After waiting for more than half an hour, the sky was getting darker and darker, and Chen Yu had been going in and out for an unknown number of times when he saw a bright light in front of him, and several carriages were driving towards this direction against the backdrop of firelight.
Seeing these carriages, Chen Yu knew in his heart that these were probably the Huaiyin scholars and their party.
Confucianism attaches great importance to etiquette, and there are standards for food, clothing, housing and transportation. From ancient times to the present, "official carriages" have played an important role in ensuring the operation of government affairs. During the Han Dynasty, once scholars were recruited by the court, they could take the public carriages equipped by the government to go to work in the Yamen
, At this time, the concept of "official vehicle" was closer to the so-called official vehicle in modern times. For example, "Historical Records·Dongfang Shuo Biography" records: "When Shuo first entered Chang'an, he wrote on the bus and used three thousand memorial slips." Therefore, later generations
"Official carriage" is often used to refer to officials and examination candidates who are qualified to ride on public carriages and horses.
In the sixth year of Zhongyuan, Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty promulgated the earliest and most established "official vehicle" equipment and decoration standards in the history of the Chinese dynasty. It clearly stipulated that officials of different levels should ride in carriages of different specifications. The higher the official rank, the more horses; through the vehicle
Decoration reflects differences in grade. Taking the car cover to protect from rain and sun as an example, civilians can only use green cloth to cover the car, official salary of less than 200 shi can be covered with white cloth, 300 shi or more can be covered with soap cloth, and those with a thousand shi can be covered with soap silk.
The implementation of this system is relatively strict. Low-level officials are not allowed to ride in excess of the standard, nor are senior officials allowed to lower the standard. If there is any violation, the trigger will be very strict. For example, during the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, a sacrificial ceremony was held, and it rained heavily and the road was muddy.
, the marquis Wei Xuancheng did not ride in a four-horse chariot but rode there. After being caught by Yan Guan, he was impeached for the crime of "degrading the vehicle". Emperor Xuan was so angry that he actually deprived him of the title of marquis.
This time, Wang Zheng was recruiting talents in the state, and all the carriages that the scholars rode were prepared in the same style as "official buses" for various counties and counties. This not only showed courtesy, but also facilitated the reception and escort of officials along the way. It can be said that they did not take it lightly, so Chen
Yu recognized it at a glance.
When he went out in person, the carriage just happened to enter the hall. The servants lifted up the curtains and put on the shelves, and a few people got out of the carriage calmly.
What a big airs, Chen Yu secretly complained in his heart, but on the surface, he put on a warm smile before anyone came close.
When several subordinate officials led the visitor to him, they introduced him: "This is Mr. Gongwei, the councilor of our state, who is in charge of recruiting talents this time."
When talking about official positions, those few scholars looked calm, but when they heard that the person in front of them was the head of the Chen family in Xiapi, they immediately became solemn and returned the greeting quickly, and the sounds of admiration could not be heard.
Chen Yu smiled and invited them in with his hands solemnly, while calmly taking the opportunity to look at the people on the other side.
There were four people in Huaiyin's party. Two of them had white hair on their temples and were about the same age as him. The remaining one was in the prime of life and the other was young. The ratio of old to middle-aged was basically the same as in other places.
Chen Yu even noticed that the older two were more reserved in their words and deeds. They were respectful and cautious in saluting and cautious in speaking. They even had to give way for a long time just for the sake of whoever walked in front and who walked behind. This made Chen Yu instantly happy.
There is a judgment.
These two people must have come from humble backgrounds.
Observing the literary scholar in his prime, he seemed quite natural in comparison, that is...
It's probably too open.
Ever since I got off the car, my eyes have been wandering around without stopping for a moment, glancing here and there. When looking at things, I must look at the decorations. If there are any jewels, I will stay for a while, and when looking at people, I only look at beauties. Inside the museum
Among the maids, the young and beautiful ones looked at twice, while the ugly ones were ignored.
