Autumn, Wuhan Palace.

Liu Bei sat on the dragon couch, browsing Zhuge Liang's recital of more than 2,000 words, and read through it several times before he straightened out the content of the recital.

After a little silence, Liu Bei asked: "Kong Ming wants to implement the nine-grade official system, and I think it is feasible to advance and retreat in the order of Ming." However, what is said in the middle of the officials, thinking that distinguishing local wise men and electing filial piety and honesty should be carried out? ”

On that day, Huo and Ge talked about the official system in detail, and after deep thought, Zhuge Liang decided to deprive the county Taishou of the right to inspect filial piety, and instead appointed Zhongping officials by the central government, and went down to the county to elect filial piety.

The people of the county are called Lianshi; Scholars have the status of incorruptible scholars, and they can go to the state and county to enroll, and then be assessed as filial piety by the Zhongping officials; Become a filial piety, go to Beijing in October to participate in the end test, and the test papers will be issued by Shangshutai, and the best will be selected among the most.

Those who fail to be filial and honest will return to Yuanzhou County, or study in the Jingshi Literary Concept.

Filial piety who has passed the final examination, and then passed the assessment of the Shangshutai Officials' Department, can be appointed to an official position.

Of course, this system is limited to the inspection system, and the Renzi system in the Han Dynasty and the Han Dynasty may have known that the resistance was too great, Huo Jun didn't mention it, and Zhuge Liang didn't plan to change it.

The appointment system is actually to ensure the right of the heirs of high-ranking officials, that is, the Han law says: "If the official is more than 2,000 stones, he or she is over three years old, and he can be appointed as a son of the same child." ”

If the appointment system is abolished, it can be predicted that not only Liu Bei will oppose it, but also the civil and military ministers of the Manchu Dynasty.

The heroes have been born and died with Liu Bei for so many years, and most of them are eager to be rich and prosperous for future generations. Now that the sub-system is abolished, civil officials have worked hard all their lives, and the wealth of their children and grandchildren cannot be guaranteed, and they are still doing a fart. Therefore, its resistance is too great for Huo Jun to promote.

Trying to change the system of electing officials overnight is really no less difficult than Shang Ying's reform. Huo Jun could only move according to the situation, improve the system with Zhuge Liang, and make more efforts for the Southern Han Dynasty in his lifetime to avoid the emergence of family lords in the Han Dynasty, which would bring disaster to the country and the people.

Zhuge Liang held the wat board in his hand and said: "Your Majesty, the law has changed due to the current situation, and Emperor Xiaowu of the past has made a system of inspections to collect county scholars. However, a hundred years later, filial piety has no virtue, and Maocai has no learning. Jinchen and Zhuqing thought that when the Ming and Qing dynasties were unhealthy, they could reform the system of inspection, and the scholars would be used by the center. ”

Liu Bei looked around at everyone present and asked, "How reasonable the prime minister's words are, I don't know who has objections?" ”

"Your Majesty, filial piety is expensive because of less, and now the prime minister is more filial piety, and there should be a sense of thin and light filial piety." Zhang Zhao said.

"Zhang Gong, filial piety was born for the election of officials, and Cao Cao, the official of the state driver, the chief bookkeeper, etc., was appointed by Shang Shutai. Nowadays, there are many officials, and it is not appropriate to follow the old system. Zhuge Liang explained.

"The minister seconded the proposal!" Shang Shu Lingfa is out of the way.

"Chen Jun seconded the proposal!"

Huo Jun held the wat board, raised his head and said: "Since the end of the Han Dynasty, the growth of the governors of the states has been unstoppable. Now the right to exempt the state from the history of assassination should be handed over to Shangshutai. ”

It is not difficult for the Southern Han Dynasty to take over the right of the state assassin, the state assassin is appointed by Liu Bei, and the officials he has already recruited will not be dismissed, but if there is a vacancy in the future, it will be appointed by Shang Shutai.

"Yes!"

Liu Bei thought for a little and said: "There is no eternal law in the world, there were counties but no states in the past. The history of Jinzhou should be restrained and taken from the Han Dynasty. ”

Saying that, Liu Bei looked at Xu Jing and said: "Qing is a great Honglu, and the nine grades of 100 officials should be operated by Qing, and the detailed rules for the performance should be reported as soon as possible." ”

"No!" Xu Jing responded.

