The Three Great Han Dynasties: Awaken Liu Bei with a scolding; you weave mats and sell sandals.

"Is this Luoyang?"

Looking at the ancient city of Luoyang, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and even Liu Bei were all stunned.

Zhuojun was already considered a large territory in their eyes, but compared to Luoyang before them, it seemed to be nothing more than something within their grasp, a vast difference.

"My elder brother said that all the wandering knights in the world yearn for Luoyang."

Even the wandering knight-errant that my brother had encountered before, and even Wang Mian, who was known as the imperial tutor, were all in this Luoyang.

Indeed, only upon entering this place did I realize the vastness of the world and the immensity of my own heart.

Holding the Spring and Autumn Annals in his hands, Guan Yu looked at the city of Luoyang before him and felt a surge of boundless pride. He did not feel any resistance towards Luoyang.

Although Guan Yu still possesses pride, he is no longer arrogant, having come to understand that there are always people more capable than oneself.

Zhang Fei rode in on horseback, his rugged face revealing a deep sense of emotion.

He looked around, his excitement suddenly faltering, and then shook his head: "Luoyang is nice, but it is ultimately not as good as my Zhuojun, a place with outstanding people and abundant resources."

Looking at these refugees all around, they're still just a little bit short.

Zhang Fei may not have meant anything by it, but it reached the ears of his sworn brother Liu Bei, who felt a surge of joy in his heart.

After all, when others praised Zhuojun, they also praised him, so he was naturally overjoyed and immediately laughed heartily: "What Yide said makes sense."

"Brother, why are you suddenly praising me?"

Zhang Fei scratched his head, looking completely bewildered.

Upon seeing this, Guan Yu and Liu Bei exchanged a glance.

Their laughter grew even louder.

"Yide, Yide, you still haven't mastered it. You need to study more so that you can understand the rules and regulations of this world."

Liu Bei said.

Guan Yu also spoke up: "Third brother still needs to study hard and listen to the Master's words more often."

Perhaps one day, our names will also be remembered in Luoyang.

Upon arriving in Luoyang, the Liu family had a residence there, where everyone settled in.

In the following days, they paid their respects to each other's gentry. Out of consideration for his status as a member of the Han imperial family and his father's current position as the governor of Youzhou, everyone showed humility and deference, demonstrating the utmost courtesy.

Therefore, although Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and the others could sense the conflicts among the gentry, they generally still had a positive impression of them. It could be said that they had both advantages and disadvantages, and that was all.

"I see things clearly now."

As evening fell, the group returned to their residence. Zhang Fei grinned, slightly drunk, and loudly proclaimed, "These aristocratic people are just like the hooligans and scoundrels of Zhuojun. They're nothing more than adept at flattering the powerful and belittling the weak."

I used to think these aristocratic people, having studied the classics for a few more years, would be all that great, but now it seems they're all inferior to my second brother. My second brother knows about farming and foreign affairs; he understands far more than they do.

Zhang Fei muttered something, and Guan Yu felt a sense of satisfaction upon hearing it, but his face still carried a hint of humility: "Yide, you can't say that."

As members of the gentry, they must have had their merits.

Moreover, even among the gentry, not all were good men; there were also ordinary people among them.

Take Xun You, for example. Even his elder brother praised his talent on many occasions, which shows that his reputation was well-deserved.

And then there's Cao Mengde, Yuan Shao, and Yuan Gonglu—each one of them is enough to show the talent of the gentry in Luoyang, each with their own unique strengths.

Although the talents among the common people are no less than yours or mine, how could the talents accumulated by the gentry over a century be lacking?

Guan Yu spoke slowly, his pride and arrogance clearly distinguished.

After hearing this, Zhang Fei muttered something, but couldn't say anything for a long time.

indeed.

He looked down on most of those from aristocratic families, but even he, Zhang Fei, admired a very small number of them. They were not simply incompetent and mediocre people; many of them were quite capable.

No wonder these aristocratic families are so prominent and influential; all these intelligent people have become members of their household.

If they cannot achieve high social standing, then who can?

Upon hearing this, Guan Yu frowned, and the smile on his face gradually faded.

Doesn't this insult Liu Shi behind them as well?

Without the Liu family, where would they be?

At least during the Han Dynasty, the kindness of being recognized and recommended was considered an immense favor.

The social custom of scholars dying for those who understand them has persisted since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods and remains unchanged to this day.

Oaths and integrity are of paramount importance; they are the foundation of a person's character.

As for why it was passed down in such a way in later generations, opinions vary, and no one can say for sure.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei muttered even more, unable to utter a word, since he had meant no harm.

Liu Bei saw his second and third brothers arguing, but he did not stop them.

Because of his second brother's abilities, the third brother was completely convinced. However, this trip to the aristocratic families was not as unrestrained as he had imagined. There were too many rules, and it was not as good as his chivalrous journey.

"Ugh."

Liu Bei sighed deeply, but he also understood the responsibility he bore and could not allow him to remain the leader of the wandering knights forever.

Although he had his own desires, the status of a wandering knight in the Han Dynasty was such that it was acceptable for a young man to travel around, but if he continued in this way into his youth or even adulthood, it would seem rather aimless and not the best course of action.

Moreover, he would ultimately have to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the family.

He can't keep acting out of character.

Not to mention Liu Bei alone, even Cao Mengde, Yuan Gonglu, and Yuan Benchu, whom he recently visited, had also done many chivalrous deeds in Luoyang when they were young.

But now that I'm getting older, that youthful chivalry that I once had is gradually fading from my mind.

Now they are also beginning to assume official titles and ranks, in order to serve the court and be loyal to the Han Dynasty.

At this time, Yuan Shao, Yuan Gonglu, and even the heads of their families dared not imagine that the Han Dynasty would decline so quickly, so they had no intention of rebelling. All they had was to compete with the princes for power in the court and do what their predecessors had been doing.

In the end, they might do what Huo Guang did, taking on the position of a powerful minister, which is something that almost every member of the aristocratic class would be happy to emulate.

As for becoming a traitor, the time is not yet ripe. Let alone doing it, most people would probably only think about it. As for telling the younger generation of the family, that is absolutely impossible.

After all, such an action is extremely risky, and if word gets out, the royal family will certainly not let it go easily.

At that time, not to mention other ordinary noble families, even the Yuan family, which has held high office for four generations, will not have a good ending.