Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

Chapter 155 The Difficulty of Selecting Officials

Zhou House.

As soon as the eunuch delivering the imperial decree arrived at the door, Zhou Yi personally came out to greet him.

Upon hearing the phrase, "Your Majesty still remembers the old agreement of Guangcheng Garden," Zhou Yi's expression visibly changed.

He had considered that day might leave some opportunity for his child, but in his view, that was something for ten years from now.

He never expected that this opportunity would be brought up by His Majesty himself at this time.

After seeing off the palace eunuchs, Zhou Yi turned and returned to the inner courtyard.

Zhou Yu was sitting at his desk, but his slightly disheveled aura betrayed him.

Zhou Yi smiled. This kid must have been eavesdropping at the door.

"Get up, pack your things, and go to the palace."

Zhou Yu's eyes lit up, and he unconsciously touched the jade pendant at his waist.

He has worn it all these years.

He still remembers what was said at Guangchengyuan that day.

"Ten years from now, you will be twenty."

"By then, if you still remember this slight mispronunciation from today..."

"Bring it to me."

The next morning, Zhou Yi brought Zhou Yu into the palace.

Outside the Zhangde Hall, eunuchs were already waiting.

Upon seeing Zhou Yi and his son arrive, he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Zhou Ling, young master, His Majesty is already waiting."

Zhou Yi quickened his pace and led Zhou Yu into the hall.

Liu Bian sat behind his desk, with only a book beside him.

"Your subject Zhou Yi greets Your Majesty."

"Zhou Yu greets Your Majesty."

"Get up."

Liu Bian's gaze first fell on Zhou Yu's waist. His eyes flickered slightly, and then he smiled: "You've been carrying this with you all along."

"I should naturally take what His Majesty gave me."

After hearing this, Liu Bian's smile deepened.

"So young, and already knows how to flatter?"

After saying that, he didn't wait for Zhou Yu's reply and changed his tone.

Are you still reading "Military Strategy"?

"I'm watching." Zhou Yu nodded. "I understand some parts, but not others."

Which sentence did you not understand?

Zhou Yu thought for a moment and replied, "The book says that in war, both momentum and morale are important."

"I have a general understanding of power dynamics, but I didn't quite understand the saying 'He who wins the hearts of the people will naturally attract them' a few years ago."

"And now?"

Zhou Yu raised his head, glanced at Liu Bian, and then looked outside the hall.

"I understand a little bit now."

"Many people have come from the city these past few days, all to see Luoyang."

"But even if they come, they might not stay."

"If you only glance at the list of candidates for talent, at the height of the city, or at the fact that you've won the battle, once the excitement is over, you'll still leave."

"Only when someone receives and guides you can it be considered a true arrival."

Zhou Yi, who was listening nearby, was terrified. He was about to say something to defend his son when Liu Bian waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to speak.

"So what do you think we should do?"

This time, Zhou Yu thought about it for a longer time.

"If I were to come, I wouldn't want to just stand under the list and watch the show."

"I always wonder if the people here will really teach me anything, and if they will really remember me."

"If no one cares if I come, then I might as well not come at all."

After listening, Liu Bian suddenly realized something.

Why did I immediately think of Zhou Yu after accepting the services of Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci?

He doesn't just want to recruit those who are immediately available.

He also wants to bring in the people who will truly be the backbone of this game in advance.

Thinking of this, Liu Bian turned to look at Zhou Yi.

"Zhou Qing."

"Your subject is here."

"Ayu is still young. I will not let him get involved in politics, nor will I let him get involved in these troubles."

Zhou Yi was taken aback and quickly lowered his head to listen.

"But it would be a waste to just let him stay at home and study."

"I saw that this child has a bright eye during that time at Guangcheng Garden."

"Looking at it now, it's even better than I imagined back then."

Liu Bian paused here before slowly saying, "So I don't want to wait any longer."

Upon hearing these words, Zhou Yi felt a sudden jolt.

He understood almost instantly what His Majesty was about to say.

Liu Bian, however, continued speaking regardless: "From today onwards, Ayu will no longer have to study solely within the mansion."

"I will place him next to Wenruo."

"Get to know people first, read books first, observe things first."

