Chapter 110 Talents After the Imperial Examination
He knelt for half an hour before the worship was over. After worshiping at the ancestral temple with Liu Biao, Liu Cong changed into casual clothes and walked out of the Hou Mansion. On the street, the people were in full swing, discussing this year's harvest and their expectations for the coming year.
Although there are no later customs such as posting couplets, New Year pictures, setting off fireworks, etc., it is still full of the hustle and bustle of fireworks, which makes people feel more like the New Year. Liu Cong suddenly felt that people in later generations said that the New Year's flavor is weak. In fact, it is busy.
Modern people have gradually reduced the New Year to a holiday and a ritual.
There is a lack of reverence for tradition, and we only seek the appearance but not the roots. With the development of modern technology, celebrating the New Year can be done by just sitting on the sofa, downloading a few apps, saying New Year greetings, and moving the New Year's money with your fingers.
Even for New Year's Eve dinner, no one can stop you from ordering a batch of hearty takeout. But the flavor of the New Year is naturally getting weaker and weaker.
"Get out!" Suddenly Liu Cong's eyes were attracted by a shout.
Three middle-aged scribes stood at the door of the restaurant, and even the packages were thrown out!
"You still want to stay in the hotel if you don't have money?" The shopkeeper led a few boys and yelled and cursed arrogantly.
The purple-robed scribe suppressed his anger and said to the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, it's not that the three of us have no money, it's just that we didn't bring enough. We have already sent a message to our family that the money will be delivered to us in a few days. And
Can we extend it for a few more days?"
The shopkeeper didn't show any emotion at all, "If you want to stay in the hotel, bring the money! Otherwise there won't be any door. Also, are you just a few poor and rotten scholars who want to ask for an official position from the Marquis of Chu? It's simply wishful thinking!"
"Even if you don't let us stay in the hotel, why are you still sarcastic about the three of us?" The scribe in blue said angrily.
The shopkeeper spat directly on the ground, "You still said that you missed the imperial examination because of the long journey. I think you are the losers who failed! If you still want to eat and drink here, get out of here, don't delay my business.
"
"You!" The scribe in blue wanted to step forward to argue, but was stopped by another scribe in yellow.
The scribe in yellow looked at the shopkeeper and said, "Green mountains never change and green waters always flow. Shopkeeper, the three of us will remember your 'kindness' today. If you are in a high position in the future, you will definitely repay it!"
"Hahaha. Okay, when a man is born in this world, he should be so clear about grievances and retribution!" When the three of them turned around, they saw an old man with white beard and hair.
"Huang Zhong?" Liu Cong murmured in his mouth. According to the Han system, during the Chinese New Year, officials will take seven days off, three days before the new year and four days after the new year.
Huang Zhong walked up to the three of them, cupped his hands and said, "I am Changsha Huang Zhong and Huang Hansheng!"
"It's actually Old General Huang!" the purple-clothed scribe said in surprise.
Huang Zhong was a little confused, "Do you know me?"
"When General Huang defeated Cao Cao, he was forced to commit suicide. His fame has spread all over the world. How could we not know it." The scholar in purple smiled and replied, "Oh. By the way, I am Deng Zhi. These two are Fei Shihe and
Li Hui. We are all from Yizhou. We wanted to take the imperial examination, but we missed it because of the long distance."
"Deng Zhi? Li Hui? Fei Shi?" Liu Cong recited the names of the three people silently in his mind. Shouldn't these three people be officials in Yizhou now?
Huang Zhong and the three of them greeted each other separately and said, "Let's go, this shabby shop can't be accommodated. Follow me back to my mansion. I will take you to see the lord later. If you really have real talent and learning, the lord will definitely use the three of you."
"Then thank you so much, old general." The three of them looked at each other and thanked with some surprise.
The shopkeeper at the door of the restaurant naturally knew Huang Zhong's name. He just watched Huang Zhong take people away without even daring to say a word. However, at this moment, he regretted that he had just kicked people out.
Liu Cong smiled in the distance and said to Duan Kun beside him, "Go back home and wait for the arrival of General Huang."
"promise!"
