Chapter 12: Appointing the Virtuous and Capable
When Liu Kun returned to his residence in the evening, it was nearly midnight. A servant came to report that the heir was waiting in the main hall. Knowing that his beloved son must have something important to report, he hurried over.
Liu Jun was sitting in the hall, resting with his eyes closed, when he saw Liu Kun, who hadn't changed his clothes and reeked of alcohol, clearly having just returned from a banquet. He immediately stood up and bowed, saying apologetically, "Father, you've gone to so much trouble, and I've bothered you with such a small matter; I'm truly unfilial. But I heard that you're returning to Yecheng early tomorrow morning, and I don't want to break my promise, so..."
Liu Kun helped him up. "Why be so polite between father and son? You just mentioned breaking your promise. What do you mean by that?"
Liu Jun recounted the matter of recommending worthy men that Sima Ye had entrusted to him. Liu Kun pondered for a moment and asked, "What do you think?"
Liu Jun considered carefully and said, "Logically speaking, we should not interfere in the matter of the King of Qin's recruitment. However, I think this matter is worthwhile. Firstly, the King of Qin is a close relative of the royal family but is still young, and his biological father, the King of Wu, suffers from an eye ailment and does not concern himself with court affairs. Neither father nor son has been involved in the chaos among the princes. Recommending him would not displease the other princes. Secondly, the King of Qin is weak. Apart from his father, the only person he can rely on is his maternal uncle, Xun Fan. Xun Fan comes from the Xun clan of Yingchuan and has no enmity with us. If the person he recommends is indeed a talented individual, he can make a great contribution to the King of Qin."
What he said made perfect sense, and Liu Kun nodded repeatedly, "That's right."
"Thirdly, the Qin king's fief is in Guanzhong, which has always been a strategic location fought over by military strategists. Now, it is inhabited by both Han and non-Han peoples. If it is not properly governed, the Qiang, Di and other ethnic groups will inevitably cause trouble in the future. However, if Guanzhong can be managed, it will not only protect the people, but may also give us a fighting chance in the future."
Liu Kun sobered up a bit. He had always known that his son was precocious, but he didn't know that he also had his own thoughts on the political situation. "Then who do you think should be recommended?"
Liu Jun shook his head, "My son is an ignorant child who has never socialized and doesn't know many people. But I think that a person should be upright, kind, resolute, and steady. Most importantly, he must be friendly to the clan so that he can help and support us."
"Good!" Liu Kun stroked his forehead and smiled, "This is the first time the heir of the Marquis of Guangwu has offered advice, and your father will certainly make this happen for you. When the time comes, you can take your own people over and introduce him to the King of Qin, okay?"
After chatting for a while, the two went to bed. Liu Jun tossed and turned, finding it rather amusing that even though he had been an emperor, no matter how much time had passed, he was still easily moved by the praise and affection of his elders and relatives. Those things he had once longed for but could not obtain, or even dared not dream of, still felt unreal even when he held them in his hands.
Perhaps it's just a matter of being anxious about gains and losses.
Unexpectedly, Liu Kun took this matter very seriously. Just after noon the next day, Lu Jing hurriedly entered, saying that Wen Qiao from Taiyuan was requesting an audience.
Liu Jun was taken aback, unable to recall who this person was for a moment. Lu Jing quickly added that he was a young master from his mother's family.
Wen Qiao's mother also came from the Cui family of Qinghe, and was the sister of Liu Jun's mother, Cui. His grandmother came from the Guo family of Taiyuan, and was a cousin of Liu Jun's grandmother, Guo. Therefore, Wen Qiao was Liu Jun's closest cousin.
Although I had only met him a few times in my childhood, I had heard of Wen Qiao's name before. This cousin was handsome and had repeatedly refused government appointments due to his filial piety and brotherly love. Just a few days ago, he was recommended as a scholar and appointed as the East Pavilion Libationer in the Ministry of Works. I wonder what Liu Kun did to move him this time, making him willing to go to Guanzhong.
While Liu Jun was sizing up Wen Qiao, the other party was also discreetly observing him. After all, a child prodigy who had escaped unscathed from deep within enemy territory and even upheld filial piety would be highly regarded in any dynasty.
