After receiving the inspection assignment, Liu Ye and Guanqiu Jian slowly left the study.
The emperor's orders always come so quickly, leaving no chance for people to react.
After the two walked several feet away, Guanqiu Jian bowed to Liu Ye and said goodbye: "Mr. Liu, I will take my leave first. If you have any instructions for me, please send someone to find me at any time."
Liu Ye stood still with his hands behind his back and looked at Guanqiu Jian: "Zhonggong, do you have anything to do today? Why don't you come to my house tonight to have dinner together? It's a good opportunity to talk about the job you got today."
Although I had received Dianman's invitation before, I still had to prioritize things like treating people to a meal.
With the emperor's order in hand and a tour imminent, it is indeed more important to reach a consensus with Liu Ye.
Guanqiu Jian bowed and said, "How dare I disobey Lord Liu's request?"
Liu Ye nodded in satisfaction.
……
Although Guanqiu Jian was a 2,000-stone official, it was just an insignificant official position compared to Beigong.
Guanqiu Jian was able to walk to the south gate of the North Palace, but his servants and carriages had to wait one street away.
After walking out of Beigong and crossing another street, Guanqiu Jian called his servant Xu San over.
"Master, what do you want me to do?" Xu San asked respectfully.
Guanqiu Jian glanced around and said, "I have two things to tell you."
"Go to the Director of Works first to find my father and tell him that I have something to do this afternoon and ask him not to go out."
Seeing Xu San taking notes seriously, Guanqiu Jian said, "After leaving the Ministry of Works, go home and ask your wife to prepare a gift, then go to the home of Tiger Guard Commander Dian Man and tell him that I have an important matter and cannot go because of the emperor's order."
Xu San asked in confusion: "How much gift should we prepare? Where does Captain Dian live?"
Guanqiu Jian rolled his eyes at Xu San and said, "Tell your wife to prepare according to the usual etiquette for a 2,000-stone official. Besides, if you don't know, how could I know? Go ask someone!"
Xu San scratched his head and said, "I understand. Master, please slow down."
Guanqiu Jian did not take the carriage, but instead took a prepared horse from the side and went directly to the camp of the five colonels.
……
The sky gradually darkened in the evening. Guanqiu Jian was sitting in a carriage, driving towards the home of Liu Ye, Marquis of Dongting.
The carriage also carried two pieces of Shu brocade. According to common sense, two pieces were not much. But now the imperial court has been engaged in military operations for many years. If we calculate carefully, the salaries of officials are only about 30% of those in the former Han Dynasty.
Of course, Guanqiu Jian and Liu Ye were both from marquis families, and as close confidants of the emperor they received many rewards, so neither of them really relied on salary to live.
Just two pieces of Shu brocade, which was a rare item in Luoyang. The brocade produced in Chenliu County was the one that was really used in large quantities by the rich and powerful, and this little thing was just a small gift.
When Guanqiu Jian was in the East Palace in Luoyang, his father Guanqiu Xing was still an official in Liangzhou. Therefore, Guanqiu Jian started living alone in Luoyang very early. Even when Guanqiu Xing returned to Luoyang to take up a post a few years ago, Guanqiu Jian lived separately from his family.
In the afternoon, Guanqiu Jian went to consult his father on how to deal with Liu Ye and how to complete the task.
Guanqiu Xing was the governor of Liangzhou in the past. When Liangzhou suppressed the rebellion in the early Huangchu period, his contribution was almost second only to Su Ze. This man was also full of insight and courage.
After listening to his son's story from beginning to end, Guanqiu Xing gave two suggestions.
First, he only discussed official business with Liu Ye and tried to avoid personal friendship. After all, Liu Ye was just an old minister of the previous dynasty, while Guanqiu Jian was an old friend of the emperor in the East Palace, so there was no need for any personal connection between them.
Second, watch more, listen more, and talk less. No matter how smart Guanqiu Jian was, could he be better than Liu Ye in judging people and things? As the emperor's envoy on this northern tour, Liu Ye was the emperor's eyes, and Guanqiu Jian was the one who was responsible for recording everything he saw.
While Guanqiu Jian was thinking about these words, the carriage gradually arrived at the gate of Liu Ye's mansion.
Liu Ye was a 2,000-stone official, and Guanqiu Jian was also a 2,000-stone official. Although their ranks were different, Liu Ye still went out to greet them in person.
The two walked into the hall, where there were three tables and a young man in his twenties was standing there to greet them.
Liu Ye smiled and introduced: "Zhong Gong, this is my second son Liu Tao, Liu Jiye, now a doctor in the Third Office."
Being a Langzhong in the Three Offices actually means being a reserve official, and the salary of a Langzhong is only three hundred stones.
Liu Tao bowed and said, "I am Liu Tao, nice to meet you, Brother Zhong Gong."
Guanqiu Jian also returned the greeting and asked, "Is Ji Ye now a doctor in the Third Office? I wonder if he belongs to the Left, Right, or Five Officials Office?"
Liu Tao was not as tall as his father Liu Ye. His face was rounder and his facial features were less sharp than Liu Ye's. He smiled and said, "Brother Zhonggong, you don't know that last month, His Majesty changed the three Zhonglang Jiangs of the Left, Right and Five Officials to Guanglu Dafu. Now there is no distinction anymore. They are all collectively referred to as the three offices."
Liu Ye said, "Today, your majesty has ordered me to become the Grand Master of Imperial Households."
Guanqiu Jian laughed and said, "Mr. Liu is an inner minister, how can he be the same as an outer minister?"
This simple compliment was quite suitable for Liu Ye. With Liu Ye's intelligence, he had already guessed it. The emperor had transferred him from the position of Shizhong, and he might be appointed to a prefecture in the future. But it was just a guess after all. It was unclear what would happen in the court after he was away for a year.
