year's Jingzhou scholar will definitely be surnamed Shen.

But who exactly to do it is up to the Shen brothers to discuss and decide.

That gives you more room to maneuver!

Furthermore, considering that Miwei previously needed to clear the roads, Fuminfu County was also involved.

This whole thing is completely connected.

Because a certain Lord Shen was a talented scholar of the state, he was able to bring wealth to the county.

Because he was able to bring wealth to the people of the prefecture, a certain Lord Shen was recognized as a distinguished scholar of the prefecture.

As long as we do a good job of opening roads, attracting people, and establishing settlements.

Then there is no controversy about the state's outstanding talent.

Excellent tactics and boldness indeed!
Overjoyed, Shen Dan couldn't help but silently repeat someone's words to himself.

However, the word "ruthless" was automatically omitted.

Then he bowed deeply to Miwei on the spot, his feelings sincere and heartfelt.

Mi Wei accepted it calmly.

His gaze shifted to the doorway, but he didn't look at the old man with the thatched roof.

Instead, the blame fell on Deng Xian, who was standing behind him.

He said to Shen Dan:

"Last night, when we mourned Lord Meng, Deng Jun's cries were the most heart-wrenching; he must be a filial son!"

Deng Xian, who hadn't cried much last night, was taken aback by these words. Shen Dan, however, reacted quickly, nodding and saying:
"Such a filial son should be recommended for the civil service examination!"

Deng Xian was stunned for a moment, then quickly stepped through the door and bowed to the two men:

"Thank you for your kind words, Commandant Xie! Thank you for your kind words, Prefect!"

"I am willing to carry my deceased uncle's coffin into Sichuan to fulfill my filial duty!"

"He truly is a filial son!" Mi Wei nodded in praise.

He then turned to his subordinates, who were enjoying the show, and said:
"The two prefectures of Shangyong and Xicheng need an experienced assistant to help me open up new roads. Which of you is willing to stay and handle this matter for me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Pan Mi stepped forward from the crowd:

"I am not very talented, but I once assisted the Commandant in Huarong in leveling roads and setting up granaries and post stations, and I have gained some experience. I am willing to share the Commandant's burdens!"

Mi Wei: "The customs and traditions of the two places are quite different. How do you plan to assist Lord Shen in repairing the road?"

Pan Mi: "First, to ensure that the donated funds are used to recruit people; second, to ensure that all proceeds from military settlements go into the government granary; and third, to prevent the exploitation of the people and to maintain the prestige of Your Majesty and General Guan!"

Mi Wei nodded, then looked at Shen Dan.

This time, without needing any prompting, Shen Dan blurted out:

"Pan Gong's son will surely become an honest official! Let him be recommended as a filial and incorruptible official!"

Pan Mi was overjoyed and thanked the two men.

So after the false alarm, everyone got what they wanted and everyone was happy.

Except for that lonely old man kneeling outside the door.

The man remained silent and lost in thought for a long time.

Only when Miwei was about to leave did he eagerly rush forward to chase after him:

"I underestimated the Captain's magnanimity!"

"I initially thought that the Commandant had come to Shangyong to secretly kill the general, but then I mistakenly thought that the Commandant wanted to emulate Yan Ying's killing of three warriors with two peaches."

"Only now do I realize that the Commandant was actually Zilu, who saved a drowning man from receiving a cow!"

Seeing that Mi Wei had stopped, he quickly added:

"Zigong redeemed people without taking the gold, and the people of Lu later stopped redeeming people."

"Zilu rescued a drowning man and gave him his ox; the people of Lu will surely rescue drowning men in the future."

"The Commandant's kindness has benefited everyone, truly a benevolent act of governance!"

"Such a benevolent person, I wonder if the Commandant could save this poor man like me?"

Mi Wei turned around, a half-smile on his face, and said:

"Judging from your extensive knowledge and eloquent speech, you are no ordinary person."

"Such great talent is beyond my ability to save! Only Your Majesty can save him!"

He sighed softly, sounding quite regretful:
"Your Excellency is unaware of the fact that His Majesty originally took a liking to a prodigy named Meng Zidu from this place and intended to recommend him as one of the outstanding talents of the state."

"It's a pity that he has already passed away, and his reputation as a man of great talent will never be fulfilled."

"Looking back now, those bandits from Shangyong Mountain were truly hateful. They insisted on causing trouble for ordinary people, and even caused the death of a remarkable man!"

"Alas, alas!"

He immediately shook his head, put his hands behind his back, and left.

Meng Da was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears, pounding his chest.

This cry, however, was more poignant and sincere than all those who mourned "Young Master Meng Du" the previous night.

Of course, there's no Mencius anymore.

There was only one insignificant old man.

……

The road into Sichuan wasn't built in a day.

After dealing with the personnel matters in Shangyong, Mi Wei had no choice but to turn back to Yunxiang.

Then continue upstream along the Han River valley to the west.

The further west you go, the steeper the mountains become, and the more treacherous the riverbeds become.

The area was characterized by distant mountains, deep streams, and treacherous gorges, which caused Guan Xing and his companions, who were traveling through the area for the first time, to be terrified and speechless.

Even Miwei, who was mentally prepared, left without making a sound.

Fortunately, the guide was reliable, and the group arrived in Xicheng County without any major incidents.

When Mi Wei handed over Shen Dan's handwritten letter, Shen Yi, the prefect of Xicheng, was still somewhat skeptical.

However, when Mi Wei brought the old man who "just happened" to look exactly like Meng Da to his side, Shen Yi had no more doubts.

Everything went smoothly.

Two days later, the group, accompanied by Shen Yili, continued their westward journey.

When passing through a tributary valley called "Zhishui".

Miwei became interested and went ashore to pause briefly, looking north towards the famous Ziwu Valley.

Imagine roughly how Zhang Liang helped Liu Bang burn the plank roads back then.

Then they headed west and entered Hanzhong Commandery.

From here, you've entered the territory of Yizhou.

(End of this chapter)