His Highness the Crown Prince happened to hear the old student talking to himself, but he ignored him.
There were countless people in the Eight Kingdoms during the Spring and Autumn Period. Which one of them was not a stray dog?
When he brushed past the scholar who was mocking himself as an old dog, he saw from the corner of his eye that the old man was clearly in a hurry. Seeing that His Royal Highness had no intention of stopping, he hurriedly turned around and made a deep posture as if he was looking at the river. He was very worried about the country and the people. He continued, "Before the Zhenyuan period of my dynasty, the struggle in the imperial court was a struggle between the pillars of the country. It was a struggle between the civil and military officials who had helped the late Emperor build the country. Each of them represented the forces behind them and schemed against each other. They fought for benefits. Among them, the orphans of the Eight Kingdoms were lucky enough to occupy a seat. Starting from the Yong Hui period, Grand Secretary Zhang Julu began to hold power. After more than ten years of the Yong Hui period, the talents of the Eight Kingdoms, either voluntarily or by force, gradually abandoned the fence and integrated into the imperial court. The boundary between civil and military officials was blurred. It turned into a confrontation between the North and the South. The South was relatively weak, but it had the support of the two Kings of Yan and Guangling. Especially in the short four years from the first year of the Yong Hui period to the fourth year of the Yong Hui period, led by the Minister of Personnel, Zhao Youling, who was born of a concubine, from the South, Wang Xionggui, Yuan Guo, Han Lin, and the others from the Han family in the South were promoted one after another and were able to hold real power in their respective departments. They complemented each other with the Jiangnan scholar group and their power soared. They spared no effort to fight for one word: fame! However, the struggle for fame and fortune between civil and military officials was only on the surface. In the end, it could not escape the Emperor's technique of balance. Looking at the past twenty years, the people in the imperial court all had their own achievements. Only the isolated Great General Xu of Beiliang was exempt. His value was that he was far away from the struggle in the imperial court. Not fighting was the biggest fight, and it was really powerful. I, Liu Wenbao, am different from those scholars. When I look at the rise and fall of the dynasty, I do not rely on the wisdom and muddleheadedness of the emperors. Instead, I find another way. I start from the power of the ministers. Virtuous ministers prosper the country, evil ministers harm the country. I, Liu Wenbao, secretly think that in less than five years, the first person in this dynasty, Zhang Julu, will … "
Liu Wenbao, who had a long and eloquent speech, had just reached the most important part. He originally wanted to keep the audience in suspense and catch their appetite so that he could say something surprising. However, when he turned his head slightly, he was stunned as if a large basin of cold water had been poured over his head. His Royal Highness had already disappeared. This impromptu but carefully planned self-recommendation was in vain.
Liu Wenbao, who had lost his home, sighed and could not help but feel disheartened. He was born in a declining aristocratic family in the old Southern Tang. As Xu Weixiong said, he was a poor scholar who could not even leave a single county. When he was young, he always thought about his mother, who said that before he was born, his palm was bitten by a leopard in his dream. Therefore, he was named Wenbao. When he was young, he was determined to be a Marquis or a Minister. However, at that time, before the fall of the Southern Tang, only family name was important. Liu Wenbao was very conceited when he was young, so he went to the Shangyin Academy to study. He wanted to amaze the world with a single brilliant feat. However, he did not know how difficult it was to enter the Academy. How could he have the face to return home? He swore that he would not return home until he was rich. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, he was an old man in his fifties. Glory, splendor, and wealth were still out of his reach. Some of the talented students in the Academy were almost old enough to be Liu Wenbao's grandsons. Old Man Liu's ambition in his early years was like the river in front of him, flowing slowly with time and never returning to the East Sea. However, today he met the Crown Prince of Beiliang. He originally hoped that wealth and honor could be found in danger. However, His Royal Highness was not interested in listening to this old student's nagging. This was reasonable. With His Royal Highness's aristocratic family background, if someone sold their talent to him, it would be more than a few hundred to a thousand pounds. I, Liu Wenbao, am a nobody. What am I?
The wind on the river was not biting cold. Liu Wenbao stretched out his hand and rubbed his wrinkled skin that was like a withered tree. He muttered absentmindedly, "It's time to go home and take a look. Even if I have to beg along the way, I have to die in my hometown and return to my roots."
Xu Weixiong saw Hsu Fengnian's footsteps leave without stopping. When he reached the bow of the boat, he laughed softly and asked, "Aren't you curious if this old scholar really has some valuable military strategy in his stomach?"
Hsu Fengnian laughed and said, "Didn't this old man say that he was homesick? If I take a liking to him, I can take him to Beiliang. How long will it take for him to return home?"
Xu Weixiong sighed and said, "Liu Wenbao's hometown has changed a long time ago. His family has mostly withered. His father, mother, wife, and children have all died in war and disease. Even if he goes back, no one will remember him, an old man who has left home for thirty years."
Hsu Fengnian frowned and asked, "This old man has real talent?"
Xu Weixiong said indifferently, "The Jishang teachers in the academy all think that Liu Wenbao is not a master of miscellaneous knowledge. They don't think highly of him."