The nine-grade official system belongs to the imperial court etiquette system, and it is completely the icing on the cake. After Huo Jun and Zhuge Liang had a detailed discussion that day, Zhuge Liang thought that the nine-grade official system had helped the Southern Han Dynasty a lot, and said that it could be implemented.

"But there's still negligence?" Liu Bei asked.

Seeing that the officials bowed their heads and were silent, Liu Bei knew that everyone was silent, waved his hand, and said, "If there is no performance, Zhuqing can retreat by himself." ”

There was a silence for a while, and the ministers bowed to Liu Bei and retreated. A few henchmen and officials in the crowd, such as Huo Jun, Zhuge Liang, and Fa Zheng, who had received the notice in advance, stayed in the palace because they wanted to accompany Liu Bei to meet Ma Chao's envoy Pang Rou.

When the idler retreated, Wang Cang bowed his waist and arched his hand: "Your Majesty, Ma Chaomi has made Pang Rou outside the hall, whether to let him see him today." ”

"Accurate!"

After a while, Pang Rou entered the hall in civilian clothes under Huo Jun's gaze and bowed to Liu Bei.

"Foreign envoy Pang Rou pays a visit to Your Majesty, and may Your Majesty be happy and enjoy good fortune forever."

"Excuse me!"

Liu Bei smiled, helped out of thin air, and said: "Qing has been in Wuhan for a long time, I don't know if Ling Ming's hospitality is thoughtful?" ”

Pang Rou stood in the hall and arched his hand and said: "Ling Ming is very thoughtful, there is no shortage of food and clothing, thank you for your majesty's love!" ”

"Good!"

Liu Bei invited Pang Rou to take a seat and asked, "Qing was ordered by Meng Qi to come from Longyou from afar, I don't know what happened?" ”

Pang Rou sat at the bottom of the steps, approached Zhuge Liang, and said truthfully: "Your Majesty, I say that Cao Cao is authoritarian and cruel to the people. My lord inherited the requests of the villagers, and remembered the old grace of the Han family, so he raised troops and resisted it. Unexpectedly, he was broken by Cao Cao and had to surrender to him. ”

"The traitor Cao Cao died of illness, and His Majesty rejuvenated the Han in Jingchu. My lord deeply remembers the grace of the Han family, and wants to lead the soldiers and horses to surrender. Today, I beg Your Majesty to order Lu Xun to send troops to Guanzhong, and my lord will send troops out of Chencang, and the two roads will go hand in hand, so that you can obtain Guanlong for Your Majesty. ”

Liu Bei's expression was immovable, and he asked, "Meng Qi's sincere heart, I have already heard of it. However, now that the army is going to the Northern Expedition, do you have anything else to ask for? ”

Seeing Liu Bei being so direct, Pang Rou hesitated a little and said: "My lord is a person from Guanzhong, and now he has the idea of returning to his hometown, and I am willing to work with His Majesty to overcome Guanzhong." and Xiaguanzhong, please entrust me to govern Huaili, thinking that Your Majesty is driving forward. ”

Liu Bei frowned slightly and said, "That's all? ”

"That's all!"

Pang Rou presented the letter and said, "This is my lord's letter, and I beg your majesty to read it in person." ”

The attendant handed the letter to Liu Bei, Liu Bei opened the letter and read it briefly, and saw that the content of the letter was consistent with what Pang Rou said, so he didn't ask more.

Pang Rou's expression remained unchanged, and he arched his hand and said: "Today, the next two points, Han and Wei are together." His Majesty wanted to rejuvenate the Han Dynasty for a long time, but due to the constraints of the situation, the benefits of the Northern Expedition were difficult to speak. At the moment, if there is a response from my lord's army, Guanzhong will be obtained by His Majesty, and the old capital can be restored, and the Han family can be prosperous! ”

Looking at the content of the letter, Liu Bei's heart was moved and said: "Meng Qi's meaning, I know. However, the matter of sending troops to the Northern Expedition needs to be carefully discussed. Let's step back first, and let me think about it for a few days. ”

"No!"

And Pang Rou retreated, Liu Bei couldn't wait and asked, "What do you think Ma Chao means?" ”

Fa Zheng frowned and brushed his beard and said: "Your Majesty, although Ma Chao is excellent in martial arts, he is a deceitful person, and his words today should not be believed. ”

Liu Bei got up from the couch and said, "Although Ma Chao can't be trusted, he can use it." If it can be helped, the Northern Expedition to Guanlong is promising. ”

"Xi Xiao's direct advice, if you can get the strategy against Ma Chao, the three armies converge in the pass, then there is hope in the next pass. Nowadays, in Guanzhong, the main force goes east, and Henan can be obtained. If you get south of the river and cross the big river in the north, you can revive the Han family. ”

"The plan is true, but the minister is afraid that Ma Chao has a secret plan and wants to take advantage of our army." Fa Zheng said with a wry smile.

