Standalone Northern and Southern Dynasties

Chapter 53 Friendship
After hearing this, Su Ze was also somewhat moved.

Gao Huan propped himself up on the bed and said, "That clerk Zhang didn't sell it, but he insulted me as a 'Hu' in public and whipped me in public in Sitong City! This revenge must be avenged!"

Liu Gui said, "He Liuhun, don't be impulsive. The clerk of the Taiwei Mansion is a sixth-rank official. Anyone who can serve in the Taiwei Mansion must be a child of a big family. You can't afford to offend him!"

After hearing what Liu Gui said, Gao Huan's momentum that had just been built up also dissipated.

In terms of identity, Gao Huan was just a messenger delivering letters to the border town of Huaishuo. A messenger was just a military dispatch and was not even considered an official. He could not be compared with a high-ranking eunuch at all.

Not to mention that Zhang Lingshi whipped him in public, even if Zhang Lingshi executed Gao Huan, the Huaishuo Town commander would never dare to cause trouble for Zhang Lingshi.

From this we can also see the cruelty of this world. The Northern Wei Dynasty inherited the customs of the Wei and Jin Dynasties and was very tolerant of the children of aristocratic families. Not only did it allow them to keep a large number of slaves, but the officials also had great power.

There were even provisions for officials who committed crimes to be "exempted from punishment", that is, to use official positions and titles to atone for their crimes.

If an important official committed a crime, the emperor would have to "discuss the crime".

This kind of oppression by the powerful is not limited to the lower classes, even ordinary people with poor families suffer from their oppression.

Su Ze thought of his father's experience when he heard about Gao Huan's experience.

At that time, Su Ze's father was a Yulin Lang. Because of an armed fight in the army, he was falsely accused of hoarding armor. He was arrested by Weiwei Qing Hou Gang and taken to the Weiwei Mansion for torture. He was finally tortured to death.

As for Hou Gang, the Minister of the Imperial Guard who tortured Su Ze's father to death, Empress Dowager Hu summoned ministers to discuss his crime, but in the end he was simply dismissed from office.

Not long ago, Hou Gang was reinstated and was appointed as the Secretary of Zang Office in charge of the armory. A few days ago, Su Ze heard news in the army that Hou Gang was going to be the Governor of Henan.

The officials in the court simply treated ordinary people as sheep. No wonder once the Six Garrisons were in chaos, the entire Northern Wei Dynasty was in flames.

The inn waiter brought the "blind pharmacist" back to the inn. Although the pharmacist could not see, he could distinguish the herbs by smell. He mixed some herbs with his hands and asked the waiter to grind them into powder. He also helped Gao Huan clean the wound and sprinkled the powder on the wound.

"Master, change the dressing every three days, clean the wound every day, and the scar will heal after three dressing changes."

Su Ze said directly: "You stay and take care of Brother Gao, and the store owner will open a room for me next door."

Gao Huan was deeply moved when he heard Su Ze say this, and Liu Gui's expression when he looked at Su Ze also changed.

If Su Ze was able to make friends with Gao Huan because of his historical reputation in the beginning, now he really regards Gao Huan as a friend worth making.

As for whether the two can continue to be friends in the future, that is not something Su Ze needs to consider now.

Since we are in this fucked up world, we must live well!

The powder of [The Blind Pharmacist] was indeed effective. Gao Huan felt that his buttocks felt cooler and no longer as swollen and painful as before.

Su Ze added: "Brother Gao, take good care of your injuries here, and leave the rest to me."

Liu Gui also said: "He Liuhun, just listen to Brother Su. Don't cause any more trouble these days. If you get hurt in the future, how can you ride a horse?"

When Gao Huan heard about riding a horse, he immediately lay down quietly. He was chosen as the messenger because of his excellent riding skills. If he couldn't ride a horse, he would only be an ordinary team leader when he returned to Huaishuo, and how could he travel to the prosperous Luoyang city.

Liu Gui suddenly said, "I will go to Xiurong in a few days." Su Ze reacted the fastest and said, "Congratulations, Brother Liu, you have finally got your wish and entered the official career!"

Liu Gui did not have a proud look on his face. Instead, he said somewhat unconfidently, "It was Brother Su who reminded me. The clan recommended me to General Erzhu. General Erzhu was eager to recruit talented people and immediately recruited me as a cavalry soldier."

Gao Huan looked at Liu Gui and asked, "What rank does a cavalry soldier have? Is it a high rank?"

Su Ze blurted out, "The cavalry soldiers are appointed by the duke's and general's offices, from the sixth rank to the eighth rank. The Erzhu clan leader is a guerrilla general. Although he can also open a military office, it is the lowest level military office. Brother Liu should be from the eighth rank."

Gao Huan was a little disappointed after hearing this and said, "That's still not as high-ranking as the Lingshi of the Taiwei Mansion."

Liu Gui laughed and said, "Those who can serve as the clerks of the Taiwei Mansion are all from high-ranking families with the surname Jia. That clerk Zhang should be from the Qinghe Zhang family. Officials serving outside the capital are three ranks lower than those serving in the capital. I, a cavalry adviser, am not even as good as an official serving outside the capital in Luoyang."

In any dynasty, the closer to the center of power, the more important it is. Military officials outside Luoyang who are transferred back to Luoyang must be given a lower rank. This is also the reason why children of large families are unwilling to serve outside the city.

Liu Gui said nonchalantly: "Brother Su is right. With my family background, I can't achieve much if I stay in the Divine Capital. It's better to go to the North. Maybe there will be a chance to make achievements."

Su Ze nodded secretly. A family like Liu Gui must have some channels of information.

What is the situation in the six northern towns? Even those with little knowledge can see the crisis.

The Xiurong area where Erzhu Rong was located was a strategic location connecting the north and the capital area. Over the years, Erzhu Rong had obtained many tax benefits by relying on his close relationship with the royal family. During the reign of the previous emperor, the Xiurong area was even exempted from taxes, making the Erzhu family "rich and wealthy."

The Erzhu clan's growing military power further strengthened Liu Gui's determination to enter officialdom.

Just as Su Ze said, the world is about to be in chaos, and by that time the local military leaders who control the armed forces will be more honorable than the officials in Luoyang who are good at writing.

This is how Liu Gui's ancestors, the Zhao Han Liu family, rose to power. It was also because the Eight Kings Rebellion in the Western Jin Dynasty led to the decline of the central power that Liu Gui's ancestor Liu Yuan took advantage of the situation and established the Zhao Han regime.

At this time Gao Huan suddenly shouted:

"I want to go back to the North, too!"

Gao Huan covered his buttocks and said, "A good man should make achievements on the frontier! What's the point of serving these insects in Luoyang!"

But his movements were too big and he accidentally used force with his hips, hitting the wound again, and Gao Huan let out another ghost-like howl.

Seeing Gao Huan like this, Su Ze and Liu Gui looked at each other and laughed.

Liu Gui said to Su Ze again:

"Brother Su, as you said, Luoyang is no longer a place to build a career. With your talent, you can do a lot outside. If you can get the favor of King Qinghe, you can also seek a military post outside."

Liu Gui added: "If I can gain a foothold with General Erzhu, I will definitely recommend you two brothers!"

Hearing Liu Gui's words, Su Ze also felt warm in his heart. His original utilitarian thoughts about making friends with Liu Gui and Gao Huan disappeared, and now only the friendship between like-minded young people remained.

(End of this chapter)