Having an impetuous mind and impure temperament makes it very difficult to be embarrassed!
Chen Yu also lost interest in making friends in an instant.
The youngest person at the end is in his early twenties at most. He has a face as good as a crown jewel and a magnificent appearance. No matter how he speaks or behaves, he is calm and composed. He has a clear and unrestrained demeanor, especially when he is surrounded by those around him.
Against the background of a mediocre person, he becomes more and more outstanding.
After a rough scan, Chen Yu already had a good idea.
This person should be that Bu Zhao.
...
Everyone entered the hall, and the scholars who had come early in the hall quickly stood up to greet them. Everyone was from Xuzhou, and those who could read in the Han Dynasty were basically gentry. They had connections with each other either from this generation or from the previous generation.
Although we have never met each other, we have known each other for a long time. In an instant, we went from strangers to familiar ones. We looked up at each other for a long time and were polite for a long time before we sat down separately.
At this time, the subordinate officials had checked the roster and came to Chen Yu to report in a low voice. Chen Yu nodded slightly. As he expected, the two elders had no reputation. They were just local old scholars and their family background was average. The name of the middle-aged man was
His name is Cui Ling, and he has some literary talents, but there are rumors that he has a bad temperament.
As for the young man, he is Bu Zhao, who has become famous in recent years. Not only that, he also has a distinguished background. Huaiyin Bu family has existed for a long time, and his ancestors can be traced back to Yang Shi, a doctor of the Jin Dynasty in the Zhou Dynasty, because his fief was in Bu Zhi.
In this place, Bu was named the surname, and later there was Bu Shucheng, a Confucian scholar with seventy-two sages. In addition, during the Qin and Han Dynasties, some members of the Bu clan were generals and were granted the title of Marquis of Huaiyin based on their merits. The Bu clan became a big clan in Huaiyin.
In terms of foundation alone, it is even better than that of the Chen family.
After waiting for the maid to serve tea, Chen Yu looked around the whole place and said with a smile: "As soon as the Huaiyin princes arrived, all the talented people gathered in the hall. This hall is now glorious. Wangzhou Mu has always been thirsty for talents. If
If you know it, you will definitely be overjoyed."
In the seat on the right, a person said: "The first thing the state pastor did when he decided to establish Xuzhou was to recruit wise men. The Jin Dynasty was not talented, so he was just one of them. He didn't dare to be arrogant, but he also deeply felt the state pastor's respect for literature and Confucianism.
Sincerity. At a time when the world is boiling and warriors are rampant, Zhou Mu’s move is really unusual. Such a young and wise leader is sincerely a blessing to the country and a blessing to the people."
The person I am speaking to is named Gao Jin and is from Tan County in the East China Sea.
Hearing this, Chen Yu nodded with a smile. Just as he was about to echo a few words, he heard a sneer from the desk clerk on his left.
Everyone looked up and saw a man in his thirties, short in stature, with a rough and almost ugly face. The robe he wore had no elegance in it, but looked abrupt. Chen Yu was even more stunned.
This person is not good in appearance, how can he be recommended by the place?
When counties and counties recommended scholars, an official document was also sent. It described in detail the various circumstances of the recruited scholars, such as their local reputation, specialized knowledge, family background, personality preferences, etc.
, with doubts in his heart, Chen Yu did not rush to attack. If something went wrong, there must be a monster, so he picked up the roster and took a look, and suddenly realized it.
Oh, it was recommended by Zhang Zhao.
It turns out that this person's name is Yan Zhen, a native of Pengcheng. He came to Xiapi this afternoon. He never said a word, but he always sneered a few times when people praised Wang Zheng and flattered him.
This makes Chen Yu a little confused. If you don't want to serve in the royal government, why should Zhang Zhao recommend you?
