Chapter 62 of Volume 1: Words to the Governor

  Shortly afterwards, Governor Liu Gan walked slowly into the hall.

  Zu Zhao stood up to greet him. Liu Gan was a member of the imperial family, over forty years old, and had a lot of refinement. As for Zu Zhao's reputation, Governor Liu had long since heard it, so he didn't show any official tone, but instead was very harmonious. After a round of polite small talk, Liu Gan asked Zu Zhao to take a seat, and ordered the nearby servants to change cups and tea.

  "Zu Zhaoyou is only sixteen years old, a time for studying and learning, yet he already has a reputation in the county. Truly a rare and precious talent." Liu Gan stroked his beard with a smile.

  "Your Excellency is overpraising me. I am but a humble person with no merits or abilities, merely some empty fame that doesn't amount to anything." Zu Zhao replied with a bow.

  "Haha, you're too modest. Defeating the bandits, rescuing the innocent, crossing counties to pursue the enemy, and beheading over a dozen foes - is this not a reputation that's well-deserved? Liu Gan said with great eloquence, showcasing his rich literary foundation. This time, the county has recommended you for the current year's Imperial Examination, but I don't know how to fill out the application form - should it be under the category of 'Ming Shu Fang Zheng' or 'Zhao Fang Zheng'? With your youthful bravery and heroic deeds, even if the county doesn't recommend you, the prefecture will still consider nominating you for the 'Fang Zheng' category."

  "I am grateful for your kindness, sir, but I am still young and do not dare to be presumptuous. Moreover, I have some understanding of arithmetic methods, as the saying goes, 'those who labor with their minds govern others, while those who labor with their strength are controlled by others.' I am not opposed to the customs of the northern regions, but my family has high expectations for me, and I also hope to achieve more. " Zu Zhao spoke out the excuse he had thought of long ago. Although this excuse was somewhat forced, it could express his own intentions. With Liu Taishou's gentlemanly demeanor, he would not force others to do something difficult."

  "A good sentence, those who labor with their minds govern others, while those who labor with their strength are governed by others. Haha, since you've already made up your mind, I won't ask any more questions. It's also true that this year, the people recommended by each county are mostly from the category of brave and upright, each with their own unique talents, and they should all be given a chance to speak." Liu Gan nodded slowly, his smile unwavering as he spoke.

  Zu Zhao had heard earlier that Liu Gan, the governor of Youbei Ping Prefecture, was good at showing respect to talented individuals and being approachable to ordinary people. He was a man with great refinement and moral integrity, but he was not skilled in governance. Because he was too easy-going, his management style was also very casual, resulting in a mix of good and bad officials in the prefecture, with some sycophants among them. In the case of the horse robbery reported by Xu Wuxian earlier, Liu Gan clearly knew about it but did not take it seriously, as evidenced by the fact that he did not pay attention to it even when it became a big deal later on.

  "Yesterday evening, I just met the two talented individuals, Wu Zhong and Guang Cheng, who were recommended by the two counties. Both of them are brave and ambitious officials, not only renowned in their counties but also impressive to me. Later tonight, I will introduce you to them, as they are both exceptional talents in our province. In the future, we can work together to serve the great Han dynasty with loyalty and dedication." Liu Gan paused for a moment before switching to another topic, speaking with sincerity.

  Zu Zhao listened to Liu Taishou say this, and it seemed as if he had already confirmed that he would pass the examination and soon take office.

  "Your Excellency's intention is beautiful, and I am worried in my heart. If this time there is really a place for me to use my skills, I will not disappoint Your Excellency's trust, and I will do my best to contribute my humble efforts." He bowed again and continued along with Governor Liu's words. Although this assessment was not a big deal for him, he still had to make some progress if there was an opportunity.

  "With such thoughts from you, I am greatly comforted." Liu Taishou said with a smile.

  "I dare to be presumptuous, last month the bandit trouble in Zhixian County was a matter that I still need to ask for your guidance on how to handle it, Your Excellency?" Since Liu Taishou was an easy-going person and didn't count as a violent and unreasonable one after all, Zu Zhao straightforwardly put on a serious attitude and asked directly.

