In the Inspector’s Residence council hall in Yangzhai, Yingchuan, Tao Shang was discussing the person Xu Jing with Kong Zhou.
“To send someone to pay a visit to Yuan Shu, Xu Jing’s identity is extremely suitable.” Kong Zhou smiled cheerfully with praise, his words full of admiration: “Yuan Gonglu is a descendant of a prestigious family, with four generations holding the Three Dukes positions; his status among the scholar clans is extremely revered!
There are very few people he would look upon favorably… After thinking it over, your plan, worthy nephew, can only be carried out by Xu Jing.” Tao Shang nodded.
In terms of understanding scholar clans and famous gentlemen, he naturally knew far less than Kong Zhou.
Tao Shang asked curiously: “Yingchuan was once the ancient capital of the Xia Dynasty, with a history of a thousand years.
Now it is also a major cultural center of the Han Dynasty with private academies everywhere… It shouldn’t be difficult to find famous scholars here whom Yuan Shu would admire… But my strategy must be spoken by someone with a reputation in the recommendation and evaluation of virtue for Yuan Shu to believe it!
Is this Xu Jing qualified in this regard?” Kong Zhou laughed heartily and gave Tao Shang a smug look, his expression rather irritating.
“Worthy nephew, you are young and inexperienced!
Do you know what official position Xu Jing once held?
He served as a Gentleman of the Secretariat in the Imperial Secretariat, specifically responsible for recommending, demoting, promoting, and appointing officials across the empire!” Tao Shang’s eyes widened upon hearing this: “So formidable?” Kong Zhou said proudly: “There’s more!
… Xun Shuang, Han Rong, Chen Ji, and others who became high ministers in the court were all recommended by Xu Jing back then!
And his cousin Xu Shao, Xu Zijiang, is even more renowned for evaluating the talents of the empire.
Whether in the court or among the common people, when it comes to the recommendation and evaluation of personnel, Xu Jing is a first-rate figure.
Don’t look at how impressive Yuan Shu is now; back in Luoyang, people of Xu Jing’s caliber were not someone he could casually curry favor with.” Tao Shang now fully understood why Kong Zhou held Xu Jing in such high regard.
It turned out his cousin was Xu Zijiang!
These two brothers, one in the Imperial Secretariat responsible for recommending and appointing officials, the other establishing the “Monthly Review” in Runan Commandery to evaluate talents across the empire… Whether in the court or in the countryside, the brothers of the Xu family occupied the best resources in personnel and public opinion!
Truly… “Eating from both sides of the black and white,” Tao Shang sighed with emotion.
Kong Zhou staggered and nearly fell: “Worthy nephew, do not speak nonsense!
What do you mean by ‘eating from both sides of the black and white’… that’s used to describe gangsters!” Clearly, Tao Shang’s disrespectful attitude toward famous scholars greatly displeased Kong Zhou… If it weren’t for the fact that he was currently helping deal with Sun Jian and Yuan Shu, the old man would have already slapped him across the face.
Tao Shang did not notice Kong Zhou’s displeased expression and continued sighing: “In the court, he was responsible for recommending and demoting officials; in the countryside, his cousin Xu Zijiang was responsible for evaluating people of the world… So, in today’s empire, whether someone is a capable man or a useless one can basically be decided by his word?
Is that right?” Kong Zhou smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying, and said: “Indeed.” Tao Shang shook his head, feeling quite helpless… This was so damn dark.
However, having Xu Jing carry out the task he assigned was the most appropriate.
Meanwhile, in the Luyang area, Yuan Shu was currently chatting enthusiastically with Xu Jing.
His face was full of eager warmth with no concealment at all, and his words were filled with closeness.
This was understandable.
Even though Yuan Shu had always been arrogant, he was ultimately a man of the Han Dynasty.
The Han Dynasty’s talent selection system was a recommendation system, primarily where local governors would inspect and select talents within their jurisdictions and recommend them to higher offices, layer by layer, until reaching the Imperial Secretariat.
This layered recommendation method gave great interpersonal resource power to scholar clans with local authority or individuals with prestige!
The so-called “selection and promotion”, the words “select” and “promote” each had deep meaning.
“Select” referred to recommending scholars without official positions, while “promote” referred to elevating lower officials to higher positions.