However, facing Zhang Zhao behind him, Chen Yu suppressed his displeasure and pretended not to hear. He just smiled and said: "All the heroes have been given their abilities by heaven, how can we treat them as ordinary people? Zhou Mujun is a great man with a great strategy.
Not comparable to others of the same age."
"In troubled times, Xuzhou's meeting with the Ming Dynasty is not only a blessing for the country and the people, but also an opportunity for everyone, just like Gao Jun..."
At this point, Chen Yu waved his hand and said, "I received a letter from my nephew a few days ago, and he was full of praise for Mr. Gao. He even said that when he was only fifteen years old, he was already famous in the countryside. People at that time often said that there is a county.
Gao is a talented person in the country. He has been a famous family in Xuzhou for generations. Now that Mr. Gao has entered this hall, he will be able to take off in just a few days."
Hearing Chen Yu's praise, Gao Jin was very humble, but he could hardly hide the smile in his eyes.
Chen Yu said, "The Gao family was originally a famous family member in Xuzhou", which is indeed an exaggeration. Not to mention Xuzhou, even in the East China Sea and Xiapi, the Gao family was just a middle-class nobleman, but the first half of the sentence said that he had "the talents of the county and the country"
', this sentence is genuine and not fake at all.
Gao Jin was a young man with precocious intelligence. He was originally a famous talent in the East China Sea area, and he always regarded himself as a handsome man.
What does it mean to be a hero? Since you are a hero, you must be aware of current affairs.
Therefore, when Liu Bei was appointed as the prefectural pastor, he was unwilling to serve as an official, but when Wang Zheng became the prefectural pastor, he immediately came to join him. This is to understand the current affairs.
Although the former is a member of the Han clan, he is a weak general and lacks money and food. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the three counties of Xuzhou are in Liu Bei's hands and will probably be taken away before he can cover up the heat.
Although the latter is a Yellow Turban bandit, he is young and promising, has a large number of people, and is even more prosperous. Which one should I choose? It is self-evident.
In fact, after Wang Zheng captured Taishan County, Gao Jin had the intention to join him.
He is not a rotten scholar who is not proficient in martial arts. He has a valuable source of soldiers, and he has a fortified Pengcheng. In fact, many people have been secretly optimistic about Wang Zheng, especially since he is not like the ordinary yellow scarf thieves who seize every land
To eat up all the big households like locusts made the gentry feel that they were far-sighted and might be able to accomplish something.
But in the end, because he was worried about his reputation, Gao Jin finally shelved the matter while hesitating. After the general trend of the royal government was achieved, he wanted to join again, but the way was not so easy to find. Therefore, Xuzhou's recommendation order was not given.
When the government called him, he took the initiative to request it early.
Most of the scholars who came here had a mentality similar to Gao Jin's. As for Yan Zhen, their trip was not motivated by their true intentions. There were some, but not many.
Chen Yu said a few words. Seeing that the people from Huaiyin, especially Bu Zhi, had not said a word, he stopped talking and signaled the maids to start serving the dishes.
As the so-called actions lead to imitation, Wang Zheng himself never boasted extravagantly about food, clothing, housing and transportation. Even though he never praised simplicity on the surface, the people below did not dare to be extravagant and wasteful in public.
At this time, Chen Yu would not take any risk of annoying Wang Zheng. Therefore, even if he received these scholars, the meals prepared were not sumptuous. Each person only had three or four dishes, but they tasted very good.
, delicious and delicious. Considering that there are also pot-bellied scholars among the scholars, and they come from afar, all food is freely available, so you can eat as you like.
As soon as the dishes were served, someone hurried in from outside the hall. They came to Chen Yu's seat and whispered in his ear for a while. Then they saw Chen Yu's expression change, and he stood up with a flutter of sleeves:
"Is the State Shepherd here?"
The hall fell silent for a moment, and then became buzzing. Many people were whispering to each other and talking in low voices. Gao Jin and others hurriedly dropped their chopsticks, adjusted their appearance, and stood up respectfully, either uneasy or surprised. They guessed that Wang Zheng would come, and thought they would wait until after dinner, but they didn't expect to arrive so early.
