Chapter 100 North and South
The middle-aged scholar standing in front of Qiao Yan looked unremarkable. He was about forty years old and had not made any special name for himself in Luoyang City.
Because the selection was taking place in the Taiwei Mansion, Cao Cao, who came along, was puzzled as to why Qiao Yan had specially stopped in front of Jia Xu and asked, "Are you Jia Wenhe from Liangzhou?"
Jia Xu also didn't understand how he had won Qiao Yan's favor.
He has always been well versed in the art of keeping a low profile and has served as a clerk in the Taiwei Mansion for seven or eight years, serving many Taiweis.
Logically speaking, he should not have been noticed by this young governor and prominent figure in the capital.
But the Qiao Yan in front of him not only called out his name, but also revealed some hidden interest in his eyes, which showed that this decision to find someone was not made casually.
Although he had a bad feeling in his heart, Jia Xu still replied calmly: "I am Jia Xu."
"Then it's you I'm looking for." Qiao Yan turned to Cao Cao and asked, "Meng De, do you know why I'm looking for him?"
Cao Cao replied: "You always act unexpectedly but for a reason, which shows that there must be something special about this person."
He did not realize that he was being poached as a future talent, and even observed Jia Xu's performance carefully. He felt that the other party did have some advantages in terms of extraordinary calmness.
Qiao Yan said, "I heard an interesting story in my early years. It was said that Mr. Wenhe was favored by Yan Zhong, a famous scholar in Hanyang, and was selected as a young official. Unfortunately, he returned home for a while due to illness. On his way home, he happened to encounter the Di rebels. Others were already panicking, but he replied frankly that he was the grandson of the Taiwei. The Taiwei at that time was Duan Jiming from Sanming in Liangzhou. He had been a frontier general for a long time and was feared by the Qiang and Di people in Liangzhou, so they let him go."1
"Many officials in Bingzhou have to deal with the barbarians. What they need most is the courage to remain calm in the face of chaos. Even if they cannot defend themselves against the enemy, they must be able to protect their lives and bring the news to me. Meng De, do you think he is my first choice this time?"
Cao Cao pondered the meaning of Qiao Yan's words and felt that if it was true as she said, then Jia Wenhe was truly a genius.
The weird kind of weird.
"In addition," Qiao Yan continued, "Mr. Zhongde has been with me since the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yanzhou. After I was conferred the title of Marquis of Leping, he followed me to Bingzhou to serve as the Prime Minister of Leping. This time when I am the governor of the state, I must take Mr. Zhongde as my deputy. Mr. Zhongde and Jia Wenhe are of similar age, so I think it will be easier for them to work together."
This reason does make sense.
What Qiao Yan wanted was someone who was familiar with administrative laws and regulations. Considering Jia Xu's age and the time he had spent in Luoyang City, he could indeed do that.
She now turned her gaze back to Jia Xu and asked, "Will Wenhe go with me to Bingzhou? I have a man from Liangzhou under my command who would like to ask you for your guidance."
The person from Liangzhou that Qiao Yan was talking about was naturally Fu Gan. He was born in Beidi County of Liangzhou. Now he is supported by his obsession with revenge for his father. It would be best if Jia Xu could control him.
This is the third reason why Qiao Yan must choose him.
She said that she was willing to go to Bingzhou together, but the implication of her words was clearly that she was determined to get him.
Jia Xu had heard of the things Qiao Yan had done, and he felt that even if he abandoned his official position and ran away, he would probably be caught.
So instead of doing that, you might as well agree to it.
What’s more——
If he observed correctly, something strange would happen in the capital within the next two or three years, and he didn't know whether he could escape. Liangzhou was currently at war, and it would be difficult for him to survive even if he returned home. It would be better for him to follow Qiao Yan to Bingzhou.
At least now, the Xiutu tribe, a branch of the Xiongnu in Bingzhou, has suffered heavy losses, and the Southern Xiongnu who have surrendered to the Xiongnu will not dare to invade wantonly. The internal strife among the Xianbei for the position of Chanyu is getting more and more serious, and Qiao Bingzhou's methods can be used to quell the strife, so it can be considered a safe place.
Then there is the information she revealed in her words.
The first person under the governor was called Biejia, who was the second in command who assisted the governor in handling affairs. He got this name because he could have a separate carriage when the governor traveled.
Qiao Yan handed this position to the person who had followed her in her early years. Although this person did have the ability to recognize talent, he was also nostalgic.
Then let’s go.
It's safer than staying in Luoyang City.
Jia Xu bowed and replied, "How dare I disobey your command."
With Jia Xu, a ruthless scholar, she simply asked the remaining Taiwei Mansion officials a few questions about their expertise, and then picked out two people to complete the selection task.
Most of those who had been promoted to the position of clerk in the Taiwei's Palace had families by now, like Jia Xu, who already had three sons, Jia Mu, Jia Fang and Jia Ji, who also lived with him in Luoyang city. Since we are going to Bingzhou this time, we naturally need to follow him.
