My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

In early December, the cold wind in Zhuojun was already like a knife.

Liu Yu traveled day and night from Ji County to get here.

This member of the Han imperial family and governor of Youzhou stood in front of the Zhuohou Mansion, gazing at the newly replaced plaque that read "Grand Marshal's Mansion," his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The gates of the mansion opened, and Ji Xuanyuan personally came out to greet them.

"Lord Bo'an," Ji Xuanyuan said, bowing respectfully as always.

"You must be tired from your long journey."

Liu Yu looked at the young man in front of him. He was only twenty-two years old, dressed in dark clothes. The light in his eyes was even deeper and more... unfathomable than when they first met.

"Wenlie," Liu Yu returned the greeting, his voice hoarse from a long journey.

"Hearing that you saved the Emperor, I am extremely gratified."

What he said was the truth.

With Dong Zhuo's misrule and the emperor in distress, he, as a member of the Han imperial family, was filled with worry day and night.

Ji Xuanyuan's loyalty and courage in carrying the late emperor's secret edict and traveling thousands of miles to rescue him was undeniable.

But as the two entered the mansion side by side and walked through the corridor, Liu Yu's gaze swept over the armored soldiers standing solemnly in the mansion, over the thick stacks of documents in the hands of the officials coming and going, and over the "Grand Marshal" banner planted in the courtyard...

The small sense of relief he felt was gradually replaced by complex worries.

What is Ji Xuanyuan's current status?

The Grand Marshal, whose rank is above the Three Dukes, commands all the military forces in the land.

In name, the entire army of the Han Dynasty was under his command.

This is no longer the same Northern General who only managed affairs on the northern border. This is the second He Jin, or even... with greater power.

Title of nobility?

Marquis of Zhuo, a county marquis, was already the highest rank a subject could attain.

Above that are the noble titles.

However, Emperor Gaozu of Han made a pact: anyone who is not of the Liu surname and becomes king will be attacked by the whole world.

Ji Xuanyuan could not possibly be made a king.

So, if he wants to go further...

Liu Yu dared not think any further.

He suddenly felt a wave of weakness.

When Ji Xuanyuan was the governor of Zhuojun, he was confident that he could use his status as a member of the imperial clan and his authority as the governor of Youzhou to check and balance this young man.

Later, Ji Xuanyuan was promoted to General of the Northern Army and Marquis of Zhuo. Although he felt the pressure, he could still manage to cope.

But now...

Grand Marshal, General of the Cavalry, Registrar of the Imperial Secretariat, and granted the authority to command troops.

Each title was like a mountain, weighing him down and making it hard for the governor of Youzhou to breathe.

"Lord Bo'an, His Majesty is in the back hall." Ji Xuanyuan's voice brought Liu Yu back to reality.

"The prefects and commanders of Youzhou have all arrived."

Liu Yu straightened his clothes and took a deep breath.

What must be faced will eventually have to be faced.

Inside the back room, the charcoal fire was warm.

Nine-year-old Liu Xie sat in the main seat. Although he still looked young, after this great ordeal, his brows showed a calmness beyond his years.

Below him, Xun Yu and Guo Jia stood on the left, while Tian Feng and Ju Shou stood on the right; this was Ji Xuanyuan's core group of strategists.

Next, more than twenty prefects and commanders from various counties of Youzhou sat on both sides, each sitting upright and formally. Upon seeing Liu Yu enter, they all rose and bowed.

"Your subject, Liu Yu, Governor of Youzhou, pays his respects to Your Majesty." Liu Yu knelt down.

Liu Xie raised his hand: "Grand Uncle, please rise. You must be tired from your journey."

"I dare not complain about sharing Your Majesty's burdens." Liu Yu stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall before finally settling on Ji Xuanyuan.

"Your Majesty's merit in saving the emperor and upholding the nation is something I deeply admire."

These words were polite, yet carried a sense of distance.

Ji Xuanyuan smiled: "Lord Bo'an, you flatter me. If it weren't for you stabilizing the rear in Youzhou, how could I have felt at ease heading south?"

The two exchanged a glance, and there seemed to be an undercurrent in the air.

The next meeting mainly focused on handover matters—the emperor was about to move to Ji County, and arrangements needed to be made for a temporary palace, guards, provisions, and the accommodation of officials, among other things.