Liu Cong had only returned home for a short while when Huang Zhong came to ask for an audience.
"The old general is really vigorous and resolute in his actions." Liu Cong said with a smile after meeting Huang Zhong.
Huang Zhong was a little confused as to what Liu Cong meant by this. Liu Cong smiled and told Huang Zhong what he had just seen on the street.
"It turns out that the lord is also there, but the general's eyesight is so stupid that he didn't see the lord." Huang Zhong said with a smile.
"Give me a seat for the old general." Liu Cong greeted the servants, "How many old generals have you brought?"
Huang Zhong thanked Liu Cong for the seat and said, "I'm waiting at the door of the mansion."
"Tongzhou, go and bring the people in!" Liu Cong ordered outside the house.
Duan Kun accepted the promise and left. Liu Cong asked Huang Zhong again why he was wandering on the street during the Chinese New Year.
Huang Zhong smiled bitterly, "For Mo Jiang, there is no difference between celebrating the New Year and not celebrating the New Year. Quanzi died early, and only Mo Jiang and his old wife are left in the family."
"The population is cold and life is just passing by, and the final general only wants to die in battle one day."
Only then did Liu Cong remember that Huang Zhong's son had passed away a long time ago. Huang Zhong, who was now in his fifties, had no children.
For the ancients, being over fifty years old was considered a very advanced age. It is no wonder that Huang Zhong had little hope for life.
For a moment, Liu Cong didn't know how to comfort Huang Zhong.
"Lord, please bring Deng Zhi and the other three here." Duan Kun's voice came from outside the window.
Liu Cong shouted, "Come in."
After the three of them entered, they bowed to Liu Cong excitedly, "The three of us have met the Marquis of Chu!"
It was the young man in front of me who defeated the arrogant Cao Cao and created the system of imperial examination selection!
"You three don't need to be polite, just get up. If someone comes, please give me a seat!"
"Thank you very much, Lord Chu."
The three people and Huang Zhong took their seats after seeing the ceremony. Liu Cong waited for the three people to sit down, and then asked, "As far as I know, the three of you should be officials in Yizhou. Why are you here in Jingzhou?"
Deng Zhi bowed and said, "To the Marquis of Chu, Liu Zhang in Yizhou is weak and not a master of the Ming Dynasty. After the three of us heard about the imperial examination, we all wanted to come to Jingzhou to try our luck."
Li Hui continued, "The three of us met in Xiangyang. We are all from Yizhou, so we went together."
Of these three people, Li Hui was the postal governor of Jianning County and Fei Shi was the magistrate of Mianzhu County. After hearing about the imperial examination, they resigned resolutely.
Deng Zhi is a descendant of Deng Yu, a famous general in the Eastern Han Dynasty. He was originally from the New Wilderness and settled in Shu. After hearing about the imperial examination, he also came from Yizhou.
Liu Cong understood, "Although I am in charge of Jingxiang, I still have some understanding of the world's most talented people."
Amid the nervous expressions on the three people's faces, Liu Cong continued, "I know the talents of the three of them. Deng Zhi and Li Hui can be the ministers of the Ministry of War. Fei Shi can be the minister of the Ministry of Rites."
"The imperial examination has passed. You three want to conquer the country alone and avoid people's gossip. Let's start as a minister. Are you willing?"
The three of them looked at each other and bowed to Liu Cong, "Three of us, thank you very much, Marquis of Chu!"
They also knew something about the official positions in Jingzhou. The chief official of the six ministries was called Shangshu. Liu Cong adopted the three-province and six-ministries system of the Tang Dynasty. The minister can be said to be the second-in-command of the six ministries.
"I am here in Xiangyang, and I have given you a mansion for the three of you. You can move in first. After the New Year, you can officially take office!"
"Thank you, Lord!"
After seeing off a few people, Liu Cong sent Duan Kun to Xiangyang to post some notices.
If there are talents who fail to participate in the imperial examination, they can go to the Marquis Mansion on their own, and the Marquis of Chu will select the best candidates. If they are not hired, the Marquis of Chu will also pay the return travel expenses!
Liu Cong did this just on a whim. What if he could catch a few more talents?