Although there were also examination subjects for talent selection, those qualified to take the exams needed sufficient reputation and recommendations from superiors.
Over time, scholar clans with higher status and discourse power gradually gained enormous recommendation authority.
In the late Eastern Han, the behind-the-scenes manipulation of rural evaluations and control of the selection process by great clans and famous scholars had become obvious.
The Yuan family’s ability to have disciples and former subordinates spread throughout the empire came precisely from their powerful background of four generations holding the Three Dukes, allowing them to recommend large numbers of talents to the central government!
This attracted more and more people to flock to the Yuan clan, and Yuan Shu naturally understood the benefits and interests involved best.
Xu Jing was someone who had occupied key roles in both the official “promotion” of officials and the popular “selection” of talents… It would be strange if Yuan Shu did not deliberately seek to befriend him.
At this moment, Yuan Shu arranged a banquet and drank heartily with Xu Jing.
The two talked from Luoyang to Runan, and from court promotions to recommendations among the people, conversing very happily and regretting not having met sooner.
…………
“Master Xu!” When the wine reached its peak, Yuan Shu slammed his wine cup onto the table and said excitedly: “Master Xu is a famous scholar of our time, and your cousin Zijiang is also a great master of evaluating talents.
I have heard that your brothers created the Monthly Review, with many evaluations of contemporary figures as well as poetry, calligraphy, and paintings.
It is known far and wide across the empire!” Xu Jing smiled modestly: “Lord Yuan overpraises me.” Yuan Shu looked at Xu Jing as if looking at a piece of mouth-watering fatty meat, almost drooling.
“How is it overpraise?
Not only does Master Xu have the ability to guide the direction of scholar clans among the people, but in the court he also held the honorable position of Gentleman of the Secretariat!
As far as Yuan Shu knows, among the warlords currently campaigning against Dong Zhuo, Aizhou Inspector Han Fu, Yanzhou Inspector Liu Dai, Yuzhou Inspector Kong Zhou, and Chenliu Administrator Zhang Miao, were all appointed and promoted by Master Xu to the court.
What prestige this is!
Who would dare not submit!” Yuan Shu’s words were true.
A large portion of the warlords campaigning against Dong Zhuo had been recommended by Xu Jing, including Kong Zhou.
This was also the reason Xu Jing had fled to Kong Zhou’s place after suffering hardship in Luoyang some time ago.
Xu Jing smiled bitterly upon hearing this, thinking to himself that if he hadn’t recommended these troublemakers, forming that damned coalition of the Eighteen Warlords and angering Dong Zhuo into wanting to kill him, would he have needed to flee from Luoyang to Yingchuan for refuge?
Yuan Shu did not pay much attention to Xu Jing’s regretful expression and continued: “I, Yuan, have long admired Master Xu’s great name and regret not having the chance to accomplish great things together with you.
What kind of person is Kong Zhou?
Nothing but a pedantic scholar!
How could he be worthy of standing above Master Xu?
If I, Yuan, could gain Master Xu’s allegiance, I would treat you with the courtesy due to a teacher!” Given Yuan Shu’s currently highest official position among the Eighteen Warlords, saying such words to the displaced Xu Jing could be considered treating worthy men with courtesy and showing great respect.
Xu Jing raised his wine cup and smiled: “Lord Yuan invites me with such sincerity; I am deeply grateful and have no words to express it.
However, my elder cousin Xu Yang is currently serving as Chancellor of Chen State under Inspector Kong, planning the campaign against Dong together.
I cannot bear to abandon him, and I fear I would fail Lord Yuan’s kind intentions.” Yuan Shu had not expected Xu Jing to refuse him and felt displeased.
He sighed: “What a pity, what a pity!” Xu Jing glanced at Yuan Shu and said: “Not entirely.
Although I am not in Lord Yuan’s camp, serving under Inspector Kong is the same as serving under Lord Yuan.” Yuan Shu asked in surprise: “What do you mean by this?” Xu Jing cupped his hands and said, “Has Lord Yuan forgotten?
The reason I came here today is as an envoy from Inspector Kong, specifically to befriend Lord Yuan.
Inspector Kong admires Lord Yuan’s renowned name and wishes to form an alliance with you, bowing beneath your wings as support for your arms.
In the future, whenever Lord Yuan has instructions, I will serve without hesitation, whether ahead of the saddle or behind the horse.” “Oh, so that’s how it is…” Yuan Shu did not say much after hearing Xu Jing’s words.
