Section 9 Realm

The three of them smiled for a while, and Xun Yu slowly stopped his smile, pointed at the Journey to the West written by Zhou Buyi with his fingers, glanced at Cao Chong, and seemed to ask casually: "Do you think that using the method of the Great Qin, or the system of some la, or any Egypt can realize your ambition to bring peace to the ages?"

Cao Chong was about to speak when he suddenly had an idea again. He smiled and said, "I wonder if my father-in-law thinks it is okay?"

"No." Xun Yu shook his head abruptly, decisively without a trace of hesitation.

"Why is my father-in-law so sure?" Cao Chong looked at Xun Yu with a lot of fun. Xun Wenqian was about to speak, but Cao Chong shook her hand hard and gently shook her head. She knew that Cao Chong had a deep meaning, so she swallowed the words to her mouth again. She knew that the father-in-law and son-in-law had a long story to say, so she got up and went out to arrange tea and snacks.

Xun Yu pondered for a moment, his face gradually became serious. After a while, he slowly spoke, and said in a low and steady voice: "Cang Shu, I have been in Xiangyang for the past few years. Although I am not in the court, you know that I am not idle. It was just that I left the court and was in poor health at that time. I always felt powerless. I didn't have much time left, and it was useless to do anything. I felt very disappointed. Fortunately, my brother advised me to take me around, so I simply let go and see your new policy in Xiangyang. When the night was late, I reflected on the past few decades of official journey. When I jumped out of these disputes and looked at the affairs in the court again, I found that some things were not what I originally thought."

Cao Chong smiled faintly and said, "What my father-in-law said is very true. Some things are certainly not experienced but cannot be done by oneself, but some things need to be left out of the matter to be able to be clear to the bystanders. However, if my father-in-law had not been deeply involved in it, even if he was left out of the matter, he would not be able to understand the key points. Just like reading, believing in books can only lead to false knowledge, but not reading. The Master said that if he learns without thinking, he will be confused, and if he thinks without learning, he will be in danger. He needs to teach and gain knowledge in order to understand it, which is the principle."

Xun Yu looked at him with some surprise and suddenly smiled, "Cang Shu, I thought I could think all of this thoroughly, but why did you say it again and again? Everyone knows this sentence of Master, but this is the first time I have heard it that I can explain it."

Cao Chong was stunned and shook his head and smiled, "My father-in-law has been awarded too much. I just got it by chance. Although I know some things, I may not be able to do it. I am still a verbal person. How can I understand it so thoroughly like my father-in-law? Please tell me, "My father-in-law, you have figured out what you have learned during your time in Xiangyang, so that I can open my eyes." He smiled in his heart. If you know how much excavation and sorting work did in the 20th century New Confucianism to lift the old master onto the altar, you will be disdainful of this.

Xun Yu looked at Cao Chong curiously again, nodded with satisfaction, and then continued: "I looked at your new policy in Xiangyang carefully, and often went to Xiangyang Academy to see my brother and others debate. At first, I really couldn't accept those crazy remarks, and I often couldn't help but get angry at the table. But later I calmed down and thought about it. Although what they said sounded so ruthless, it made sense. You also know that at my age, I have experienced it again.

With so many things, I have long since disbelief and other things. However, I have never doubted what the saint said that only by restraining oneself and returning rituals can the world be ruled. It is just that so many sages have worked hard for so many years, but things always go against their wishes. I can't figure it out. I wake up in the middle of the night and often can't fall asleep. I sit all at a mercy all night. Suddenly one day I feel that the words of the saint are like empty words and lies, and each thing cannot be realized."

Speaking of this, Xun Yu stopped talking. He couldn't help but take a long breath, as if he could still feel the shock that this thought suddenly surged into his heart. His face was a little pale, and it took him a long time to recover, but there was a hint of tension coming from the bottom of his heart: "Cang Shu, when I suddenly thought about this that day, I was so shocked that I was sweating all over my body, and I was anxious and forced to suppress this thought. But this thought was like wood in the water, and it was exposed from time to time. Later, I simply thought about it according to this idea, but found that the stagnant parts in the past were suddenly enlightened, and all the things that were contrary to the saints were natural..."

