Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Chapter 60: Going East (Seeking Follow-up Reading)

Seeing Jiang Wei's hesitation, Shangguan Qi also sighed: "People in the Central Plains, how can they care about people like us from the border counties!"

"Don't even mention that we originally belonged to Tianshui County in Liangzhou. Even Zhang Ji, the Lord of Zuofengyi, who was so meritorious, was only a governor of Liangzhou until his death! How could the high officials in Luoyang have positions comparable to those of us from Yongliang Border County?"

"This time, we have opened up a quota for admission to the Imperial College. This is an unusually good policy!"

Jiang Wei was silent for a moment. Born in the Jiang family of Ji County, Jiang Wei had studied classics since he was young. Since he was seventeen or eighteen years old, few Confucian scholars in the county could compare with Jiang Wei.

It is common sense that there are few scholars in border counties. When Jiang Wei was young, he often thought that if he could be born in a peaceful era a few decades earlier, he could meet great scholars such as Ma Riti, Zheng Xuan, and Lu Zhi in the Central Plains, and he would definitely be able to learn the true classics.

However, since his father Jiang Jiong died in the Qiang Rebellion, Jiang Wei's desire to study was temporarily extinguished. Instead, he sought fame in the county and even secretly cultivated dozens of confidants to serve as his wings. In troubled times, one must be prepared.

And now, he actually had the opportunity to enter Luoyang Imperial College? Jiang Wei was 24 years old at this time, and he was born into a prominent family in the county and was currently working in the county. He must have a place in the Imperial College this time.

Jiang Wei looked at Shangguan Qi and said, "Zixiu, this matter is extremely important to me. I will not thank you for our friendship. I need to return to the governor's office immediately. Please help me take care of the horse farm."

Shangguan Qi nodded and agreed: "Boyue, with your intelligence, you should go to Luoyang to display your talents. Why do you have to inspect a horse farm in Ji County?"

Jiang Wei did not hesitate. He bowed, walked to his white horse, mounted it, and galloped straight towards Ji County.

……

Tianshui County, Ji County, inside the prefect's office.

When Jiang Wei returned to the county, it was not yet noon.

When the governor Ma Zun saw Jiang Wei coming, he was quite surprised: "Bo Yue, didn't you go to the horse farm to inspect the military supplies today? How come you are back so quickly?"

Jiang Wei bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I heard that an official document from Luoyang has arrived here, saying that the emperor has rebuilt the Imperial College. May I ask if Your Majesty has this information?"

Ma Zun's face immediately turned cold when he heard Jiang Wei's words. Ma Zun was from Xiangyang, Jingzhou. He was sent to Tianshui by the Luoyang court after Cao Wei pacified Liangzhou.

Although Tianshui belongs to Yongzhou together with the Sanfu area, it was once a county of Liangzhou. In the eyes of Ma Zun, a native of Xiangyang, Tianshui is a remote county.

It should be noted that Liangzhou had always been plagued by wars, and the only people who maintained order in various places were the local aristocratic families. For example, in Tianshui County, all matters, big or small, had always been controlled by the four families of Jiang, Yan, Ren, and Zhao.

The people of these four big families have always kept a respectful distance from this prefect from Jingzhou. In short, you, Ma Zun, should do your job as prefect well, and the big and small affairs of the county should be handled by us four families.

When Ma Zun first came to Liangzhou, he wanted to fight for power with the locals. But the cruel reality soon made Ma Zun sober up: the county's taxes were paid by the four surnames, most of the county's officials were from the four surnames, and even the county soldiers were inextricably linked to the four surnames.

A mere official wants to be in charge?

And this is why Ma Zun looked unhappy at the moment. He had only read the document from Luoyang a quarter of an hour ago.

Jiang Wei had gone to the horse ranch outside the city early this morning. It would take at least an hour to go back and forth from the city to the horse ranch. How did Jiang Wei know about this? Obviously, an official in the county must have sent someone to inform Jiang Wei as soon as he received the official document!

But Ma Zun couldn't get angry. When he first came to Tianshui, he failed in his struggle for power, and he only thought about being transferred back to the Central Plains by the court one day. He was used to being weak, and now that he found the officials cunning, he just didn't bother to care.

Ma Zun glanced at Jiang Wei and saw that Jiang Wei's posture of saluting was quite respectful, which somewhat comforted Ma Zun's hurt heart.

Seeing Jiang Wei asking the question, Ma Zun slowly said, "It is true that the emperor rebuilt the Imperial College. According to the document, the Imperial College will recruit 500 people this time, but my Tianshui County only has one quota this year."

Jiang Wei was slightly stunned. In a county, could he only get a seat among five hundred people?

Jiang Wei was slightly puzzled: "May I ask, sir, if it is divided by prefectures and counties, then Tianshui County would have four or five seats, right?"

Ma Zun shook his head slightly and said: "Boyue, there are some things you may not know. The learning atmosphere in the Central Plains is more prosperous. Scholars from Wanluo, Ruying and other places are crowded. How can they have the chance to go to a remote place like Tianshui?
"The fact that Tianshui was able to select one person to attend the Imperial College this time is probably because the emperor ordered that each county must have someone attend the Imperial College. If this happened during the Han Dynasty, I'm afraid Tianshui wouldn't have had a single quota!"

Jiang Wei took a deep breath and bowed deeply to the governor. "Governor, although I am a clerk in the county, I am under 30 years old and still meet the criteria for entering the Imperial College. I have been studying scriptures since I was young and would like to go to the Imperial College in Luoyang. I hope the governor will grant my wish!"

Ma Zun just smiled, and seeing Jiang Wei's respectful look, he felt very happy. He had been bullied by the local big families in Tianshui for a long time, and the Jiang family that Jiang Wei belonged to was one of them. Now that he had the opportunity to make the Jiang family ask for something from him, how could he not be happy?

Ma Zun just stroked his short beard and did not answer for a while.

Jiang Wei was in the hall, and when he saw his incompetent governor acting like this, he immediately knew that the governor was being hypocritical again. If it were a normal day, Jiang Wei might have put on a show with Ma Zun.

However, this time the Imperial Academy was recruiting students again, and the emperor had made it clear that those who performed well in the examination would have other prospects. Jiang Wei really didn't want to miss this opportunity.

Jiang Wei slowly stood up. Jiang Wei, who was seven feet five inches tall, looked intently at the governor sitting in the hall. The solemn expression under his sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes gave off an inexplicable sense of majesty.

Jiang Wei said slowly: "I think there are not many talented people in our county. If I can't go to Luoyang this time, I'm afraid no one in the county can go."

Ma Zun was stunned when he heard the words. He could hear the dissatisfaction in Jiang Wei's words, and then he quickly smiled. After all, all the big and small things in this county still rely on the four big families. If they don't support or make trouble during the state assessment, then when can I be transferred back to the Central Plains?

Ma Zun was just thinking that if he could control his subordinate, it would be great. If not, then just let him be. What kind of treasure is a place in the Imperial College? People from the border areas really have no vision.

Ma Zun slowly walked to Jiang Wei's side, forced a smile and looked at Jiang Wei: "I have always known about Bo Yue's talent. If the young scholars in the county are ranked second in talent and learning, then no one dares to claim to be first."

"In that case, I will write a letter of recommendation. Bo Yue will find a time and then set off for Luoyang!"

Jiang Wei did not shy away and took a half step back and bowed deeply to Ma Zun.

Luoyang... Imperial College... Jiang Wei became curious, what are the people in the Central Plains like?

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(End of this chapter)