Han Ji

In early July, Cao Cao left.

He was suspended from his post and returned to Qiao County, Pei State.

When the news spread, colleagues reacted in various ways.

Cao Cao himself remained calm. He came to bid farewell to Liu Bei that very day.

We'll set off tomorrow.

"Take care, Brother Mengde."

"You too." Cao Cao patted him on the shoulder. "Remember my words. I'll write to you when I get there."

He pulled an envelope from his pocket: "Keep this."

Liu Bei took it and opened it. Inside was a list with more than a dozen names, followed by their official titles, family backgrounds, and personalities.

"These are the people I've considered reliable over the years in Luoyang," Cao Cao said in a low voice. "You can ask them for help if you need anything. But remember, people's hearts are unpredictable, so don't trust them completely."

"I see."

The two had one last drink together.

In the midst of their drinking, Cao Cao suddenly asked, "Xuande, if one day our positions diverge, what will we do?"

The problem came suddenly.

Liu Bei remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Each serves their own master and fulfills their own responsibilities."

Cao Cao stared at him for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Good! What a fine example of each serving their own master and fulfilling their own responsibilities!"

He picked up his wine bowl and clinked it heavily with Liu Bei's:

"Then it's a deal. If that day ever comes, we'll settle things on the battlefield!"

Half a bowl of wine was spilled.

The following morning, Cao Cao left the capital.

Liu Bei did not go to see him off.

He stood under the locust tree in the small courtyard south of the city, listening to the sounds of carriages and horses coming from the direction of the city gate in the distance, gradually fading away.

Zhang Wu walked over and whispered, "The physician and the advisor Cao... have left."

"Um."

Will he come back?

"Yes," Liu Bei said, looking at the northern sky, "but when I return, it will probably not be the Cao Cao we know today."

A breeze stirs, and the locust leaves rustle.

Liu Bei turned and went back into the house, took out the short sword that Cao Cao had given him, and hung it at his waist.

The sword was heavy.

But carrying it brings a sense of security.

After Cao Cao left, Luoyang seemed to quiet down.

Liu Bei continued his career as a court official. Every day at dawn, he would walk to his post, stand guard, deliver documents, and go to the Eastern Pavilion. The days passed like water in a water clock, drop by drop, precise and monotonous.

His colleagues' attitudes toward him underwent a subtle change.

Previously, with Cao Cao around, people viewed Liu Bei with a degree of scrutiny, perhaps even towards Cao Cao's faction. Now that Cao Cao had returned to his hometown, and Liu Bei never got involved in factional struggles, gradually, no one paid him any special attention anymore.

This suited him perfectly.

At the end of July, he received a letter from Xun Cai.

In addition to inquiring about politics, the letter also mentioned that her father, Xun Shuang, was recently compiling commentaries on the "Discourses on Salt and Iron" and was stuck on some parts. He wanted to hear Liu Bei's opinion.

The question is specific, concerning the advantages and disadvantages of state-run versus privately-run salt and iron industries.

Liu Bei replied in detail, drawing on the experience of Lujiang. He argued that state-run operations could guarantee national treasury revenue but were prone to corruption and inefficiency; private operations, on the other hand, facilitated circulation but were susceptible to monopolization by powerful clans. He finally proposed a compromise: key mineral resources should be state-run, while ordinary salt and iron could be appropriately liberalized, but with strengthened supervision to prevent hoarding and speculation.

After sending the letter, he felt somewhat uneasy. It involved national policy, and he had been speaking frankly.

Five days later, a reply was received. Xun Shuang personally wrote a comment, and next to the compromise proposed by Liu Bei, he wrote four characters in vermilion ink: "True talent and practical ability".

Liu Bei looked at those four words, his palms sweating slightly.

This was the first time Xun Shuang had explicitly praised him.

In early August, Lu Zhi went to see him.

"The other day, Lord Ciming was chatting with me and mentioned you," Lu Zhi said, looking at Liu Bei. "He said you are pragmatic and don't like empty talk; you're a capable person."

Liu Bei bowed and said, "This student dares not accept such praise."

"No need to be modest," Lu Zhi waved his hand. "Lord Ciming has high standards; it's not easy to get a word of praise from him."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Xuande, you're twenty-one this year. This position of Gentleman of the Palace is not suitable for you to hold for long. I've been working on it recently, hoping to get you transferred to a more substantive post."