Hsu Fengnian asked directly, "I don't care what others think of me. Sister, just tell me what you think of this old man. If you think he is useful, I will let him go to Beiliang to make a living. At the very least, he can get a lucrative position as a low-ranking official. It's better than being bullied in the Shangyin Academy. He is not young anymore. Judging from his attentiveness just now, it is obvious that he has read a lot and is smart. I believe that he doesn't care about his reputation."
Xu Weixiong smiled and said, "Actually, I don't think highly of Liu Wenbao either."
Hsu Fengnian rolled his eyes and said, "What's going on? Then let him stay in the Shangyin Academy. I don't have the ambition to conquer the world, nor do I have the pretentious attitude of paying respects to the wise. An old scholar who has been in the Shangyin Academy for so many years has not made a name for himself. If he goes to Beiliang, it will be a waste of resources. If he gets into trouble, he might get his head chopped off by the ruffians. Why bother?"
Xu Weixiong shook his head and said, "But what Liu Wenbao said just now was quite interesting."
Hsu Fengnian sneered and said, "Even an ignorant and incompetent person like me can tell that he is talking big. He is talking about Zhang Julu, Zhao Youling, or the Grand Secretary, the Emperor, and the Prime Minister. He is so high that he can't be higher than this river. What's the point of talking about all this?"
Xu Weixiong, who had been walking behind him, blinked and said, "What's interesting is that Liu Wenbao hasn't had the time to add the finishing touch. Unfortunately, you left too quickly. Otherwise, he would most likely say that His Majesty wants to cultivate a confidant who can compete with Zhang Julu in all aspects in the next few years. In fact, as Liu Wenbao has guessed, it is not far from the truth. Do you know that there are two new clerks in the Menxia Province who are in charge of recording and supervising the Emperor's words and actions? Their identities are just as Liu Wenbao said, the battle between the north and the south. One of them is from the Wei household, a leading aristocratic family in the north. The other's ancestors are from the Eastern Yuehan Tribe. They have always been unknown and only know that they are studying in the Northern Saint Zhang Family. But according to reliable sources, the clerks who are in their thirties are highly regarded and trusted by the Emperor. If we talk about the path of the bureaucracy, it is very likely that they are the same as Zhang Julu's. After a few more years of hard work, perhaps this person will have the opportunity to make waves with one turn of the hand. It should be known that this secret is something that even many of the important officials in the imperial court cannot see through. But Liu Wenbao, a scholar who is far away from the imperial court, can use history books to determine the future. It is not easy. If you don't believe me, you can call Liu Wenbao over and ask him. "
Hsu Fengnian waved his hand and said, "Don't. Second Sister, you have a divine foresight. When we were young, I never won a bet against you."
Xu Weixiong smiled with narrowed eyes.
Hsu Fengnian immediately corrected her without any backbone, "Sister!"
Unexpectedly, Xu Weixiong said softly, "In the future, just call me Second Sister. Don't fight with her over this."
Hsu Fengnian did not dare to harp on this issue and stopped while he was ahead. He asked in a low voice, "Since the old man has some ability, how should we deal with him? Throw him to Beiliang?"
Xu Weixiong thought for a moment and said, "There's no rush. Wait until you return from Beimang before making a decision. If you personally try to rope him in with just a few words, then Liu Wenbao's temperament, which has been tempered for decades, will climb up to his head again. With your impatient temperament, you won't have the good temper to temper anyone. "
Hsu Fengnian said with an aggrieved expression, "Sister, these words are too unreasonable."
Xu Weixiong changed the topic and looked directly at Hsu Fengnian. "I want someone from you."
Hsu Fengnian was slightly stunned and said, "Say it."
Xu Weixiong smiled playfully, "Yu Xuanji."
Hsu Fengnian frowned, "Yu Youwei's father is a famous scholar from Shangyin Academy, but what use do you have for his daughter?"
Xu Weixiong was as rude and unreasonable as usual, "You're not giving?"
Hsu Fengnian smiled shyly and said, "Can I lend it to you? Remember to return it to me."
Xu Weixiong said without hesitation, "Of course I'm lending it to you. Otherwise, what use do I have for a girl from you? If she's just a courtesan, Yu Youwei, it's a waste of talent. "
Hsu Fengnian was puzzled, "The country is already ruined. Even if it's Yu Xuanji, what can he do in Shangyin Academy?"
Xu Weixiong went straight to the point, "If you want to catch a thousand-year-old tortoise, you have to put in some effort into the bait."
Hsu Fengnian was full of doubts and curiosity. He couldn't help but ask, "Sister, tell me more about it."
Xu Weixiong shook his head and smiled without saying a word.
Hsu Fengnian immediately pulled on Xu Weixiong's sleeve and acted shamelessly. Probably because she couldn't win against His Royal Highness' childishness, Xu Weixiong said something strange, "I've always wanted to play a game of chess with an old senior. It's time to play."
Hsu Fengnian didn't ask any more questions. He knew that no matter how reluctant he was, she would have to leave eventually. He said helplessly, "Sister, why don't I go to the academy to visit you after I go to the East Sea Martial Emperor City?"
Xu Weixiong said flatly, "No."
Hsu Fengnian was about to say something, but she had already made it clear, "There's no room for discussion."
Hsu Fengnian let out a long breath and said softly, "Then you can take this boat. It's more comfortable to travel by water than by land. It'll save you a lot of trouble. I don't need it anyway."
Xu Weixiong didn't hesitate and nodded.
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