  Liu Taishou was originally delighted, but upon hearing this, his face suddenly changed. He thought for a long time, hesitated for a moment, and only reacted after a while. Although he felt very surprised, he didn't have any intention of blaming.

  "Isn't the bandit problem already settled by the ancestral family's heroic efforts? Why do we need to take further action? This matter has been truthfully reported to His Excellency, and the ancestral family's meritorious deeds have been fully described. There is no need to worry about being rewarded." Governor Liu mistakenly thought that Zu Zhao was emphasizing his family's achievements, so he intentionally used a somewhat sarcastic tone in the second half of the sentence.

  "Your Excellency has misunderstood, I am not concerned with the reward. Since it is a righteous act, it should be a matter of course, why should there be a reward? The reason I mentioned this matter is that I believe there are hidden circumstances behind it. This time, the banditry has many suspicious aspects, if we do not take precautions, I fear there will be endless troubles." Zu Zhao said with an extremely serious attitude, without a single thread out of place.

  However, the memorial presented by Xu Wuxian and the official letter from the governor of Liaoxi did not show much suspicion. Although County Magistrate Chen said that this was a premeditated collusion with the Hu people to invade the border, in fact, the Hu bandits frequently invaded the border areas, which was a common occurrence. The suffering of the people had brewed this incident, and it was really frustrating, but wasn't it the case that every year when winter came, there would be such gatherings and disturbances? Liu Taishou said with a puzzled expression.

  Zu Zhao had already determined that this Liu Taishou was indeed a very unwise person, to put it simply, he was high up in the temple but unaware of the dangers lurking among the people, just like Emperor Huai of Jin who asked "Why not eat meat porridge?" He couldn't help but feel a little worried, if those around him were all such people, then wouldn't his own hard work in killing bandits be unable to rouse the official household's vigilant heart?

  "Your Excellency, in recent years, there have been bandits and thieves every winter, with each year being more severe than the last. Although this time it's just a ordinary riot, considering the livelihood of the people throughout the country, we must also take precautions. Many of the local bandits can be pacified, but the external Hu bandits are always on the lookout. Why not use this opportunity to eliminate the bandits and encourage each county to actively organize the militia to train and defend together, preventing problems before they arise?" Zu Zhaosheng suggested straightforwardly.

  "Zu Zhao, are you saying that Hu Zei will strike again at any moment?" Liu Taishou asked intently.

  "The young master is indeed right." Zu Zhao nodded and said.

  "If it's just a small band of barbarian thieves, the county governments along the border should be able to handle it; if it's a large-scale invasion by the barbarians, I'm afraid we'll have to request assistance from the imperial army. The barbarians causing trouble on the border is not a new thing, in the past few years the court has also sent generals to the various states and counties along the border to lead troops to attack the barbarians. There are precedents and preparations, this official really doesn't know what you have to worry about, Zu Zhao." Liu Taishou said matter-of-factly, although his face had a few hints of worry, but he didn't feel as anxious as Zu Zhao.

  He still thought that Zu Chao was young and would inevitably be a bit proud after twice breaking the thieves, so he would always think that some things were exaggerated. Fortunately, his temperament was gentle and did not mind such "self-righteousness", but instead thought that he should patiently persuade and correct Zu Chao's thoughts.

  "Your Excellency, in the past when the imperial court issued an edict to punish and attack the border-troubling barbarian bandits, it was already at a point where the barbarian bandits were running amok and could not be stopped. The counties suffered from plundering, and the people suffered from punishment. The government troops dispatched by the imperial court also need to be supplied locally, which will only make the counties that have been attacked even more miserable. Rather than waiting for a painful experience, why not prevent it before it happens?" Zu Zhao said with a hint of emotion.

  Liu Taishou sank into thought for a moment. Although he was mediocre and unaccomplished, he wasn't completely devoid of reason. Zu Chao's words were both emotional and rational, so it was only natural that he would be moved by them.

  "So," Prefect Liu said after a long while, "you mean to keep all counties on full alert throughout the year?"

  "It's not about defense, but rather training strong soldiers. In peacetime, they farm, and when bandits come to attack, they unite to resist the enemy together." Zu Zhao briefly summarized, knowing that Liu Taishou didn't want to do something against the rules, especially secretly training troops, so he shifted the focus of this matter.