Liu Yu was the governor of Youzhou, and Ji County was under his jurisdiction, so he naturally had to cooperate in these matters.

During the meeting, Liu Yu keenly noticed that the prefects and military commanders would unconsciously glance at Ji Xuanyuan when they spoke. Even on matters that, according to regulations, should be decided by the governor, they would wait for Ji Xuanyuan to nod slightly before daring to express their final opinion.

Power has quietly shifted.

Two hours later, everything was settled.

On the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the emperor officially set off for Ji County. Liu Yu returned first to make arrangements, while Ji Xuanyuan led civil and military officials and the main force of the Jingnan Army to escort him.

Before parting, Liu Yu paused outside the city gate and looked back at the city wall of Zhuojun.

Six years ago, this city was just an ordinary county in a border region. Now, the streets are smooth, the houses are well-arranged, the market is prosperous, and the people live in peace and contentment—all thanks to Ji Xuanyuan's efforts.

He is capable of governing the country, leading the army, attracting talent, and winning the hearts of the people.

If such a person were to become a loyal minister, it would be a blessing for the Han Dynasty.

If one harbors disloyal thoughts...

Liu Yu sighed and mounted his horse.

He could only hope that Ji Xuanyuan's loyalty to the late emperor and the oaths he made to the emperor were true.

In the twelfth month of the first year of the Chuping era (late 190 AD), Emperor Xian of Han, Liu Xie, officially moved his capital to Ji County.

This ancient capital of the Yan Kingdom, after several years of management by Liu Yu, was already quite large in scale.

Now, the former residence of the Governor of Youzhou and the surrounding government offices have been temporarily requisitioned and slightly repaired, and it has become the emperor's "temporary residence".

Although it was not even a fraction as grand as the palaces of Luoyang, it was still far more comfortable than the bumpy journey of the imperial carriage.

The day after the capital was moved, a court assembly was held.

The temporary court was set up in the main hall of the former governor's mansion, where officials stood in order.

Liu Xie sat on the throne, with a seat placed beside him for the newly appointed Grand Marshal and Director of the Imperial Secretariat, Ji Xuanyuan, who was in the position of "Assistant Minister".

"My lords," Liu Xie said, his voice clear and crisp.

"Since I was caught in this crisis, the court has collapsed and officials have scattered. Now that I am temporarily residing in Ji County, I must rebuild the court and strive for restoration."

He looked at Ji Xuanyuan: "Grand Marshal."

"Your subject is here." Ji Xuanyuan stood up.

"Many of the high-ranking officials and ministers in the court have been captured in Chang'an or died in the chaos of war. There are many vacancies; how should they be filled?"

This is the most pressing issue at the moment; without officials, the court is just an empty shell.

Before Ji Xuanyuan could answer, Grand Master of Ceremonies Zhong Fu stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I believe we should follow the ancestral system and order each prefecture and county to recommend candidates for the civil service examination. Those who are filial and incorruptible are those who possess both virtue and talent and are suitable for serving as officials in the court."

Upon hearing this, many surviving veteran officials echoed his sentiments.

"What Lord Zhong said is absolutely right!"

"The recommendation of filial and incorruptible officials is the fundamental principle of selecting officials in the Han Dynasty and should not be abolished."

"We should immediately order all prefectures and counties in the land to recommend virtuous and talented individuals..."

Ji Xuanyuan listened quietly, and only spoke slowly after the voices had subsided: "Lord Zhong, gentlemen, the system of recommending candidates for the civil service examination is indeed an ancestral system, however..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "Now that the empire is fragmented, with each state and prefecture governing itself, will these feudal lords recommend truly capable individuals for the court? Will they set aside their own interests to recommend virtuous and capable people?"

These words hit the nail on the head.

The prerequisite for recommending candidates for the civil service examination was that the central government's authority was sufficient to command the obedience of the prefectures and counties.

With the imperial power now weakened and the feudal lords ruling their own territories, who would still sincerely recommend talented individuals for the court?

However, this was merely a means to install cronies and expand their influence.

Zhong Fu frowned: "Then, in the Grand Marshal's opinion, what should be done?"

Ji Xuanyuan turned around and bowed to Liu Xie: "I have a proposal—to issue the 'Order for Recruiting Talented Individuals' and proclaim it to the world: all talented scholars, regardless of their background, social status, or place of origin, may come to Ji County to take the examination, and the court will conduct a unified assessment and appoint them according to their abilities."