Xun Wenqian happened to walk in and looked at Xun Yu's pale face and was a little startled. However, Cao Chong lowered the smile on his face and gave Xun Yu a respectful gift: "Congratulations to you, Mr. Father-in-law, you have entered a new realm."

Xun Yu smiled forcibly, as if he couldn't believe his thoughts. He helped Cao Chong up and said, "Cang Shu, if you want to say that I have gained something, it is because I saw your new policy in Xiangyang, and this fate of resurrection from the dead, that I broke out of the cocoon. I should thank you."

He said, avoiding the seat and taking a step back, leaning on the ground, and respectfully gave Cao Chong a big gift. Cao Chong was so scared that he hurriedly stepped forward to support him, and repeatedly said, "My father-in-law, I can't do it, I can't do it. How can I bear it if you do it?"

"Just bear it. My father seems to have gained something." Xun Wenqian grabbed Cao Chong, and a light of surprise appeared in his eyes. Cao Chong hesitated for a moment, barely received a half-given gift from Xun Yu, and then returned another big gift. Then the two of them took their seats again, picked up the incense tea and signaled to each other, and smiled at each other. In an instant, the two seemed to have a connection with each other.

Xun Wenqian's nose felt sore and she almost burst into tears. She quietly retreated and asked them to talk in detail. From their eyes, we can see that even if the two of them could not be united and moral, at least they would not be enemies of each other. Her embarrassing situation disappeared from then on.

...

"Cang Shu, the ninth-rank official law is not useless. I was the first to recommend talents by the governor and the county magistrate to focus on the local evaluation. Although many talented people have been selected since its implementation, the disadvantages are also obvious. If the assessment and punishment are severe, the governor and the county magistrate will not want to cause trouble on their own. If they are lenient, they will be selected and recommended indiscriminately. Later, famous scholars appreciate human ethics and criticize people. Most of them are people who have seen outstanding people. Compared with the official, they are relatively objective. However, after a long time, many people have commented on each other and invited names, and even manipulated the selection of officials. Although they are in the wild, they are more powerful than the government. I believe you have also seen the disadvantages. The ninth-rank official law is based on the big Zhongzheng and the small Zhongzheng as the candidates. They are selected layer by layer and verified at a higher level. Compared with the previous practices, it has been much improved."

Xun Yu stroked his beard and said slowly. He compared the various systems of the Han Dynasty's selection and appointment as officials, and explained to Cao Chong in detail. Cao Chong listened carefully and interjected a sentence or two from time to time. The two spoke peacefully and seriously. Although they were different from each other, they did not feel tense. They gained something from time to time and smiled knowingly.

"Although the ninth-rank official law seems to be better than the rural evaluation method, there are four disadvantages in the long run. First, although each prefecture and county have established Zhongzheng, compared with the population of each prefecture and county, the number of Zhongzheng is still too small. Although it was after the disaster, except for Xiliang and the northern prefectures and counties with a small population, the population of other prefectures and counties is relatively small, especially in the Central Plains, where a county has a large number of millions of people and tens of thousands of villains, it is obviously unlikely that one or two people should evaluate tens of thousands or even millions of people. What's more, these Zhongzheng itself also have other positions, and can spend less time selecting talents. They are not even familiar with people, so how can they choose real talents? Inadequate energy is one of them."

"Secondly, although the ninth-rank official is of character and character, and his virtue and ability are cited, he still uses the practice of famous scholars in the past to evaluate talents. He only has one or two sentences and numbers for a person. Their advantages and disadvantages are all based on the understanding of the viewer. How can he fully match? There are different types of talents, some are good soldiers, some are good at governing, some are good at welcome and sending, and some are good at calculating, how can he generalize? How can he describe the numbers in detail? How can he become the basis for selecting and employing people? Too generalized, this is the second thing."

"Third, Zhongzheng has too much power. The talent selection of one state and one county is in the hands of several people. Zhongzheng is also a person, and it will inevitably have personal opinions. If someone has talent and disagree with it, he will be blinded by the grass for the rest of his life and cannot be used. If a county has one such person as Zhongzheng, then a county's talent will not be successful. If a state has one such person, then a state's talent will not be successful. One person's concealment is more favorable than ten people. This is the third."