"Do not participate in politics, do not take on responsibilities."

"Let's broaden our horizons for my sake and for his own."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi dared not hesitate any longer and immediately bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"

"Wang Ming".

"I am here."

"Go and invite Wenruo."

"Here you go!"

Not long after, Xun Yu entered the hall, greeted the guests, and then saw Zhou Yi and his son still kneeling in the hall. His eyes flickered slightly.

"Wenruo, I entrust Ayu to you."

"He's still too young; we shouldn't let him get involved in politics or take on any responsibilities."

"From this day forward, let him stay by your side."

"You teach him the books, you show him the people, and you let him hear bits and pieces of what's going on."

After listening, Xun Yu already understood about 70-80% of what was going on.

Yesterday, he was still looking after young heroes like Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci who were entering the capital on behalf of the emperor.

Today, the emperor placed an even younger child into his hands ahead of schedule.

"Your subject obeys the decree."

Zhou Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the emperor again.

Zhou Yu looked at Xun Yu, then at Liu Bian, and after thinking for a while, he respectfully bowed to Xun Yu.

"From now on, I will trouble you, sir."

After Zhou Yi left, Zhou Yu did not return to his residence with him.

The child was still young, so he was not involved in any official duties, nor was he allowed to handle official documents. From that day on, he was placed in a quiet little house behind the Ministry of Personnel.

Every day, he copied books, learned characters, and looked at the corners of documents. Occasionally, he would follow behind Xun Yu, listen to a few words of human speech, and write down a few names.

What Liu Bian gave him was not a position.

It's about perspective.

When the edict seeking talent was issued, the first to flock to Luoyang were not only poor scholars and wandering knights, but also recommendation books from various prefectures and counties, recommendation letters from powerful families, letters of mutual praise among famous scholars, resumes sent by local officials, and even many young men from "reputable families and upright character" who were directly placed in through connections.

There are always people waiting in the front courtyard of the Ministry of Personnel.

Some carried book boxes, some wore swords and bows, some held thick volumes of self-praise, and some simply brought a family genealogy and a few letters of guarantee before daring to knock on the door.

Early that morning, Zhou Yu sat behind a side table and copied the register.

He is young and his wrist strength is not yet sufficient, so his handwriting is naturally not very good, but he has a quick eye.

When he was copying the third volume, he suddenly paused, looked at the first page, then flipped to the next page, and frowned slightly.

Xun Yu was checking the recommendation letters submitted by various prefectures with several officials when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Xun Yu had stopped writing. He casually asked, "What's wrong?"

Zhou Yu looked down at the register and whispered, "This person—I saw him in another register yesterday."

A nearby official was taken aback upon hearing this and hurried over to look.

Sure enough, it turned out to be the same person in both volumes.

The previous volume was about a prefect recommending him for being "renowned for his knowledge of the classics and of upright conduct".

The next volume contains a letter personally written by a famous scholar, saying that his "family background is respectable and he should be employed first."

The name is the same, but the comments are two different sets.

Even more interestingly, tucked inside was a guarantee letter from a prominent family, guarantor for the person in question—his cousin.

The two brothers, one in front of the other, squeezed onto the desk of the Minister.

The clerk's expression immediately turned sour.

The case files have been coming in so fast these past few days that no one can keep up. This is probably not the only case of someone using connections and layers of mutual protection.

Xun Yu took both scrolls and read them through, his expression gradually darkening.

Zhou Yu sat beside him and, seeing that he didn't speak, didn't say anything more and just continued to copy the text.

Just then, a minor official hurried in, carrying a stack of newly handed-in recommendation books. With a bitter face, he said, "Lord Xun, the newcomers from Bingzhou, Jizhou, and Yanzhou are all here."

The faces of the officials standing nearby were practically numb.

Someone whispered, "This isn't about seeking talent; it's about piling half the country onto the Secretariat."

These were meant as a complaint, but Xun Yu didn't get angry when he heard them.

A warrant for recruiting talented individuals can summon people to the scene.

But now that people are here, how do we divide them? How do we weigh them? How do we use them?

This is not something that can be completely solved by the Minister of Personnel staying up a few nights and going through a few documents.