"teacher..."

"Let me finish," Lu Zhi interrupted him. "Within Luoyang, there are a few positions to consider. First, an official under the Luoyang Magistrate; second, the Sili Commandant's Office; and third... the Northern Commandant of Luoyang."

Liu Bei raised his head.

The Northern Commandant was in charge of maintaining order in the northern part of Luoyang, with a salary of 400 shi (a unit of grain). Although only 100 shi higher than a Gentleman of the Palace, it was a powerful position that involved dealing directly with disputes among the common people and conflicts among the powerful, making it a hot potato.

"The Northern Commandant..." Liu Bei pondered.

"Yes." Lu Zhi nodded. "This position is difficult, but it's the best for training people. You have experience leading troops in Lujiang and handling conflicts between powerful clans, so you're a good fit there."

"Students follow the teacher's instructions."

"However, this matter cannot be rushed." Lu Zhi stood up and paced back and forth. "The current Northern Commandant is surnamed Guo, a distant relative of the eunuch Guo Sheng. This man is corrupt and incompetent, and the people resent him greatly, but he has powerful backers, so he cannot be touched for the time being. We must wait for an opportunity."

"The student understands."

After leaving Lu Zhi's residence, Liu Bei went directly to the East Pavilion.

He walked slowly among the bookshelves, finally stopping at the row of the Book of Han. He pulled out the Biographies of Cruel Officials, opened it, and saw the names of Zhi Du and Ning Cheng.

These people enforced the law harshly, showing no mercy to the powerful and influential, and most of them met with tragic ends.

He closed the book and put it back where it belonged.

Is this the kind of person one has to be to become a Northern Commandant?

he does not know.

The opportunity came faster than I expected.

In early September, a murder occurred in northern Luoyang.

An old charcoal seller was run over and killed by several spoiled young men riding through the market. The old man's son went to the Northern Commandant's Office to file a complaint, but was beaten and thrown out. The son was not satisfied and appealed all the way to the Commandant of the Capital Region.

The Commandant of the Capital Region was upright and ordered a thorough investigation. The investigation revealed that one of the纨绔 (sons of spoiled brats) was the nephew of Guo, the Commandant of the Northern Region.

Things got bigger.

Commandant Guo couldn't suppress the situation and tried to bribe his way out. But the old man's son was determined to seek justice and knelt in front of the Sili Commandant's mansion for three days.

Finally, the Commandant of the Capital Region reported to the court, impeaching Commandant Guo for favoritism, perverting the law, and disregarding human life. With conclusive evidence, Commandant Guo was dismissed from his post and investigated.

The space is now available.

In early October, an imperial edict was issued: Liu Bei, the Left Gentleman of the Palace, was transferred to the position of Commandant of Northern Luoyang, with a salary of 400 shi (a unit of grain), and was to take up his post immediately.

When the news spread, colleagues reacted in various ways.

Some congratulated him, after all, he had been promoted from 300 shi to 400 shi, a position with real power; some felt sorry for him, saying that the northern place was a pit of fire and he should not go there; and some were waiting to see him make a fool of himself, wondering how long a young official in his early twenties could last in the mess in the north of Luoyang.

Liu Bei remained calm when he received the imperial edict.

He expressed his gratitude, handed over his duties as a court official, and then went home.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wu rubbed his hands together excitedly: "Northern Commandant! That's great! Now we can really get things done!"

"Don't be too happy yet," Liu Bei said, pouring cold water on the idea. "The situation in the north is more complicated than you think."

He took out a map of the north that he had prepared beforehand and spread it on the table.

The northern part of Luoyang occupies about one-third of the city's area. Mount Beimang is located here, with numerous tombs and a haven for bandits; it is also close to the Western Garden, where the mansions of powerful and wealthy families stand side by side; the city is bustling, a melting pot of all sorts of people. Those who have served as Northern Commandant either become corrupt or are forced out of office; few manage to complete a full year in their posts.

Zhang Wu looked at the map, his brow furrowing. "It's going to be difficult..."

"So we need to find someone to help us." Liu Bei picked up his pen and spread out a piece of silk.