The Most Romantic of the Three Kingdoms

First more. This is in addition to May 1st.

——

The speed of work in the county is very fast. The day after Wen Zhi returned, the appointment of fashion came down.

The county magistrate, Zhu Chang, sent a meritorious Cao Shuzuo, who was about thirty years old, to deliver the appointment letter.

"Gong Cao Shuzuo", as the name suggests, is a subordinate of "Gong Cao". Gong Cao is in charge of "choosing the department's merits". Although the rank is only a hundred stones, he has the highest status and the greatest power among the county officials. In the past, it was also called "the chief official", and Xiao He, who was one of the three great leaders in the founding of the former Han Dynasty, held this position before the rise of Gaozu. ——The so-called "selection of merits", that is, the appointment, transfer and recording of merits and demerits, similar to the organization department of later generations. In addition to being mainly responsible for personnel work, "Gong Cao" can also participate in county government affairs and has real power.

Logically speaking, a small "Country Chief" does not need a high-ranking "principal" like "Gong Cao" to personally send someone to deliver the appointment letter, so when this Gong Cao Shuzuo arrived outside the fashion house, It shook the whole lane.

When Gong Cao Shuzuo traveled to the countryside and conveyed appointments, he represented the face of the county and the imperial court. Fashion hurriedly dressed neatly and ran out of the courtyard in a hurry. He didn't care to say hello to the residents who gathered around, and fell to the ground: "I don't know if the public is here, but I can't meet you, I still beg for forgiveness."

This Gong Cao Shuzuo was very young, in his twenties, and he was a son of a big family in a neighboring town. He was able to take up this position, all because of his family background and relationship. He was usually a very proud person, but he was very kind at this moment. He told the officials to step aside, took two steps forward, and lifted the fashion up, smiling. : "I have heard the name of Shijun for a long time, and I can only see it today."

Fashion came out in a hurry, and the courtyard door was not closed.

This Gong Cao Shuzuo glanced at the courtyard, and saw that there were two low houses in the courtyard, which were made of loess, and the walls were full of potholes. There is a **** leaning against the wall, and the **** board is also stained with rust. A pile of dead wood sticks was placed in the corner of the courtyard, probably for fire. There was a seven or eight-year-old child in tattered clothes, squatting beside the firewood, snot snorting, and looked at him timidly.

"Shijun's family is very poor." The master Cao Shuzuo looked back and smiled, "Although he is poor and lives in a poor alley, Shijun doesn't change his happiness. He really has the style of Yanzi. The master said: 'A gentleman is poor'. , I'm talking about people like Shi-jun."

"Yan Zi's virtuousness, I don't dare to compare." Shi Shi said modestly, and said in his heart, "For no reason, why did Cao Shuzuo have merit?"

"Certificate of merit" refers to the "chosen credit" and has the power and responsibility to inspect, record, and recommend local talents. He vaguely guessed the purpose of this Gong Cao Shuzuo, but he couldn't believe it, and he thought with anxiety and joy: "This person compares me to Yanzi, could it be that the county court heard about my 'virtuous name', Why do you want to use it? ..., it just shouldn't be, compared to the talents in my town, when Ziyun is the first, even if the county magistrate intends to use it, it shouldn't be me." I was nervous and my heart was pounding. Jump straight.

——"Ziyun", namely Wang Cheng, the youngest disciple of Xuanbo's family. He was the most resolute opponent of Xun Zhen's practice when he commented on whether it was right or wrong for Xun Zhen to execute the third clan at Xuan Bo's house.

This Gong Cao Shuzuo held the fashionable hand and laughed: "Why should Shijun be modest! You have rank Xunjun in your township, but he praises you in every possible way!"

"Xun Jun?"

"What? You don't know yet? Your township is short of a village chief. Yesterday, at the order of the county ruler, Duke Wenzhi came to your township to ask Xun Jun's opinion, and see who should be used. Xun Jun only recommended You are alone! It is said that you have worked hard and have ambitions, which is very useful."

"what?"

The stone in the heart of fashion fell, and the nervousness and anxiety were replaced by joy. Immediately, he was full of gratitude to Xun Zhen, and repeatedly gave in, saying: "Xunjun is praised, Xunjun is praised." After calling his own name, he said, "Shang A idiot in the countryside has no talent and no virtue, so how can he deserve the praise of Xunjun!" Although the xiangzuo was a small official in the village, he was in charge of finances and had a lot of power.

This meritorious Cao Shuzuo handed him the appointment letter and said, "From now on, you will be your hometown chief!" After a pause, he said with a sigh, "Xunjun is really virtuous! It’s no wonder that it is so well-received by the magistrate that it is kept secret and not revealed, and it does not take credit for it.”

The people of the Han Dynasty valued virtue and righteousness, and respected kindness and faith.

"Respecting virtue and righteousness, respecting kindness and faith" is mainly manifested in two aspects. One is that in the folk, the rangers "suffer to die lightly", and often go to death in order to repay their kindness. One is that in officialdom, the "students and former officials" are grateful to the "teacher" and the "master".

For those who are recommended, "Zhuzhu" is their benefactor. Not only is he always grateful and obedient to the "Zhuzhu", and he regards the "Zhuzhu" as his father, but even when the "Zhuzhu" dies, some are recommended. People will also go to official funerals and perform filial piety like a son. At the time of the emperor, the domineering general Liang Ji had hired a man named Zhao Dun many times, but Zhao Dun refused him every time and refused to apply. Although Liang Ji was strongly hated by the scholar-officials~www.wuxiaspot.com~, after his death, Zhao Dun, in order to repay his "kindness of knowledge and recommendation", disregarded the imperial court's prohibition that no one would come to express condolences. Alone to hang. This kind of habit developed later, and it gradually evolved into those who were recommended by "upholding the master", mostly "young people who can repay kindness".

It is precisely because of this social ethos that after knowing that Xun Zhen was "secret but not revealing and not taking credit", Cao Shuzuo couldn't help but praise him for his "high morality". He said to the fashion: "Xunjun is a son of a famous clan, Shengwen county. I came to your village today. It would be too rude if I passed by and did not worship. I am going to visit him. Shijun, you want to come with me. Are you going together?"

Fashion is of course going. Xun Zhen can "secret and not reveal" the recommendation of him, but he can't pretend to be deaf and mute and not thank him when he already knows.

This meritorious Cao Shuzuo immediately ordered the officials and soldiers to clear the way, to disperse the onlookers, and walk hand in hand with fashion. Outside the gate, the bullock cart that Shuzuo was riding in was parked, so he invited Shifu to sit with him, and the two went to the Zhongguan Temple in the village, surrounded by seven or eight officials and guards.

At the official temple, Xun Zhen was not in the temple.

——

1. When the "raiser" dies, some of the recommended people will go to the official funeral.

The most famous of the eight dragons of Xun's family is Xun Shuang, the "six dragons". He was once recommended by Sikong Yuan Feng, although he didn't respond, but after Yuan Feng's death, he subdued him for three years. Ying Shao also said: "Those who commented at that time were regarded as thick." Xun Shuang's move was praised by celebrities at that time. However, in Ying Shao's view, this approach is wrong. He "blamed the critics for not being able to understand deeply, and believed that Xun Shuang and the like acted as 'righteousness and responsibility'". "In his view, mourning, filial piety, or even resignation for the death of the previous master is all that is required of him. The performance is really the so-called caring for personal kindness, not being diligent in national affairs, and abandoning the big for the small."