Qiao Yan gave the three selected people a time to pack their bags and set a date for them to set out together, and then they went out with Cao Cao.
Cao Cao: "Before this, Ye Shu hid in the Shangshu Mansion and declined many visitors. Now I am the one who came to me on his own initiative. It is really an honor."
After he finished his joke, he added: "But to be honest, I haven't formally congratulated Ye Shu on his appointment as Bingzhou Mu."
Cao Cao couldn't help but feel a bit emotional when he looked at Qiao Yan.
He knew that the person who wrote "How can I let a traitor go to the country for the sake of my son's life" in the report to Huangfu Song that year could not be a mediocre person, but what she did was undoubtedly more brilliant than he thought. Now she has stepped into the high position of governor, and has shown herself to be a pillar of the country even more than Qiao Xuan in the past.
Who would have thought...
But this exception undoubtedly made him see hope in the chaotic situation.
It's just that some things don't need to be said at this time.
Although he had never seen what Qiao Yan's Leping looked like, nor had he seen her galloping through Bingzhou with her own eyes, he could easily imagine the appearance of the troops led by Qiao Yan in the battle to decide the fate of General Du Liao.
It seems that she has some thoughts about her way of doing things and her future.
He thought about it and heard Qiao Yan say at this time: "If so, I should also congratulate Meng De for being the captain of the Central Army among the eight schools in Xiyuan. However, I heard that the emperor ordered that the soldiers of the eight schools must be recruited into schools independently. Meng De will need to spend some time recently and must act carefully."
"You don't have to worry about that, Ye Shu," Cao Cao replied, "My cousin has a similar way of doing things as I did in my early years. He is a knight-errant and has recruited many good fighters. Among them, there are always some who can serve as soldiers and officials. We can recruit more soldiers when the time comes."
Cao Cao couldn't help but feel that recruiting the emperor's direct troops in this way would result in a mixed bag of good and bad people, which was not a good thing.
But he convinced himself that if he selected these people personally and formed a well-trained and well-coordinated army, it could be a help if the emperor intended to march west, north, south or east.
Qiao Yan thought about the historical situation of Cao Cao's conscription and said, "Meng De is probably going to Qiao and Pei to recruit soldiers this time. I heard that there is a wealthy family named Xu in Qiao County, and they are from the same hometown as Meng De. Why don't we go there and see if we can recruit a few strong men to calm down the soldiers who are being recruited."
Cao Hong, who had just come to see Cao Cao for something, was unhappy when he heard this, "Lord Qiao, do you think I can't control those soldiers?"
Qiao Yan touched his face and did not speak.
But there was clearly a wound on Cao Hong's face at the place she touched. It was caused by her when he fought with Qiao Yan before. The swelling has not completely subsided yet, so some words are unspoken.
Seeing Cao Hong was at a loss for words, Cao Cao couldn't help but laugh, "Zi Lian, don't even think about taking advantage of Ye Shu with words."
"Meng De, you are wrongly blaming me. I didn't say anything just now." Qiao Yanren had already walked to the door and bowed to Cao Cao. "No need to see me off. I probably won't stay in the capital for too long this time. I still have to go to the Grand Historian. I'll say goodbye now. I hope that when I see Meng De in the future, your soldiers will be ready."
This is truly what Qiao Yan said from the heart.
In a current situation where she has already influenced too many things, no one can guarantee whether Cao Cao's failure in recruiting troops this time will change, or even make it difficult for him to escape from the chaos.
Qiao Yan didn't want to see this scene.
In reality, Cao Cao now fits the image of a loyal and good official of the Han Dynasty better than the lone minister she plays out.
It was with this idea in mind that she suggested that he first look for the Xu family in Qiao County and tell them that there was a strong man named Xu Chu there. If someone was needed to protect his safety, this man would be the best choice.
After leaving the Taiwei Mansion, she went straight to Lingtai.
She had wanted to visit Ma Lun before, but because she met Cao Cao at that time, she temporarily stopped the visit.
Now that the position of Bingzhou governor has been decided, Yuan has set her sights on the position of Jingzhou governor. This does not directly conflict with her, and it is also the best time for her to pay a visit to Ma Lun.
The last time I set foot on Lingtai was for Qiao Xuan's funeral. Now, more than three years have passed, and this place is still the same. Because of its special high platform shape, it exudes a solemn and heavy atmosphere that never changes in wind and rain.
Bingzhou Mu was, after all, an official position, and the place he visited was not a private residence but the office of the Grand Historian, so Ma Lun met her in the manner of an office meeting.
However, in Qiao Yan's opinion, this way of meeting is more meaningful than the ordinary meeting in the backyard.
He looked somewhat similar to the one he saw three years ago. Ma Lun still had his hair done up meticulously, and his expression gave off a calm aura that came from being well-read and well-educated.
Of course, there are some differences.
Three years of experience in officialdom have obviously given her greater confidence and made her look younger than she did in the past because of her refreshed spirit.
