"Captain Lu, why don't you join me for a stroll in the West Garden and get to know the main force of the West Garden New Army?" Jian Shuo earnestly invited. This morning, the other man was someone he had looked down upon, but now he was a comrade.
He needed to win over the West Garden New Army, and that required winning them over.
Yuan Shao clearly looked down on him; he was being polite by not calling him a eunuch to his face!
Yuan didn't need to be polite to a eunuch; he was directly verbally abusive.
The others weren't easy to bribe either. They were either from the Yuan family or the Yang family. Only Lu Ming could be considered from a humble background, recommended by the Yang family, and not from their own.
Eight captains—including Jian Shuo and Lu Ming—only had two votes. The other six votes would be much harder to win.
Yuan Shao was no match for him; he was the face of the Yuan family, a renowned young talent.
The potential successor to the Yuan family in the future has always looked down on eunuchs, let alone submitted to them.
Previously, serving under He Jin, it's already a miracle he didn't rebel.
Cao Cao, the descendant of a eunuch, was like a brother to Yuan Shao, essentially a follower. It's unlikely he'll become one, but he's worth trying to win over.
Lu Ming, needless to say, is already tied to the war machine. Being chosen by Emperor Ling is an opportunity, but if he doesn't perform well, he could face annihilation.
Zhao Rong, one of the generals who fought alongside Zhang Wen, is currently worth trying to win over.
Zhang Wen is close to Zhao Hou, who is a confidant of Emperor Ling.
However, there's a possibility that his subordinate's subordinate isn't his own, so further observation is needed.
Feng Fang is also a potential candidate.
Xia Mou, a subordinate of He Jin.
Chunyu Qiong, a follower of Yuan Shao.
Arriving at the West Garden, one finds it to be a vast palace complex.
This was originally Emperor Ling's recreational area, accessible only via a long side road from the imperial palace.
Essentially, it doesn't belong to the imperial palace; a palace gate separates it, placing it outside the palace grounds.
At this moment, the eight colonels are gathered here.
Several are already kneeling on prayer mats, dressed in light orange robes and top hats.
Seated on the upper right is a middle-aged man, around thirty years old, in the prime of his life.
Handsome in appearance, dignified in bearing, benevolent, and valuing his reputation, coupled with Yuan Shao's humble approach and willingness to befriend him, scholars flock to him.
Regardless of their social status, Yuan Shao treats all scholars with the same courtesy, resulting in carriages of visiting guests crowding the streets and alleys of Luoyang.
The fact that he, despite being born of a concubine, could surpass the legitimate son Yuan Shu demonstrates his ability and character.
Family background is one thing, but ability is another.
Even Lu Ming, upon seeing such a person, couldn't help but praise him, saying he certainly had a good appearance.
But Zhou Yu, what the hell are you doing?!
(The actor who played Yuan Shao in the old Three Kingdoms series is also the actor who played Zhou Yu; he plays two roles.)
"Gentlemen, you've all been waiting long. Please have a seat." Jian Shuo first clasped his hands in greeting, and the others also stood up and bowed. Regardless of what they thought, they had to maintain appearances.
"From now on, we'll all be colleagues, so we should get to know each other. Let me introduce you. This is Lu Ming, courtesy name Anmin, a military officer, and concurrently the governor of Longxi Commandery. He's a hero of our time who quelled the rebellion in Xiliang and killed the rebel leader Bian Zhang in battle!" Jian Shuo praised Lu Ming without reservation; if he weren't so lacking in talent, he would probably have described him as a god descended to earth.
He then introduced the names and positions of the other officials one by one, specifically for Lu Ming, lest he be unaware of them. It would be truly shameful if he didn't even know his own kin.
"So it's Commandant Lu, I've heard so much about you." Yuan Shao stood up and bowed, showing no trace of his superiority. Even though Lu Ming had fought with Yuan Wei, he had no recollection of it.
"Among horses, Red Hare; among men, Benchu. Meeting you today, you are indeed extraordinary. I've heard so much about you. If you, Brother Benchu, were to take charge of the Yuan family in the future, I would be even more fortunate." Lu Ming smiled insincerely. What did Yuan Shao's good looks have to do with him?
His task wasn't to flatter the Yuan family, but rather to flatter Emperor Liu Hong.
The emperor was supreme.
If he could successfully complete the mission, he could greatly enhance his reputation and recruit more civil and military officials.
Civil and military officials were crucial; neither could be lacking. Civil officials can stabilize domestic affairs, ensuring a steady supply of provisions, equipment, and provisions.
Liu Bang was able to repeatedly win defeats because his core base remained intact; most of the deaths were suffered by his allies, not him, even if his own resources were depleted.
Upon returning to Guanzhong, he could raise another army, thanks to stable logistics.
This was largely due to Xiao He; civil officials were indeed very useful.
Military generals, of course, need no introduction. Charging into battle and conquering territories are inseparable from them. High-level generals can inspire soldiers to be more courageous; a weak general leads to a weak army, a cowardly army to a weak one.
"Brother Anmin, you flatter me. Everyone has their own opinions. Those not in a position should not meddle in its affairs. I hope Brother Anmin will guide me in the future." Yuan Shao didn't care about such things. Although he was annoyed, he didn't hold a grudge.
It wasn't like no one had ever tried to cause trouble for the Yuan family, but what good did it do?
"Four generations of high-ranking officials, their power is no joke."
"Brother Benchu, you're too kind. I dare not presume to offer guidance, only mutual encouragement." Lu Ming didn't respond. A young man like himself instructing a middle-aged man?
Regardless of whether the other party would accept it, he would first feel annoyed.
"You're still a baby, yet you try to boss me around? Are you kidding me?"
Turning his head, he saw Cao Cao kneeling silently on a cushion.
Frowning, deep in thought, it was unclear what he was thinking.
At this time, Cao Cao was still a loyal minister. A saying aptly describes him:
"A capable minister in times of peace, a ruthless hero in times of chaos."
Although things were turbulent now, he was essentially still a loyal minister, a loyal minister who thought of the Han Dynasty."
In history, Dong Zhuo, defeated by the allied forces, forced Emperor Xian to move the capital to Chang'an, then burned down palaces, desecrated royal tombs, and plundered the people, leaving Luoyang and its surrounding area for two hundred miles desolate and uninhabited.
The Guandong coalition, fearing the strength of Dong Zhuo's elite Liangzhou army, dared not advance westward and instead garrisoned their troops around Suanzao.
Cao Cao, however, believed that Dong Zhuo's actions—"burning palaces, abducting the emperor, and shaking the realm"—should be seized to engage him in a decisive battle, and thus led his army westward alone.
Frustrated by the lack of support from the other warlords, Cao Cao angrily cursed, "This fool is not worth discussing strategy with!"