My son, how could you be Lü Bu?!

Chapter 128 Lü Ping Attends the Banquet

"Zizhao...are you sure Yuan Benchu ​​wants to see me?"

"And not just a joke from your old friend, Sinpi Sinjoji?"

In Luoyang City.

Lü Ping had just escaped from Kong Rong's banquet.

Having just returned to the shop that Shen Pei had opened for him, he was pulled along by Shen Rong, who was eager to squeeze into Yuan Shao's social circle, and asked to go to Yuan's residence.

Speaking of Kong Rong and Kong Wenju.

Although Kong Wenju was somewhat arrogant at first sight, after witnessing Lü Ping berate Wang Fu, he instantly regarded Lü Ping as a kindred spirit and immediately invited him to a banquet.

After all, they are descendants of Confucius.

Whether Kong Rong was merely a figurehead or not worthy of the name, his social circle did indeed include many people who left their mark on history.

During this banquet, Lü Ping got to know quite a few people, such as Tao Qiuhong, a man from Pingyuan who was as famous as Kong Rong.

Bian Rang from Chenliu; or Wang Lang from Donghai, who also worked in the household of Yang Ci, the Minister of Works...

Most of these people share the same temperament as Kong Rong: arrogant and self-important.

During the banquet, the group of scholars had some unpleasantness because Lü Ping was just a commoner, but they managed to keep it from escalating because Kong Rong was present.

Therefore, Lü Ping only barely knew this group of people.

at this time.

Having just finished the banquet hosted by Kong Rong and Kong Wenju, where there had been some unpleasantness due to their different social statuses, and now being inexplicably dragged over by Shen Rong, who was doing well selling paper, Lü Ping was bound to feel some resentment.

After Kong Rong's banquet.

He finally understood that eating and drinking with these scholars was not very useful; even if he got to know them, it would only be a superficial acquaintance.

If one truly wants to recruit these scholars, or genuinely enter their circle, there are essentially two paths:

Firstly, start with his background and establish a great reputation. Either kill the Ten Attendants or petition the emperor to lift the ban on political parties. Doing either of these two things will allow Lü Ping to establish a great reputation among the literati!

However... the Ten Attendants are currently very powerful and favored by the Emperor. To kill them would be like climbing to heaven. As for lifting the ban on partisans, didn't Cai Yong, a great Confucian scholar, just mention it once and he was exiled to Wuyuan?

Secondly, once the world undergoes a major upheaval, as long as Lü Ping can provide these scholars with a possibility of unification or a stable place to live, a large number of scholars will naturally come to join him.

Lü Ping knew this in his heart.

Both of these options seem unlikely to be achieved at present.

That being the case.

Instead of indulging in feasts and drinking, it would be better to urge Lu Zhi, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, to let him take up his post as a high-ranking official with a salary of one or two thousand shi (a unit of grain), and to see if he could recruit some scholars from humble backgrounds.

Shen Rong didn't notice the resistance in Lü Ping's eyes. He simply led the white horse to Lü Ping, signaling him to mount it, and then spoke excitedly.

"Indeed!"

"I have known Nasin George for several years and know that he is always frank and keeps his word. He would never lie about something like this."

talking.

Fearing that Lü Ping wouldn't go, Shen Rong, who had been so arrogant at their first meeting, actually softened his expression slightly.

"Yuan Shao, Yuan Benchu, is a model for scholars. After Zhang Jian, he will most likely be the next leader of scholars."

"Please, Uncle Lü, have mercy."

"Since he wants to see us, why don't we go and meet him?"

"It's just a matter of eating a meal, there's no harm done! Who knows... it might even boost your reputation a bit more!"

"In my family of Wei Commandery, only my uncle has been invited by Yuan Shao a few times. Rong has been in the capital for so long, yet he's still not qualified to go!"

A model for scholars?

The next leader of the literati?

This statement came out.

Lu Ping was taken aback, not knowing what Shen Rong was talking about.

He didn't really want to go.

only...

Seeing that Shen Rong, who was only a year or two older than his own son, was thinking this way, and considering that Yuan Benchu ​​was indeed famous, he softened his heart.

Lü Ping nodded slightly.

"Going is certainly an option!"

"but..."

"You must tell me, what exactly does this 'model scholar' or 'leader of scholars' mean?"

He heard his uncle Lü agree.

Shen Rong was immediately delighted. He nodded repeatedly, tugged at the white horse under Lü Ping's horse, and prepared to walk outside.

"Let's talk as we walk!"

"Gentlemen, please wait a little longer."

"The recently rising star Lü Ping, also known as Lü Zizhi, is coming soon. I have already spoken to Benchu ​​about it."

"Benchu ​​said that once Lü Zizhi arrives, we will all go out of the city to hunt!"

Yuan Mansion.

Seven or eight scholars, who were somewhat famous in the capital and even throughout the Han Dynasty, were dressed in short clothes, with swords at their waists, longbows and quivers on their backs, and horses in their hands, and gathered together.

at this time.

Hearing the words of Xin Pi, who had just finished meeting Yuan Shao and emerged from the inner quarters, the scholars all exchanged glances and began to discuss among themselves.

Xin Ping, Xin Pi's elder brother and the one who guided him into the Yuan family mansion, couldn't help but pull Xin Pi aside and ask in a low voice.

George.

"It's only been a few days, and you've already gone to invite that Lü Zizhi?"

"When did your connections become so extensive? You even managed to contact Lü Ping, who just arrived in the capital?!"

"Brother, it's just a coincidence," Xin Pi said with a soft laugh, his hand resting on the long sword at his waist.

"On my way to work a couple of days ago, I happened to run into my former partner, Shen Rong from the Shen family of Wei County. I heard that he has a close relationship with Lü Zizhi."

"After hearing Yuan Shao's instructions, he finally managed to arrange for Lü Zizhi to come over."

Sinpi finished speaking.

He subconsciously looked up, wanting to see his brother's expression. He had thought that his brother would praise him after hearing his words.

However, Xin Ping, who should have been happy, had a complicated expression on his face and seemed hesitant to speak.

"Elder brother." Xin Pi's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but ask in a low voice again.

"But did I do something wrong? Should I have called Lü Zizhi over?"

Xin Ping looked around and saw that the remaining scholars were all discussing the news of Lü Ping and Lü Zizhi's arrival, and did not pay attention to his own brothers.

He then pulled Xinpi along for a while, walked to a corner, sighed deeply, and nodded slightly.

"You have only been in the Yuan family for a short time and do not know Yuan Yuan's nature."

"Primordial nature?" Sinpi was taken aback.

"Benchu ​​was of a magnanimous and generous nature, and he was especially respectful to the virtuous and learned. When he saw a servant break some porcelain, he was not angry at all."

Xin Ping sighed deeply and shook his head repeatedly.

"Or perhaps you're new here? You've only seen the surface and haven't yet grasped the person's true nature!"

"Benchu ​​was reserved and arrogant. In addition, he came from a poor background and was particularly concerned about his social standing. Therefore, he always looked down on people of humble origins."

"At the banquet earlier, he said he wanted to see Lü Zizhi, but he was just saying it casually; he didn't really want to see him!"

"Those of us who were with him all knew his true intentions, and therefore, none of us went looking for Lü Zizhi."

"Otherwise, do you think this kind of thing would happen to you?!"

Xinpi was stunned and flustered.

"Brother!"

"Then...then wouldn't that be an evil act against the Primordial Beginning?"

"What should we do?!"

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