Hearing the drama, Zhang Yangquan couldn't help but think of the drama he had seen at Zhennan Palace.
In his mind, these drama writers are all people with outstanding literary talent, such as Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan and others.
The imperial examinations in the Yuan Dynasty were on and off. Many scholars chose to write dramas because they had no way to make a living.
However, in the eyes of those scholars with a good reputation, they are all low-class people who sell their literature to make money, and they are extremely despised.
Literati have looked down on each other since ancient times. People with the same fame and fame are still competing with each other and hostile, let alone meeting those without fame.
Qin Lingjun thought for a while, looked at Zhang Yangquan and said, "Tai Gong He is definitely not a selfish person. That dramatist must have extraordinary abilities!"
Zhang Yangquan's heart moved and he said, "Do you want that person to give us some advice?"
Qin Lingjun smiled and said: "Not only him, you can also ask the scholars. If they can't do it, go to the general manager's office to summon the civil servants to ask for advice. Scholars have thought deeply and may have better ideas."
Zhang Yangquan nodded and went to attack with troops. Strategies can often achieve the goal at the minimum cost.
The bell rang, and the four-horse carriage stopped. Zhang Yangquan and Qin Lingjun got off the carriage together, and in front of them was the familiar Zhennan Prince's Mansion.
This luxurious mansion has hardly changed, except that "Zhennan Prince's Mansion" on the plaque has been changed to "Recruiting Hall", and there is an additional stone tablet outside the door.
There is a passage written on the stone tablet: Take a bath three times to catch your hair, eat a meal and spit out food three times to treat the scholars, especially for fear of losing the wise men in the world.
This is the stone monument proposed by He Taigong to show the sincerity of the General Manager's office in recruiting talents.
However, at this moment, a group of scholars gathered around the stone tablet, talking among themselves with indignation on their faces. Taigong He and a group of civil servants stood aside with their hands down.
Seeing the arrival of Zhang Yangquan and Qin Lingjun, Taigong He hurriedly stepped forward to kowtow to the leader. However, the scholars just bowed their hands from a distance.
Zhang Yangquan helped Taigong He up and said warmly: "Mr. He recruited talented people for the general manager's office. He worked hard and achieved great results. What crime is there?"
Taigong He sighed: "It's all because of the old man's incompetence in inviting a talented but unworthy student to the recruitment hall, which made others dissatisfied."
When the scholars heard what he said, they were very dissatisfied. A scholar wearing a white scarf strode forward and said with his head held high: "How dare the public security officer speak nonsense in front of the general manager? You secretly favored your own interests and invited the Zaju Opera to the recruiting hall.
Don’t you dare admit it?”
Taigong He said anxiously: "I am not showing favoritism. Although Luo Ben is a dramatist, he is also full of knowledge. How can he not get into the recruitment hall?"
The scholar in white scarf smiled and said: "This is not the first time that Luo Ben came to the Talent Recruitment Hall. The last time he came, you turned him away. Later, after the Shen family came to find you, they took him into the Talent Recruitment Hall instead of accepting him.
What’s a bribe?”
"You..." Mr. He was so angry that he couldn't speak.
He was indeed influenced by his young daughter, so he invited Luo Ben over to take an exam.
This time the teaching examination was more detailed, and it was found that Luo Ben had real talents and hard work, so he was admitted to the recruitment hall.
Zhang Yangquan looked at the white-turbaned scholar and said, "Are you Ma Yulin?"
The scholar in white raised his hands and saluted: "You're not very talented, Ma Yulin. Please pay my respects to the manager." He is about 27 or 28 years old, with a tall figure and sharp eyes. Although he is a scribe, he gives people the feeling of unsheathing a sword.
Zhang Yangquan secretly praised his demeanor and said with a smile: "I told Mr. He not to limit his talents to his status. Mr. He once dedicated three thousand acres of his family's land to me. He is definitely not a person who is greedy for money."
Ma Yulin frowned and said: "The general manager's shielding of his subordinates shows that he is not sincerely seeking talents, so we have no choice but to leave."
"Wait a minute." It was Taigong He who stopped him: "You don't listen to what others say! Although Luo Guanzhong is a dramatist, his talents and knowledge are not inferior to yours."
He turned to Zhang Yangquan and said: "General manager, I would like to ask Luo Guanzhong to come over and accept the test in person. If you are such a wasteful person, I am willing to resign as the director of the talent recruitment hall."
Zhang Yangquan was surprised and said: "Did you just say Luo Guanzhong?"
"Yes, the dramatist's name is Luo Ben, with a Chinese character of "Guan Zhong". Manager, please go to the lobby and wait. I will call him over right now." Taigong He was so angry at Ma Yulin that he turned around and entered the Talent Recruitment Hall.
Zhang Yangquan was overjoyed that Luo Guanzhong actually came to his recruitment hall. He said warmly to Ma Yulin and other scholars: "Mr. Ma, gentlemen, how about we go in and wait together to see if Luo Guanzhong is really just a false name?"
”
Ma Yulin was silent.
Qin Lingjun said lightly: "Talent and learning are not just words to boast about. You feel that Luo Guanzhong is not as good as you, but you don't dare to see him. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at by the world?"
Ma Yulin was aroused with pride and raised his head and said: "Who said I'm afraid? But if Luo Guanzhong is really a person with a false reputation, what will the manager say?"