Seeing other people acting like this, Yan Zhen showed disdain and snorted coldly, but ignored them and continued to eat as he pleased.
After a while, with the sound of footsteps, two soldiers took a look first, then turned around and left without saying a word.
Gao Jin and other people who were keen on fame and fortune had been looking forward to it for a long time, but they never saw the young Zhou Mu show up. Just when he was wondering, the little official who came to report the news came in for the second time and waved to Chen Yu again and again. Signal him to go out.
Chen Yu didn't dare to neglect, he bowed his hands to everyone, quickly picked up his official robe and walked out.
Everyone was at a loss and didn't know what was going on. They looked at each other in silence. Gao Jin took his seat outside. After thinking about the meeting, he emboldened himself and took a few peeks outside the hall.
Under the pitch-black night, the torches in the courtyard were blown by the wind, and they were bright and dark at times, and the figures were wandering. Occasionally, the neighing of horses could be heard, adding to the deep chill of the night.
After a while, the scholars could no longer hold themselves back and started discussing in low voices.
"Why doesn't Zhou Mu come into the hall?"
"Maybe still on the way?"
"Then why did Mr. Gongwei go out?"
"This..." someone speculated: "That means Zhou Mu has arrived at the museum, should he go there first?"
Someone else said: "Zhou Mu is familiar with the art of war and pays attention to knowing oneself and the enemy. Or maybe I would like to know about the reception first."
"That makes sense. Let's wait for Mr. Gongwei to come back."
Everyone whispered and guessed. After a while, Chen Yu came back alone, which once again surprised everyone.
"Mr. Gongwei?" Gao Jin still didn't see Wang Zheng's figure. He felt disappointed and couldn't help but asked eagerly: "May I ask if the state pastor... is here?"
Hearing this, Chen Yu glanced at him and silently lowered his opinion of him. At the same time, he looked around at everyone, sighed first, and then slowly said: "I heard from the guards that you are still eating, and you don't want this." It’s time to disturb you all.”
"So I retreated to the courtyard and waited." Chen Yu's face was full of emotion, and his tone was even more lamentable: "We will see you again after dinner."
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone had different thoughts and expressions.
There are people who are dumbfounded and can't believe it.
His face was shaken, as is typical for a person who has changed from being reserved.
His face moved slightly, but then he still sneered, and he was also feeling proud.
Gao Jin was the most exaggerated. He immediately knelt down without his hat and kowtowed again and again outside the court hall: "It is deep winter now, and the wind is as cold as a knife. For a mere poor man like me, the state shepherd has a body of ten thousand gold and is willing to bear the cold of the night wind. Although the ancient Duke of Zhou , also cannot reach! The Lord of True Ming."
He stood up, turned to the crowd, and said loudly and generously: "It is Zhou Mu's intention to stand in the wind. But as the people of Xuzhou, Zhou Mu is like my parents. How can I have my parents here?" Outside the hall, in the pure high hall, what is the reason for receiving it in a grand manner?"
Then he called the maid and drank sternly: "Remove the table, I am full!"
"I'm full too!"
"I'm full too!"
Seven or eight people followed closely behind, shouting and urging the food to be removed, and then most of them followed suit.
Chen Yu watched with eyes, and among the few people from Huaiyin, Cui Ling was also among those asking to withdraw their meals.
Although the two old Confucians said nothing, they looked moved.
Only the young man, Bu Zhao, still looked calm, looked proud of himself, and remained silent.
In the midst of the clamor, a voice suddenly sounded.
"Attendant, quickly bring me another bowl!"
Not only was this call full of energy, but it was also extremely discordant. It immediately attracted the attention of the entire audience, and even Bu Zhao raised his head in surprise.
The speaker was none other than Yan Zhen, the madman from Pengcheng.