Wei Ni

In fact, Yu Song did not have much aversion to Xiahou Hui, who came with the intention of recruiting him.

He just felt that this passive way of acceptance, more or less a form of coercion, made him feel disrespected and uncomfortable.

Apart from this point, to be fair, Xiahou Hui can truly be considered a rare benefactor.

First, Yu Song knows his own business.

After all, his maternal grandfather was Bian Rang.

There was a famous scholar who once gathered a group to criticize the eunuchs' disorderly politics when Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei, had just occupied Yanzhou and even cursed Cao Teng, the Grand Chamberlain of the previous Han Dynasty.

The consequence was that Cao Cao was furious and killed all of Bian Rang's family and everyone who was present at the conversation.

This also induced many bureaucrats such as Chen Gong and Zhang Miao to rebel and secretly welcome Lu Bu into Yanzhou, almost turning Yanzhou into ruins.

But to be honest, Cao Cao's handling of the matter was just a little cruel, but it cannot be said to be a fault.

In a world that values ​​loyalty, righteousness, filial piety and brotherhood, if Cao Cao did not react violently when someone insulted his grandfather, even if Chen Gong and others had not welcomed Lu Bu into Yanzhou, his subordinates would have felt that he was not worthy of assistance and would have abandoned him - how could a person who did nothing even when his father and grandfather were insulted make his subordinates believe that he was a decisive and heroic leader in troubled times?
Yu Song had never thought of avenging his grandfather.

Let me ask you, even if he had such an idea, how could he take revenge?
Could it be that he would rise up in rebellion, raise his arms and bring his father's clan and his wife's clan to the underworld to reunite with his mother's clan, and complete the achievement of "Yi Three Clans"?

It has been some years since Cao Wei replaced the Han Dynasty. After the Battle of Zhuolu, people in the north and the Central Plains all want peace and hate chaos.

Whether you are willing or not, whether you want to let it go or not, if you don't want to be exterminated, some hatred is destined to be forgotten.

Moreover, he had to appear submissive to Cao Wei.

Only by serving the country and placing himself under the supervision of the government could he avoid flatterers in the county where his hometown was located, who would use his identity as an excuse to frame him with crimes such as "harboring resentment because of his ancestors' stories and often making excuses to satirize Wei", and bring punishment to the Yu family.

Living here, for Yu Song, if he could enlist under the command of Xiahou Hui, the son of a heroic figure in Qiaopei, it would naturally be the best choice to avoid being suspected by local officials and being framed by people with ulterior motives.

The Xiahou and Cao families have been married for generations, and they are close friends and as close as one.

The second reason is that all the officials in Luoyang know that being a subordinate of Xiahou Hui will make life very comfortable.

Just look at how he treats his subordinates.

He was able to secure the title of nobility for Ding Mi, who was banned from official career by the emperor's order; when his subordinates, who were no different from servants, were humiliated, he stood up for them despite the risk of damaging his reputation and being criticized by the officials.

Isn't such a protective patron what low-ranking subordinates long for?

In Yu Song's opinion, the reason why Xiahou Hui was so protective of others was that they shared the same suffering. That was because he himself had been caught in the rain, so he did not forget to hold an umbrella for others.

The shameful conclusion of his father Xiahou Yuan as "the general in vain" has not changed to this day~
When his subordinates were treated unfairly, how could Xiahou Hui not feel empathy and fight for them?

Therefore, Yu Song also felt that if he became an official under Xiahou Hui, his future career would not be blocked because of his sensitive identity.

The last reason is that Xiahou Hui will have a smooth road ahead in terms of power and influence in the government, both now and in the future!

There is no need to say more at this point.

The meritorious officials who facilitated Emperor Cao Rui's two reports to the Taimiao must have been favored and promoted.

And later.
In the State of Wei, there was a system for the promotion of the children of Qiao and Pei.

By referring to the career advancement stories of the late Cao Xiu, Cao Zhen and Xiahou Shang, we can roughly conclude how powerful Xiahou Hui would be in the future.

Cao Xiu, Cao Zhen and Xiahou Shang all served as the Central Commander or the Central Guard General, and they were directly appointed to these positions without having made many achievements or having any independent command of troops. They were then sent out to garrison local areas or command the front lines.

In contrast, Xiahou Hui first served in the army outside and then returned to Luoyang to serve in the central army.