He offered this strategy because Ma Chao was hooked up with by Lu Xun, but he also suspected that Ma Chao wanted to use them.

Liu Bei paced his back and asked, "Can Kong Ming and Zhong Miao be insightful?" ”

"Your Majesty, Ma Chao can't love his father, how can he believe it?"

"Ma Chao sent Pang Rou to Beijing to learn, and he must have the idea of benefiting himself. Jun thought that Ma Chao could be used, but not very useful. His Majesty can order Lu Boyan to go out of Hanzhong and raise troops with Ma Chao. ”

Huo Jun presented his Northern Expedition strategy and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty will have a large army and join forces with your ministers to surround Shouchun, and the whole country will break Shouchun." If you can go to Shouchun, you can wave troops to Xu and Yu. His Majesty led a large army out of Wancheng and plundered Luoyang. The ministers lifted the people of Jianghuai, Keqingzhou, drank the horse river, and then worked together to break Luoyang, and the Han room could be prosperous! ”

Liu Bei frowned slightly, Huo Jun's Northern Expedition strategy was too slow, and it didn't fit his ideas.

He had beaten Shouchun before, but he knew that Shouchun was not easy to attack. The two countries raised large troops to face each other-for-tat, and it was easy to reach a stalemate, and they withdrew their troops as before.

Last time, he finally defeated Xiangfan, and he was ready to send troops from the middle road, adopting Fazheng's previous strategy, either to fight Luoyang or Guanzhong.

After a little silence, Liu Bei said: "Shouchun is a strong city in the world, and the two countries raise a large army to fight, or they can win in Shouchun." However, it is difficult to estimate the time spent and the number of casualties. ”

"Now Xiangfan has entered the hands of our army, the soldiers are out of Xiangfan, if the battle is won, Chang'an, Luoyang or can go down. Therefore, it was the Northern Expedition, and Zhong Miao was partial to the army out of Jianghuai, and he could decide the affairs of the East. ”

Seeing that Liu Bei did not adopt the plan of attacking Shouchun, Huo Jun was not discouraged or angry, but could understand Liu Bei's thoughts.

After all, Xiangfan and Shouchun both locked the road of the Southern Northern Expedition, and now that Xiangfan was taken by the Southern Han Dynasty, it is normal for Liu Bei to choose the Northern Expedition from Xiangfan. For example, in history, Yue Fei and Huan Wen both sent troops from Xiangfan to the Northern Expedition, and the Jianghuai army cooperated as a deputy army.

Huo Jun's expression remained unchanged, and he arched his hand and said: "If Your Majesty goes out of Xiangfan and goes to Wuguan to enter the pass, it is advisable to focus on the grain road." Wuguan Road is thousands of miles away, and there is a lot of grain in Jingchu, if the transfer is inconvenient, there is a risk of food shortage. ”

"Good!"

"Kong Ming?"

Zhuge Liang hesitated a little and said: "Your Majesty, Liang and Erjun see the same, if Your Majesty can go down to Guanzhong, then the Han family can prosper." However, those who have repeatedly used horses should be used with caution. In the opinion of the ministers, in order to avoid mistakes, it is better to make Ma Chao rebel. His Majesty waited and saw the opportunity, and then entered the customs. ”

"Let Ma Chao rebel first?"

Liu Bei paced and said, "Kong Ming's words are reasonable, or feasible. ”

After a pause, Liu Bei asked: "Ma Chao surrendered to our army, what official position should he be given now?" ”

"You can be named Yongzhou Mu and worship him as a general of the chariot cavalry!" Zhuge Liang suggested.

"Yes!"

Liu Bei bowed his head slightly, and said: "Someone came to prepare an edict, and named Ma Chao as the Yongzhou pastor, the general of the chariot cavalry, the envoy, and the governor of the Yongzhou military. ”

"That's right!"

Liu Bei looked at Zhuge Liang and said with a smile: "Ling Ming is Pang Rou's younger brother, and Kong Ming is looking for an opportunity to set up a banquet to see if he can persuade Pang Rou to surrender for the Han." Even if you can't persuade Pang Rou, you have to bribe her with money. ”

"No!"

(End of chapter)