Before coming here, Qiao Yan had heard about what Ma Lun did as the Grand Historian.
There was a solar eclipse on the Renchen day of May in the third year of Zhongping.
If the practice of astronomical officials in the past were followed, most of them would like to find a corresponding ominous event for this matter.
Mullen was different.
She took the opportunity to apply to Liu Hong to transfer Liu Yuanzhuo, the one who proposed the Qianxiang calendar, back from Kuaiji County to improve the evaluation of solar and lunar eclipses while preparing for calendar reform. 2
Although she came to this position due to an accident of checks and balances in the court, she has done an outstanding job, whether it was proposing to use the Lingtai to bury Qiao Xuan or the calendar reform she has started now. She has truly put herself in this position and acted accordingly.
Seeing that Qiao Yan was interested in the abacus at her hand, she took it and said, "This thing was invented by Mr. Yuan Zhuo. Using the abacus as a calculation tool to perform addition and subtraction is much less error-prone than manual calculations, and the speed is much faster."
"It is truly a wonderful thing for those of us who observe astronomy and deduce calendars."
Ma Lun was obviously quite surprised that she had transferred Liu Hongshen back to the capital and brought this abacus with her. She also revealed a bit of excitement in her words, which was different from her calm demeanor. "Deheng also made a lot of efforts in improving the abacus form this time, and it became what Qiao Hou saw this time."
"In the past few years, I have invited my father's early disciples to come to Beijing to help improve the legislation. Unfortunately, these talented people have died in wars and diseases. Fortunately, the abacus has lowered the threshold for us to calculate, so that even people who have not received much education can help."
She pointed outside the open window. Qiao Yan followed her gesture and saw two or three young women walking by with abacus in their arms. Then he heard Ma Lun say, "I have invited some women who are good at business calculations to help. They have the help of abacus, and this requires slow and careful work. They are really suitable for this job. Probably-"
"By the time Marquis Qiao comes to the capital to report on his work, the calendar will have already taken shape."
The improvement of the algorithm for determining the new moon and astronomical observation provided the basic conditions for calendar reform.
And now, with the flapping of the butterfly's wings, a talented woman who originally could not fully express her ambitions in this position has given a push and made the wheel of history roll forward another circle.
Although Qiao Yan didn't say much, she saw that Ma Lun was very excited while talking, as if he had returned to his prime, and she felt happy in her heart.
The Deheng that Ma Lun mentioned was none other than the mechanical genius Ma Jun.
He is now studying and assisting with the completion of abacus, and studying mathematics with Ma Lun and Liu Hong to lay the foundation for future mechanical design. Perhaps by the next time they meet, he will no longer be limited to improving the keel overturned carriage.
As the end of Liu Hong's administration was approaching, this seed of hope had already sprouted in the land of Luoyang.
When she was returning north with the governor's ceremonial procession, she looked back toward Luoyang City and suddenly thought of this: According to historical accounts, during the Han Dynasty, astronomy and the calendar were the authoritative symbols of the dynasty's legitimacy. The changes at this time seemed to be a special sign.
But what exactly is this sign?
Only time can tell.
Before she left Luoyang, the position of Governor of Liangzhou had not yet been determined, but the position of Governor of Jingzhou had already been decided.
Liu Hong ranked Liu Biao's policy paper first. When everyone was questioning whether his idea of riding alone into Jingzhou was feasible, he first let Liu Biao start as the governor of Jingzhou, and sent him straight to Jingzhou with the imperial horse and the governor's seal.
The fact that he was first appointed as the Governor of Jingzhou instead of the Mu of Jingzhou was enough to show Liu Hong's attitude.
If Liu Biao did a good job, he would be promoted directly from governor to governor of a province. If he failed to fulfill the promise he made in his policy paper, he would be dismissed from his post as governor and another person would be appointed to serve as governor of Jingzhou.
Liu Biao went south and Qiao Yan went north. These are the two routes in Luoyang City today.
It remains to be seen whether the man going south can prove his ability.
What about the one going north?
Among the flags and ceremonial guards, the carriage representing the status of a state governor was particularly clear when viewed from the top of the Luoyang city wall, and it only disappeared when it sank into the Beimang Mountain Road in the distance.
He Jin walked up to the city wall under the pretext of patrolling and saw the whole scene clearly.
He is the biggest loser this time!
The position of General Du Liao was not his. At this moment, Han Fu, Qu Yi and other subordinates followed the governor's ceremonial guard.
The Eight Schools of Xiyuan exist independently of him, and no one related to him serves in them. This special team is led by Jian Shuo, which makes him feel extremely disgusted.
He failed to prevent the enthronement of Bingzhou Mu, but was bound to become enemies with him because of the objections raised in the court.
The position of Governor of Jingzhou was given to a descendant of the royal family, which clearly showed that Liu Hong was unwilling to allow the power of his external relatives to expand.
All these things were reminding him that he could not continue to be so passive, otherwise Dou Wu would be his reference.
He must support his nephew Liu Bian to take the throne as soon as possible!
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