Because of his achievements in resisting the bandit Wu in Huainan, defeating the Xianbei outside the Great Wall, and conquering Gongsun in Liaodong, he was granted the title of Central Guard General and concurrently served as the Secretary of the Central Secretariat when he returned to Luoyang. This was under the premise that Emperor Cao Rui transferred the Central Guard General Xiahou Xian to the position of Yin of Henan!
He has no constraints in the Luoyang Central Army system and has the power to appoint officials. He can also participate in the confidential matters of the Secretariat.
Doesn't this mean that he has stood out from the many young men in Qiaopei and has been selected by Emperor Cao Rui to be trained as the contemporary defender of the Cao Wei state?

This is definitely a powerful official in the future~
As the saying goes, when one person attains enlightenment, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

Considering Xiahou Hui's style of protecting his subordinates, and Yu Song now being under his command, will he lack the stage to display his talents in the future?
Therefore, although Yu Song felt a little unhappy because he was being forced into a difficult situation, he had already agreed to it and planned to refuse it when Xiahou Hui formally extended an olive branch.

However, what he did not expect was that after Xiahou Hui talked with Fu Gu for a while, he stood up and said goodbye without looking back.

There was no "eagerness to recruit talented people" drama.

He didn't even leave a polite word of praise for Shumao's extraordinary talent.

This unconventional operation made Yu Song, who stood up to see him off at the door, still confused as he watched Xiahou Hui's back disappear around the corner of the street.

I also fell into deep self-doubt.

Could it be that, as he said, this visit was just a spur of the moment event and he and Fu Gu came together, and not to recruit me?

But if that is the case, how do you explain the confidential matter he just discussed with Fu Gu?
It is impossible to say that a general who led the troops to defeat Gongsun of Liaodong is such a person who speaks without restraint, right?
Or maybe, when he asked me about my opinion just now, my answer was so perfunctory that he felt that he was not talented enough or was unwilling to help, so he didn't want to waste his breath?

That should be the case.

For a moment, although Yu Song appeared calm on the surface, he became anxious in his heart.

He secretly blamed himself for being too perfunctory, which made Xiahou Hui feel that he was rejecting him.

However, he reacted quickly.

Xiahou Hui left very decisively, but Fu Gu stayed.

He was still sitting upright, drinking his warm wine, his expression unchanged.

It was obvious that he must have something to say to him alone.

It's just that you two have just discussed such matters as the long-standing malpractices in the imperial court without any reservations. What else does Xiahou Hui have to say that requires him to leave the table and let Fu Gu speak instead?

Yu Song did not ask directly. Instead, he sat down calmly, rubbing his soft beard with his hands, and quietly waited for Fu Gu to take the lead in clarifying the matter.

He was not eager to know the answer.

Don't be in a hurry.

So as to avoid being passive and being seen as a busybody.

Sure enough, seeing his expression, Fu Gu did not hide anything and asked directly.

"With Shumao's wisdom, he should know that this visit of mine and General Xiahou is definitely not just a casual chat, right? Well, General Xiahou has now been transferred to the post of Central Guardian Army by the imperial court, and posts such as Sima and Zhonglang are all transferred from the subordinates of Zhenhu General. However, I, who was previously Zhonglang, was transferred to Shangshulang a year ago. General Xiahou intends to appoint Shumao to succeed him. I wonder what Shumao thinks?"

Work as a Zhonglang?

Upon hearing this, Yu Song's hand, which was rubbing his beard, paused slightly.

Not only did he know that this position was the highest one Xiahou Hui could recommend on his own, but he also had a good example before him.
You know, Fu Gu was just one of the twenty-nine officials in the Sikong Office before, but after he went to Liaodong with Xiahou Hui as a Zhonglang, he became a Shangshulang when he returned!
Although participating in the expedition to Liaodong was a military achievement and Fu Gu had family background and favor, so he was promoted after one year in office, but everyone knew that the biggest reason was that he followed Xiahou Hui, so he caught the eye of Emperor Cao Rui and was loved by him.

Not to mention the distant past, how many people such as Sima, Zhonglang and Junhou were transferred when Qin Lang followed him to the north to fight against the Xianbei? Not even one person was promoted to the position of assistant to the Shangshutai!

The most important thing is that Fu Gu can be promoted after one year in office, and Yu Song doesn't mind waiting for two or three years, or even four or five years!
But why didn't Xiahou Hui ask this question himself?
Recruiting him with this official position shows full sincerity and great respect!
Yu Song was still confused, but he didn't think too much about it. Just as he was about to respond, Fu Gu spoke first.

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"Shumao, don't be in a hurry to answer me."

He raised his hand and gently pressed it down, then asked again with a smile, "General Xiahou wanted to recommend Shumao, but he asked me to speak up. I'm sure Shumao must be quite confused, right?"

That's natural!

He secretly said this in his heart, and Yu Song raised his wine cup with a smile to invite him to speak, "I'd like to hear the details."

"cough!"