"My uncle has already explained the situation of the Prince of Qin's residence and the advantages and disadvantages involved to me. I just don't know what duties I would have if I were to serve under the Prince of Qin?"
After speaking, Liu Jun's smile became more genuine. In a time when etiquette is highly valued, the fact that he could address Wen Qiao as "Uncle" shows that Wen Qiao's relationship with the Liu family is extraordinary, and it also shows that Wen Qiao is not bound by formalities.
"Although His Highness Prince Qin is young, he is quite discerning in judging people. If you have someone you like, please speak up. His Highness will not let your talents go to waste."
His words were firm, and Wen Qiao couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing. His younger brother was only nine years old, and the Prince of Qin was only seven. These two five-foot-tall children were actually playing the game of conscription like adults.
The matter was so ridiculous that Wen Qiao originally wanted to brush it off, but Liu Kun unexpectedly insisted, leaving him no choice but to make the trip. Before even seeing the King of Qin, he had already prepared various excuses in his mind.
Upon arriving at the residence of the King of Qin, they saw Sima Xunchuo, the Prince of Qin's chief advisor, leading a group of his subordinates waiting outside. Although their clothing was not as refined as before due to the turmoil, their etiquette and conduct were impeccable.
"His Highness heard that the Crown Prince was coming and waited for him in the main hall early on." Xun Chuo welcomed them in and said with a smile, "I have never seen His Highness so close to anyone. His Highness himself said that he and the Crown Prince met by chance and hit it off immediately."
Liu Jun laughed along, "Who would have thought that instant acquaintances could become old friends, and even old age could feel like new acquaintances?"
As they arrived at the main hall, Sima Ye was sitting upright, silently reciting something, his pale face scrunched up in a frown.
After the two men stepped forward to pay their respects, before Wen Qiao could react, Liu Jun sat down at the lower end, making room for Sima Ye next to him.
Logically speaking, Liu Jun, as the heir of a marquis, should be seated at the head of the table regardless of his position. Wen Qiao had intentionally lagged behind a few steps along the way, but he never expected his younger brother to do this. However, being unconventional and wanting to see the sincerity of the Prince of Qin, he did not refuse and took the seat.
Sima Ye was still young and didn't know how to control his expression. At this moment, he showed a bit of surprise and stared wide-eyed at the handsome young man in front of him.
Normally, the priority for educating the young members of the imperial family would be to educate them. He had thought that Liu Kun would recommend an old Confucian scholar who was well-versed in the classics, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be a handsome young man who had just come of age.
However, he showed no disdain. Instead, he sat up straight and personally served tea to Wen Qiao. However, he was not good with words and, being in this situation for the first time, he was speechless for a moment.
Liu Jun smiled and said, "When recommending talents, one should not avoid relatives. Although Tai Zhen is my cousin, he is extremely talented. If Your Highness is willing, you can test him on the spot."
Sima Ye quickly replied, "The person recommended by the Marquis of Guangwu must be a great talent of our time. I am young and inexperienced, how could I dare to mention the word 'examination'?"
Wen Qiao felt comforted by this, but then wanted to test the young King of Qin, so he asked, "I wonder what classic Your Majesty was reading just now?"
Sima Ye shook his head, "It's not a classic text, but a memorial submitted by the Duke of Xincheng before his death."
He gestured to the eunuch to present the memorial. Wen Qiao took it and saw that it was indeed written by Liu Hong in the second year of Yongxing. He casually asked, "Can Your Majesty read it?"
"Although some words and phrases are not very clear, I understand the meaning." Sima Ye lowered his head and said sadly, "'Since the beginning of history, there has never been such a disaster among family members. I am secretly saddened!' Even outsiders understand this principle, so why can't our own family understand it?"
“They don’t actually understand; they’re just pretending not to.” Wen Qiao looked at his slightly red eyes and said calmly, “In that case, I will dare to explain this document to the Lord and the Prince today.”
"Currently, the border regions lack adequate reserves, and China faces a crisis of supply and demand. Meanwhile, the key ministers, not only neglecting their duties to the nation but also engaging in petty squabbles, are also vying for power. If the surrounding barbarians were to take advantage of this weakness, it would be a situation akin to tigers fighting each other, each vying for supremacy..."
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