"Fourth, the selection of Zhongzheng is improper. According to his method, Zhongzheng is all held by noble people. Will the noble people be great virtues? There is no good scholar in the poor family? No. Although the scholarly family is a place where talents emerge, it is not uncommon for poor scholars. How can one think that there are no good scholars in the poor family and all noble families have great talents because of the number of people? Once the power to select officials is in the hands of the powerful, it will inevitably form a situation where the noble people will always be noble, and the lowly people will always be low, and the road to becoming talented will be blocked. This is a big step back compared to the local evaluation or the famous scholar evaluation. This is the fourth one."

Cao Chong was stunned. Xun Yu was Xun Yu. Once the limitations of his position were eliminated, he immediately showed his outstanding vision. He not only saw the benefits of the Nine-rank official law, but also saw the cover of the Nine-rank official law. He not only saw the current disadvantages of the Nine-rank official law, but also saw the possible problems in the future. Experts are called masters. He is a gentry himself, but he can break out of the barriers of the gentry to see problems. It has to be said that this is a state that ordinary people cannot reach.

"My father-in-law, after your explanation, I feel even more at ease." Cao Chong bowed to Xun Yu, expressed his admiration with conscience, and then said: "Do you think that if you persuade Your Majesty for these reasons, will Your Majesty understand the meaning? Will he express his attitude against the law of the ninth-rank official?"

Cao Chong looked at Xun Yu hopefully. If the emperor clearly stated that he did not agree with the law of the ninth rank official, then the Prime Minister's Mansion would not have to make any embarrassment and everything would be solved. However, if the emperor really said that, he would have to face the opposition of all the gentry, and he would have become a lonely man. Facing the Cao family, he would have no resistance. From this perspective, Cao Chong felt that although Xun Yu was very prestigious, the possibility of persuading the emperor was slim.

"If things have not been done yet, how can you know whether it will be successful or not?" Xun Yu said lightly: "But I am white now, and it is not so easy to see the emperor."

Cao Chong smiled and thought for a while and said, "Father-in-law, you have been in Xiangyang for a long time. You should know that the governor of Jingzhou Li Li is a straightforward person and not happy. The prefects of the county have a great opinion on him. This time I went back to the Prime Minister's Mansion, and I wonder if I should change him to another place. What does my father-in-law think?"

Xun Yu stared at Cao Chong for a while, then suddenly laughed and said, "Jingzhou is your foundation, are you willing to give it to me?"

Cao Chong calmly met Xun Yu's gaze. The two looked at each other for a moment. He smiled and said, "I believe that my father-in-law, I believe that with my father-in-law's current state, I will handle the affairs of Jingzhou well." He continued, "As for the matter of seeing the emperor, my brother-in-law is the General of the Hu Ben. I think it is not difficult for my father-in-law to see the emperor."

Xun Yu smiled, he nodded, thought for a while and said, "You want to go back to Yecheng first?"

Cao Chong replied, "Yes, I want to meet my father first, see what he plans, and then make a decision?"

Xun Yu wanted to speak but stopped. He leaned over, patted Cao Chong's hand and said, "Cang Shu, I think you should be able to handle this big thing with your current state."

Cao Chong smiled: "I hope so."

The two looked at each other and laughed.

Xun Yu left with a smile. He accompanied Xun Wenqian to see his newborn grandson with great enthusiasm, and then walked out of the Cao Mansion with ease. Cao Chong and his wife were sent outside the door and watched his carriage go away, then they went back to the mansion together. Xun Wenqian walked along the way and asked with a pretty smile: "What did you say to your father? Are the two of them so speculative?"

Cao Chong kept it a secret: "This problem is very complicated, so let's just talk about it slowly when we get into the quilt at night."

Xun Wenqian blushed, pushed him slightly, and asked again: "What should the child do if you want to go back to Yecheng?"

"You don't have to go, I'll take the girl and Hu Zi over." Cao Chong shook his head: "The child is too young and cannot survive long distances. I'm afraid that if he really wants to take it over, he will be blamed by his father. I'd better wait three months and a hundred days later."