Fu Gu accepted the invitation and drank it all in one gulp, then coughed lightly to clear his throat, and then explained in detail.

"There's no special reason. General Xiahou thinks Shumao is very likely to refuse, so he asked me to speak out. If Shumao doesn't want to, I will be his lobbyist and try to win him over. Shumao might be wondering why General Xiahou thinks he's been rejected, right?"

“There are three reasons for this.”

"First, regardless of whether General Xiahou recommends him or not, Shumao will be transferred. The general's uncle, Wang Jijiu, learned about this by chance from what the Minister of Personnel, Lu Zijia, said. Although we don't know what position he will be promoted to, his duties will definitely be more prestigious than those of a Zhonglang. Shumao knows this. The army is poor and the affairs are complicated, so the general specifically asked me to tell Shumao about this before he decides whether to accept it. This is because I don't want to deceive Shumao, and it is also for the sake of getting along well in the future."

Will I be promoted?
Since it was said by the Minister of Personnel Lu Yu himself, it cannot be wrong.

This news surprised Yu Song a little and made him happy.

It was a feeling of joy that all the hard work I had done since I started working was finally recognized.

After the joy, his heart was filled with emotion.

Xiahou Hui asked Fu Gu to mention this matter specifically to give himself another option, which was enough to prove that he acted upright and honestly.

"The general treated me with sincerity, which really touched me!"

He couldn't help but bow solemnly towards the door and greeted from afar.

This is the effect you want!
Sure enough, treating others with sincerity is the best rhetoric for lobbyists~
Fu Gu's smile deepened, and he continued, "Secondly, the general knows that his reputation in the court is not good. For example, he roared and lost his manners in the court in his early years, and the officials often said that the general acted rashly and had a strong character. With Shumao's indifferent character, he may not like to serve as an official."

"Lan Shi is wrong."

Yu Song laughed and refuted, "As Lan Shi said, General Xiahou acted out of public interest, so how can he have a bad reputation? If it is a reference to the incident the other day when he made things difficult for Shangshu Lang Shi Linbo, then there is nothing wrong with what the general did. All the soldiers are brave men, how can they tolerate provocation from others?"

He paused, turned his head slightly, looked at Fu Gu with a half-smile, and said softly, "Lan Shi, you and I are quite familiar with each other, and I admire General Xiahou's actions and achievements."

Uh, okay.

He is indeed worthy of his reputation as a man of talent.

At this moment, I have realized that the first two things Fu Gu said were not bad things about Xia Houhui.
It was clear that he was detailing the bargaining chips to persuade him to accept the nomination!
"Ha, Shumao is really smart!"

Fu Gu, who was exposed, immediately clapped his hands and praised, quietly covering up the embarrassment at the table.

He also sat up straight, put away his smile and said solemnly, "Shumao still remembers the casual conversation between the general and I just now? To be honest, the general will mention these things in the court in the future, and it is inevitable that he will be questioned. Therefore, if Shumao is appointed as the Zhonglang of the Central Guard, he will be implicated and will have a long way to go. This is why the general hesitated. Although he appreciates Shumao's talent, he cannot invite Shumao in person."

That's it!

Xiahou Hui is testing me to see if I dare to face the challenge.
However, it is a good idea to speak out in advance.

Yu Song's face showed a look of realization.

Without waiting for him to say anything, Fu Gu reiterated, "Shumao, don't be embarrassed. If you don't want to accept the recommendation, just say it directly. The general will not mind. The general knows that Shumao will be promoted soon, and he still came to visit me today just to give it a try. He is looking for like-minded people with sincerity and has no intention of forcing me. If Shumao is afraid of the general's power and submits to you, it will be difficult for us to be of the same mind in the future. This will only make both sides lose out."

Will you submit to him?

Taking up the post of Zhonglang is not a humiliation for me.

To put it another way, even if it means I have to accept it.

It is true that I have been recognized by the Minister of Personnel Lu Yu and am about to be promoted, but what can this change?

My future career will inevitably be restricted by my background.

If I want to erase the stigma of grievances of my ancestors and completely eliminate hidden dangers in my family, the only way I can have hope is to follow Xiahou Hui, a young man from Qiaopei!

As for what Xiahou Hui wants to do in the future, will it implicate him?
Before the hidden disaster happened, it was nothing worth mentioning, alas!

Yu Song sighed quietly in his heart. As soon as Fu Gu finished speaking, he stood up without hesitation, bowed his hands and said loudly, "Lan Shi's kindness is deeply appreciated. Please also ask Lan Shi to tell General Xiahou that I am not very talented and learned, but I am appreciated by the general and I dare not refuse his orders!" (End of this chapter)