Liu Ye said: "Zhong Gong, please take your seat!"
Several people took their seats. Liu Ye and Guanqiu Jian sat opposite each other, while Liu Tao sat behind his father.
After three rounds of drinking, Guanqiu Jian took the initiative to ask: "I will go on a tour to the north with Liu Gong, but I don't know much about the border situation of Youzhou and Bingzhou. I hope Liu Gong can help me solve my doubts."
In this information-blocked age, if you want to know something, you have to find the right person to ask. Liu Ye has been in the palace for a long time, and the information he knows is second only to the two secretaries.
Liu Ye took another sip before putting down the wine jar. "Youzhou and Bingzhou? There are many ministers in the court who know about border affairs, but most of them are concerned about Wu and Shu. There are not many who know about Youzhou, Bingzhou, and Liangzhou. Zhonggong asked the right person."
Guanqiu Jian said: "Please start with the Xianbei and Wuhuan."
"Let's talk about Wuhuan first." Liu Ye said, "In the 12th year of Jian'an, Emperor Wu led his army out of Liucheng to attack Wuhuan. Zhonggong knows about this, right?"
Guanqiu Jian nodded and said, "Of course I know. Wasn't the Wuhuan Chanyu Tadun killed in battle? Since then, the Wuhuan in the three counties have been pacified."
Liu Ye counted on his fingers and said, "Liaodong, Liaoxi, and Youbeiping. As Emperor Wu returned, the Wuhuan people in these three counties gradually moved inland over the past few years, and most of them lived between Dai County and Youbeiping."
"And Yuyang and Shanggu?"
"That's right." Liu Ye said, "Compared to Wuhuan, Xianbei is more complicated to explain."
"Your Majesty is very concerned about the affairs of Liangzhou this year. Several decades ago, there was a man called Zhang Huan in Liangzhou."
Guanqiu Jian asked, "Is it Zhang Huan who made great contributions in pacifying the Qiang and then applied to move his native place from Dunhuang to Hongnong?"
Liu Ye said, "It was him. When Zhang Huan was stationed in the northern border in his early years, the Southern Xiongnu and Wuhuan surrendered because they feared his name, but the Xianbei refused to surrender."
Seeing that Guanqiu Jian seemed to be thinking about something, Liu Ye continued, "Later, there was a Xianbei man named Tan Shihuai who unified the Xianbei tribes and often invaded. Around the time of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Tan Shihuai died, and the Xianbei tribes were in chaos for decades."
Guanqiu Jian asked: "Just because a leader died, the country was in chaos for decades?"
Liu Ye sneered and said, "What knowledge can a barbarian have? It is already a blessing from heaven to give birth to a person like Tan Shihuai."
"They are barbarians, and they keep killing each other for some water, grass, cattle and sheep. This is the normal state of the grassland."
Guanqiu Jian nodded and said, "I understand. The Xiongnu and Wuhuan are submissive, so we need to be wary of the Xianbei, especially to prevent the rise of a figure like Tan Shihuai from among the Xianbei."
Liu Ye glanced at Guanqiu Jian and said, "Zhong Gong is right. The Xianbei are now divided into three tribes. The leader of the largest tribe is called Kebi Neng, and the two tribes that are close to Wei are called Budugen and Suli, who are located in Bingzhou and Youzhou respectively."
"Now, the Wuhuan Protectorate Captains Tian Yu and Tian Guorang are in charge of both Wuhuan and Xianbei affairs."
Guanqiu Jian picked up the wine jar and said, "If it weren't for Mr. Liu's guidance, I really wouldn't have known this."
Liu Ye accepted the toast and said with a smile: "Zhong Gong asked me a lot of questions, so I will ask Zhong Gong a few questions as well."
"Your Majesty, you asked me to go from Pingyang to Liaoxi, and then to Lelang and Daifang counties in Liaodong. What exactly do you want us to see?"
Guanqiu Jian thought for a moment and said, "I guess Your Majesty wants us to look at the people's livelihood in the border areas, the military preparations of the border counties, and the situation of the foreign enemies?"
Liu Ye asked: "That's all?"
Guanqiu Jian thought for a few more moments and asked, "What about taxes?"
Liu Ye laughed loudly: "Zhong Gong, today I will teach you how to understand the emperor's will."
Guanqiu Jian knew Liu Ye's wisdom, so he bowed his hands respectfully and said, "Please help me solve my doubts, Mr. Liu."
"You have to figure it out yourself after all." Liu Ye said, "Where is the root of all the affairs of the court today? It is not in Youzhou, Bingzhou, or Liaodong, but in Wu and Shu."
"You and Bing are very far away from Wu and Shu, and it is difficult to supply the state with taxes and food."
"What your majesty really wants us to find out is whether there will be a rebellion! Will the border counties of Youzhou and Bingzhou rebel? Will the Xianbei and Wuhuan cause chaos? Will Gongsun Gong rebel in Liaodong?"
Guanqiu Jian hesitated for a few moments and said, "Only this one?"
Liu Ye nodded: "Only this one!"
Guanqiu Jian was stunned for a moment, then stood up and bowed to Liu Ye: "Mr. Liu's guidance is like clearing the clouds and seeing the sun!"
Liu Ye also drank a little too much. He looked at Guanqiu Jian with a smile, and pointed at Liu Tao beside him: "Zhonggong is naturally smart, but my Ji Ye is far inferior to Zhonggong!"
"Whether it's palace affairs or court affairs, there must be a most critical core matter. If you do it well, your majesty will definitely be satisfied."
Guanqiu Jian nodded, but he was thinking about it unconsciously in his heart.
Your Majesty sent the two of us north. Is it true that Liu Ye and I have the same mission? (End of this chapter)