"Whoosh—!"

The imperial court erupted in chaos!

"Regardless of background? Regardless of social status?!"

"This...this is outrageous!!"

"How can commoners from humble backgrounds be placed alongside nobles in the imperial court?!"

"The Grand Marshal is going against the ancestral laws!"

Opposition came like a tidal wave.

Ji Xuanyuan remained unmoved. After the uproar subsided, he calmly said, "Gentlemen keep talking about ancestral rules and laws. May I ask, since their establishment, how many of the officials selected through the recommendation system have been corrupt? How many have been incompetent? How many have brought disaster to the country?"

He stepped forward, his voice rising: "And in the sixth year of Zhuojun's reign, I did not employ those who were filial and incorruptible, but only those with talent. I established a recruitment hall to gather scholars from humble backgrounds; I established an assessment system to appoint officials based on their abilities. What was the result?"

He surveyed his ministers: "Your Majesty has witnessed the governance of Zhuojun firsthand. The people live in peace and prosperity, the granaries are full, and the markets are thriving. Is it in any way inferior to those prefectures and counties governed by 'filial and incorrupt officials'?"

These words struck like a hammer blow, leaving the opponents speechless.

Zhong Fu's face turned ashen: "Does the Grand Marshal intend to replace the laws of the entire realm with those of the border regions?"

"Is it a border region's method, or a panacea for saving the world?" Ji Xuanyuan stared directly at him.

"The world is in chaos now, and extraordinary measures are needed. If we adhere to ancestral rules and wait for recommendations from the prefectures and counties, I fear that in three to five years, the imperial court will remain a mere shell, and government orders will not even leave Ji County!"

"You!" A breathless sigh escaped his lips.

That's enough.

A childish yet clear voice rang out.

Everyone turned to look at the throne.

Liu Xie slowly stood up, his small hand resting on the imperial desk, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials: "On my journey, I have seen too many displaced people and too many starving corpses. Only upon arriving in Zhuojun have I seen a scene of peace."

He looked at Ji Xuanyuan with eyes full of trust: "I have witnessed the Grand Marshal's governance with my own eyes. His methods have enabled the people to live a good life."

He then looked at the veteran officials, including Zhong Fu, and asked, "If your methods were effective, why would Luoyang be in chaos? Why would Dong Zhuo be able to run rampant?"

The nine-year-old asked direct and pointed questions.

The old ministers blushed, but had no way to refute their arguments.

Liu Xie took a deep breath and announced loudly, "My mind is made up. I hereby issue the 'Order for Recruiting Talented Individuals,' proclaiming throughout the land: all those with talent and learning may come to Ji County to take the examination, presided over by the Grand Marshal, and recruited according to their abilities!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" Ji Xuanyuan, Xun Yu, Guo Jia and others knelt down in unison.

The veteran officials, including Zhong Fu, looked at each other in bewilderment, and finally could only kneel down: "Your subject... obeys the decree."

As Ji Xuanyuan stood up, a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

The edict to recruit talented individuals, or rather, the prototype of the imperial examination system, was formally proposed for the first time in the Han Dynasty court of this era.

He knew that this would anger the powerful families of the world and attract countless opposition.

But he knew even more that this was the only way to break the monopoly of powerful clans and gather talents from all over the world.

Tough times call for drastic measures.

This remedy will completely change the power structure of this era.

When the court session ended, Xun Yu walked to Ji Xuanyuan's side and whispered, "My lord's actions may provoke resentment from all the powerful families in the land."

Ji Xuanyuan gazed at the fine snow falling outside the corridor and said calmly, "Wenruo, tell me, in this world, are there more aristocratic families or more impoverished scholars?"

Xun Yu was taken aback.

"If the noble families are dissatisfied, then so be it." Ji Xuanyuan turned around and walked into the mansion.

"The fate of the world ultimately depends on the hearts of the people. And the hearts of the people... are not in the high-ranking families, but in the common people."

His voice drifted through the wind and snow: "I want to see whether the curses of the aristocratic families are more vicious, or the pen of the poor scholar is more forceful."

The first snow of the season fell heavily in Jixian County.

A transformation more intense than wind and snow has quietly begun.