"That's good." Xun Wenqian nodded. She was also a little worried about this issue. Since Cao Chong said that, she naturally would not have any objections, and then arranged for someone to prepare a gift to Yecheng.

In the afternoon of that day, Cao Chong led the tiger soldiers and the female guards to Yecheng. Because the situation in Xu County was quite tense, he did not dare to be careless and asked Liu Feng to lead the 300 Iron Armored Army to be responsible for the safety of Cao's mansion in the city.

Cao Chong's carriage had just stopped on the shore of Xuanwu Pool, Niu'er jumped out of the carriage with Hu Zi and ran along the long dike. The two little men walked along the way and shouted "Grandpa". The childish childish voice flew across the autumnal lake and reached Cao Cao's ears dozing in the water pavilion. Cao Cao opened his eyes, listened in a sloppy ear, and then jumped up, shook Song Ji and Mei Ji who were rushing to help him, ran out of the water pavilion, laughed with his waist and greeted him, hugged Hu Zi, who was throwing into his arms, and made Hu Zi scream with his thick beard, which made Cao Cao laugh happily. He ignored Cao Chong and his wife who rushed over to salute, and hugged Hu Zi and walked back.

Niu'er was unhappy, so she grabbed Cao Cao's clothes and pouted and shouted loudly: "Grandpa is partial, grandpa is partial, grandpa is clutched, grandpa is clutched, not girl."

Cao Cao was stunned. Cao Chong and Sun Shangxiang were also a little embarrassed when they came. Sun Shangxiang hurriedly pulled Nuoer over and was about to hit him. Cao Cao shouted quickly, "Stop." As he said, he bent down and pulled Nuoer who was so aggrieved that he almost cried out loud, and said with a smile: "Grandpa is not right, grandpa is not right, grandpa is not right, grandpa is also holding Nuoer? Come and come inside with grandpa. There are a lot of delicious food in it."

"Aweng, this..." Cao Chong hurriedly stepped forward to stop Cao Cao who was trying hard to pick up the two children: "Don't take it seriously, children are ignorant and talk nonsense, don't take it to heart."

"It's okay." Cao Cao waved his hand, pushed Cao Chong's hand away, squinted his eyes and looked at Sun Shangxiang with an awkward look, and said with a smile: "It's indeed the daughter of Hu Niu, and she also has some tiger aura. I like it, so she is like my Cao family's child." After saying that, he pulled one with one hand and walked towards Shuixie in harmony. The gentleness of his speech was even more polite than seeing the emperor.

Cao Chong smiled bitterly, no wonder the daughters of the Cao family were so arrogant, they were all taught by this father. He pulled Sun Shangxiang, who was red-eared, and said, "Hu Niu, don't stand stupidly, hurry up and go in, don't let Niuer mess up his father's house."

"Oh--" Sun Shangxiang came to his senses and quickly followed him. Cao Chong smiled and shook his head, and followed him. He walked to Xu Qian, who was standing quietly at the door like a pillar. Cao Chong stopped and bowed to Xu Qian. Xu Qian quickly replied the gift, smiling but didn't say a word.

"General, I'll leave Zhengli in Xiliang." Cao Chong smiled, and while saying that, he took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Xu Qian: "Zhengli cannot come back for a while, so I asked me to bring a letter to the general, and I'll also ask the general to take a look."

Xu Qian took the letter but didn't read it. His eyebrows, which were as thick as a sword, jumped. Just as he was about to speak, Cao Chong waved his hand and said, "General, don't blame the righteousness, I took the initiative to propose it."

"That's how you're going to be the general." Xu Qian glanced at the letter, stuffed it into his arms, bowed and bowed to Cao Chong, took two steps back, and refused to say anything to Cao Chong. Cao Chong nodded in praise and turned around and walked towards Xie Nei. Cao Cao saw everything that had just happened. He smiled and said to Cao Chong, "Don't take it to heart. Zhongkang has such a temper. Last time your son, Xiao Shu, came, and wanted to say a few words to him, but he choked him, which made your son, Xiao Shu, almost unable to get out of the stage."

Cao Chong smiled and said, "How could I be unhappy? My father has such a close confidant, and I am so happy."