Zhang Yangquan said with a smile: "If that's the case, Mr. He and I will personally apologize to Mr. and then ask Mr. to take up the position of promotion official. How about that?"
The faces of all the scholars changed, and they all looked at Ma Yulin with envy. Being promoted to an official position is a matter for the head of the General Manager's Office to push for a prison lawsuit. It is one of the top ten official positions in the General Manager's Office. It can be said that one can rise to the top in one step.
However, Ma Yulin kept his expression and said, "Since the manager said this, I have no objections."
Everyone came to the lobby of the General Manager's Mansion, and after waiting for a long time, they saw Taigong He entering the hall with a young man.
Zhang Yangquan looked at Luo Guanzhong carefully and saw that he was about 23 or 24 years old, of medium build, with his head bowed and his waist hunched over, looking quite restrained, which was in sharp contrast to the energetic Ma Yulin.
It turned out that Luo Guanzhong was the son of a businessman. He had been hanging out with a group of dramatists for many years. He felt quite inferior when facing Ma Yulin and other scholars. Therefore, he knew that everyone was criticizing him outside, but he did not dare to go out and tell him apart.
"General Manager, this person is Luo Guanzhong. Although he is young, he has traveled to many provinces and is very knowledgeable. He has dabbled in the Four Books and Five Classics. He also has unique insights into the general trends of the world."
Taigong He's words immediately made many scholars unhappy.
However, most of the scholars did not dare to offend him. Only Ma Yulin sneered and said: "Why didn't He Gong say that he has talents in the world and unpredictable plans of ghosts and gods?"
Taigong He snorted angrily: "Young people should not make sarcastic remarks. If you are not convinced, you can have a try with Luo Guanzhong!"
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Ma Yulin glanced at Luo Guanzhong and was about to ask questions when Qin Lingjun suddenly said: "A wise person is a person who applies what he has learned. I have a problem here. If any of you can solve it, you will be a real wise person."
Ma Yulin glanced at Luo Guanzhong and said loudly: "Madam, please ask the question, but if I lose, I will pack up and leave immediately!"
Qin Lingjun turned to look at Luo Guanzhong and said, "What did you say?"
Luo Guanzhong clenched his fists tightly, knowing that what happened today would definitely spread throughout the south of the Yangtze River. This was not only an opportunity to realize his ambition, but it might also make him doomed.
"Xiao Ke is willing to give it a try!" He slowly raised his head and whispered.
Qin Lingjun and Zhang Yangquan looked at each other and said, "This matter is of great importance. Let's talk about it in another place."
The two stood up and took Luo Guanzhong, Ma Yulin and He Taigong out of the lobby, all the way to a small independent courtyard of the Recruitment Hall.
Zhang Yangquan ordered his personal guards to guard the surrounding area of the courtyard. He entered the courtyard with Qin Lingjun first, and asked Qin Lingjun in a low voice: "Do you think Ma Yulin is reliable?"
Their plan to stop Zhang Shicheng from going south is a secret, especially if Zhang Shicheng cannot know about it, otherwise he is likely to attack Tongzhou immediately.
Qin Lingjun was slightly curious: "You only asked Ma Yulin and not Luo Guanzhong. Could it be that you have more trust in Luo Guanzhong?"
Zhang Yangquan smiled and nodded.
Although he was not sure whether Luo Guanzhong had strategic talents, he was at least certain that he was a man of loyalty, otherwise he would not have been able to write the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Qin Lingjun stopped asking and whispered, "I know you don't like Ma Yulin's arrogance, but people like this are more trustworthy."
Zhang Yangquan thought about it and felt that it made sense. People like Ma Yulin were arrogant and self-respecting and would never bother to be a snitch.
So he ordered his personal guards to call the three people in and tell them that Zhang Shicheng was going to attack Tongzhou.
Ma Yulin smiled and said loudly: "Zhang Shicheng rushed to cross the river before his footing was stable. He was bound to lose the battle. Why should the manager worry?"
Luo Guanzhong said: "Otherwise. Even if Zhang Shicheng fails to cross the river, as long as he holds Tongzhou, he can cross the river at any time. This is definitely not a good thing for our army!"
Ma Yulin was stunned for a moment, glanced at Luo Guanzhong, and thought to himself: "I underestimate this kid. If I am not careful, he will take the lead."
He coughed and said: "I just made a mistake. The future development direction of our army is naturally Jiangzuo. Zhang Shicheng must not be allowed to get involved."
Zhang Yangquan said: "That's it. Zhang Shicheng occupied Taizhou, and there is Tai'an between us and Tongzhou. If we use force to stop it, the chances are not high. So I would like to ask two gentlemen to plan this matter."
Ma Yulin pondered for a long time and suddenly asked: "Can I take the liberty to ask if the General Manager's Office has sent someone to Xuzhou to investigate the situation?"
Zhang Yangquan did not hide anything, and informed the two of them about Tuotuo's large-scale mobilization of grain, fodder, and carriages in Xuzhou.
Ma Yulin laughed loudly, cupped his hands and said: "Thanks to the trust of the manager and his wife, I have nothing to repay. I am willing to go to Gaoyou in person to teach Zhang Shicheng not to attack Tongzhou!"
Not to be outdone, Luo Guanzhong said: "Xiao Ke is also willing to give it a try!"