Clearly, he was not very impressed by Kong Zhou’s overtures and submission… This was understandable.
In his menu, Kong Zhou belonged to the category of people he intended to kill!
Not within the scope of those he would accept surrender from.
Xu Jing more or less sensed something, but he did not point it out.
He had already received Kong Zhou’s arrangements before coming and knew what to say.
Pretending not to notice Yuan Shu’s expression, he continued: “To show his sincerity this time, Inspector Kong has specially sent, through General Sun, two hundred thousand shi of military grain, one hundred warhorses, three hundred sets of leather armor, three hundred long halberds, and three thousand arrows…” “Wait, wait!” Yuan Shu suddenly interrupted Xu Jing and said: “Master Xu, what did you just say?
Two hundred thousand shi of military grain?
One hundred warhorses?
Three hundred sets of leather armor?
And what else…” Xu Jing quickly nodded: “Exactly, exactly!
The supplies have all been delivered to General Sun’s camp and should be transported to Luyang soon.
Has Lord Yuan not received word from General Sun?” Yuan Shu seemed somewhat dazed.
He stared blankly at Xu Jing for a moment.
Waves gradually surged in his heart, like a solid dam that suddenly cracked open.
The river named “trust” gushed out from this tiny fissure and could no longer be blocked.
Xu Jing stroked his beard and smiled cheerfully, as if unaware of Yuan Shu’s expression, and continued: “However, speaking of which, that Governor Sun can truly be called a hero of our time!
When my cousin Zijiang and I evaluated this person back then, I did not believe it.
Only after seeing him in Yangzhai did I realize that in evaluating the people of the world, I am far inferior to my younger brother.” Yuan Shu’s eyebrows twitched imperceptibly.
He picked up his wine cup, pretending to be very casual, and probed: “Oh?
I didn’t expect your cousin Xu Shao to have also evaluated Sun Jian… May I ask how this person was described in your cousin’s words?” Xu Jing laughed heartily, speaking as if the wine had gone to his head: “Decisive in killing, a hero and cunning owl of the age!” These words directly stunned Yuan Shu.
Yuan Shu’s expression gradually turned as dark as water.
The corners of his mouth twitched faintly, and sharp glints flashed from his narrow eyes from time to time, completely opposite to his previously cheerful demeanor.
Yuan Shu was a person who appeared magnanimous and open-minded on the surface but was actually very petty.
These evaluative words about Sun Jian would have been one thing from someone else… but coming from the mouth of this Gentleman of the Secretariat!
Moreover, borrowing the voice of Xu Zijiang, who held the greatest discursive power in evaluating people across the empire today… One could imagine the shock in Yuan Shu’s heart.
In addition, Xu Jing had just said that Kong Zhou had already sent two hundred thousand shi of grain and supplies, along with military equipment, leather armor, and many other materials to Sun Jian’s camp… But the report Sun Jian had submitted to Yuan Shu only mentioned delivering fifty thousand shi of grain.
The current Yuan Shu had already taken control of Nanyang Commandery, with the highest head tax revenue in the empire!
A bit of grain was nothing to him… But Sun Jian’s behavior of concealing and not reporting, treating him like a fool, deeply hurt Yuan Shu’s self-esteem… This kid is heading toward self-independence, isn’t he?
……………
At this time, Xu Jing seemed a bit drunk.
Yuan Shu was no longer in the mood to continue entertaining him and immediately ordered people to arrange for Xu Jing to rest.
After Xu Jing left, Yuan Shu immediately summoned his capable aide, the Chief Clerk Yan Xiang.
Once Yan Xiang arrived, Yuan Shu relayed Xu Jing’s words to him without missing a single one.
Yan Xiang pondered for a long time before slowly speaking: “My lord, in my humble opinion, Kong Zhou is a mediocre and weak fellow and may not have such a sophisticated alienation scheme!
But this possibility cannot be ruled out either… My lord should first send people to investigate the truth and secretly verify whether Sun Jian actually received so many military supplies from Kong Zhou… If it is true, then Sun Jian harbors thoughts of independence.
If not, then it is Kong Zhou’s divisive words.” ——————————————————————————————————————- Birth Name: Xu Shao Courtier’s Name: Xu Zijiang