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

"In that case, let these three come to the palace immediately so that I can see for myself how imposing these three nephews of the Marquis of Weining are. Compared to the young men like Yuan Shao and Cao Mengde, who are famous throughout Luoyang, how do they compare and whether they are truly capable of great things?"

Liu Hong spoke slowly.

Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong readily agreed.

After all, in their view, if Liu Bei's three brothers could each be appointed as one of the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden, then the Marquis of Weining would owe them even more favors.

The Marquis of Weining amassed tens of millions of taels of silver by suppressing the gentry.

They might be able to get a good share of the profits from this, so they'd be happy to see it happen.

Meanwhile, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, who have now assumed the positions of Commandant, have been enjoying a leisurely time in Luoyang.

Firstly, their status is respectable enough, which allows them to attend many events.

In Luoyang, people from humble backgrounds dared not bully them, and people from aristocratic families, out of consideration for their status as relatives of the Han imperial family, were eager to befriend them.

Aside from the cumbersome formalities among the aristocratic families that made the three of them somewhat unhappy, their future looked bright and promising.

Especially during this period, after Liu Hong led his Liu family to conquer Yizhou, although many gentry in Luoyang began to reject him, there were also some gentry who were loyal to the Han Dynasty and became closer to him than before.

Even the three of them held the position of Commandant, leading troops in their respective regions.

Although they couldn't participate in the actual battles, the suppression of the Yellow Turbans near Luoyang was a valuable experience for them, and they made many contributions.

"Brother, fighting is so much more interesting. I, Zhang Fei, think I was born to fight. You didn't see it, brother, but my second brother couldn't defeat that Yellow Turban general even after ten rounds, while we killed him with a single spear thrust in just two rounds."

Zhang Fei said casually, his tone full of smugness.

Upon hearing this, Guan Yu was somewhat unconvinced. Holding the Spring and Autumn Annals, he explained with a red face and thick neck: "That's because my elder brother said to take them alive. Otherwise, how could such third-rate trash be a match for me, Guan Yu?"

And third brother, remember this next time: the living are far more important than the dead, and the merit they bring is far greater. Don't you see? My eldest brother and I are about to be promoted to generals, while you've only just become a captain.

The general Guan Yu referred to was naturally just a general with a miscellaneous title, but in Luoyang, such a rapid promotion was undoubtedly remarkable.

They have won the heart of the Holy Spirit.

Moreover, even a general with a miscellaneous title is considered a high-ranking officer in the entire city of Luoyang. Even if someone comes from a humble background, reaching this level would earn them the attention of the gentry, and their official rank would certainly not be low.

"Okay, okay."

When Zhang Fei heard these words, he waved his hand, clearly not wanting to hear these grand principles.

However, it was the second brother and the eldest brother who spoke.

He had no choice but to listen, which is why he put on such a perfunctory act.

Guan Yu sighed, and the three of them slowly headed towards the imperial city of Luoyang.

Upon entering the imperial city, Guan Yu looked at the nearby common people, then at his elder brother Liu Bei beside him, and couldn't help but scratch his head before asking, "Brother, which faction do we belong to in this court?"

The assembled officials?

Or a eunuch?

Or perhaps a member of the Han imperial family, or even His Majesty's direct descendant?

Guan Yu has attended court several times now. Although he is not very knowledgeable about politics, he has a general understanding of it, which is why he has this question today.

Liu Bei was also unaware of this.

If we follow the family genealogy...

He was a member of the Han imperial family and had previously visited Liu Yu, the Minister of the Imperial Clan, who recommended him, which is why he caught the eye of Emperor Liu Hong.

Otherwise, given Liu Hong's playful and pleasure-seeking nature, he wouldn't care about these relatives and children.

There is absolutely no chance that the three brothers will have a chance to hold the position of one of the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden.

After all, the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden were the biggest piece of the pie in Luoyang Imperial City in recent years. All the gentry were sharpening their knives, waiting to fight for it like they were watching prey. How could they let the three of them take such a big bite out of them?

"They should be from the Han imperial family."

Liu Bei hesitated for a long time before speaking.

Guan Yu nodded, relieved.

The Han imperial family members were also part of the royal family faction, as long as the Han dynasty did not fall.

They will basically not get into trouble.

Even though the Yellow Turban rebels are now rampant throughout the Han Dynasty, anyone who has fought against them knows that, apart from being able to coerce refugees and civilians, their actual combat strength is extremely limited.

Although they may seem to number in the hundreds of millions, once their core fighting force is eliminated and their true strength is defeated, the remaining people who have been coerced into joining them are utterly vulnerable and require no further action.

They will then collapse and disperse on their own.

"What you learn from books is never enough; you must put it into practice to truly understand."

Guan Yu has been reading the Spring and Autumn Annals recently, and his understanding of it has been growing. He has even gained a deeper understanding of politics, surpassing his elder brother Liu Bei in this regard. This shows that Guan Yu has quite a talent for governing politics.

"My only love in my life is the Spring and Autumn Annals. I may not say I am an expert in everything it covers, but I am at least familiar with everything it touches upon."

Guan Yu spoke with certainty, his eyes filled with pride.

Just as he returned to his residence in the imperial city and took his seat, an old man came forward to request an audience.

Upon seeing this person, Liu Bei immediately bowed and said, "A member of the clan greets the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan."

The newcomer was none other than Liu Yan, the Imperial Clan Minister. His hair and beard were all white, but he was in high spirits, and it was clear at a glance that he was still a man of considerable skill.

He looked at Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and the others with admiration in his eyes, and slowly said, "The Han imperial family has capable people, but there are far too few of them."

There was a Liu Biao who had been sent to Jingzhou. Although he eventually gained power in Jingzhou through a strategy of checks and balances, he only managed to gain a foothold by marrying into the Cai family.

For the clan, it cannot be called a great victory; it can only be described as barely acceptable.

The sudden rise of the Liu family of Youzhou gave the Han imperial clans in Luoyang a new hope.

That's why the events that have happened recently have occurred.

Even if you are a talented person, if you don't have the opportunity to fully showcase your talents, it's often all for naught.

"Of course I've heard of it."

Liu Bei cupped his hands in response, "If it weren't for the recommendation of Lord Zongzheng, we wouldn't have had that opportunity to fight for it."

But wasn't this matter already settled long ago within the imperial city of Luoyang?

At this moment, Liu Bei was truly bewildered and completely disoriented.