Cao Cao glanced at him, grinned, and patted Cao Chong on the shoulder: "Boy, he really has the style of a famous general, and his speech becomes more and more appropriate. How about it, have you ever seen the emperor in Xu County?"

Cao Chong laughed secretly, this old treacherous hero clearly understood his whereabouts, but he still had to ask a few questions on purpose. He shook his head and said, "Of course, I, the general of the chariot, must first report my duties to the general, and then go to see the emperor."

Cao Cao was stunned for a moment, laughed up on his back, and punched Cao Chong hard: "Zhu Zi, I'm playing these official accents with me, it's really a challenge. Come on, tell me how Xiliang was pacified so quickly. Although your battle report is detailed enough, it's not as interesting as you tell it yourself." He glanced at Sun Shangxiang who was chasing two children, and smiled and said, "I heard that Hu Niu has also been in the formation. The Tiger Camp is so famous that it is so famous. I'm telling me carefully and see how the first women's camp in history has shown its power."

Sun Shangxiang, who had always been generous, came to Cao Cao, but was very reserved. She smiled shyly and bowed: "My father was joking, the tiger camp was just a joke, how could it be taken seriously?"

Cao Cao laughed loudly, looking at the two children who were screaming and running around, and was filled with joy. He looked back at Cao Chong and said, "My two grandchildren are so beautiful? Can they be named?"

Cao Chong hurriedly smiled and said, "I'll thank my father for my blessing. Everything is fine. I haven't chosen my name yet. I'm planning to ask my father to give me a name. Wen Qian and Xiao Yu'er are still weak, otherwise they will come with me. They all asked me to greet my father. I estimate that around the Spring Festival, the two children will be in just 100 days, and then I will take them to Yecheng to see my father together."

"It's okay." Cao Cao waved his hand: "It's really too small now, so I'd better wait and say it. Maybe I'll have to go to Xu County. Then it's going to be bothered by public and private."

"Father is going to Xu County?" Cao Chong asked in surprise.

"That's right." Cao Cao smiled faintly, stroked his beard and looked at Cao Chong: "I'm old and should enjoy a happy life. I don't want to do this, Prime Minister, General, or something. Say goodbye to Your Majesty and go back to my Wuping Fengguo to be my Xiaoyao Prince. There is a lot of trouble here, so I'll leave it to you guys to make trouble."

Cao Chong was stunned for a moment. Why did Cao Cao suddenly have this idea? He didn't have any other thoughts, test himself? He looked at Cao Cao's smiling face and his mind was turning quickly. Before coming, he and Zhang Song and Pang Tong had analyzed many possibilities, but they didn't expect this situation to happen.

"What? Isn't it good?" Cao Cao couldn't help but smile when he saw Cao Chong was so surprised that he couldn't speak.

"Okay, oh, no." Cao Chong was a little incoherent.

Cao Cao frowned: "Why is it good and bad? Is it good or bad?"

Cao Chong smiled bitterly, lowered his head and swallowed, and thought for a while and said, "I said yes, my father retired after success and fame. The realm is not something we dared to know. I can't say yes, it's my father's retreat. How can we take over such a lot of things? Zihuan is still fighting in Liaodong, Ziwen is still in Daijun and is preparing to attack the Xianbei people. I have just made some progress in Guanzhong. Zijian is alone, so I'm afraid he can't be busy?"

Cao Cao smiled and said, "Zi Jian Ziwen is not a material for the prime minister or general. He can share some of the burden for me, that is, you and Zihuan. You can't get rid of yourself in Guanzhong. It seems that you can only let Zihuan come back."

Cao Chongtou suddenly became big. He looked at Cao Cao's cunning smile, complained secretly, thought for a while, and said, "I'm afraid Zihuan will not be able to escape from Liaodong for the time being, right?"

"He, I didn't go to Liaodong." Cao Cao smiled faintly, lay on the recliner, shaking gently, holding the Qiong stick made by Cao Chong in his hand and hitting the armrest of the chair. He sighed with a little sadness: "He is in Dongpingling, Jinan County, and said he was taking care of the rear of the navy. I'm afraid that his eyes were not looking at Liaodong, but he looked at me."

Cao Chong was silent.
Chapter completed!