After the meeting concluded, Mi Huang gave a subtle glance, and Shao Xun understood, staying behind with him.
"Your Highness," Mi and Shao approached together to pay their respects once most people had left.
"What is it now?" Sima Yue glanced at them, asking.
He was currently in a state of agitation, originally intending to vent his frustrations with his concubine.
However, given the status of these two, he had no choice but to sit patiently.
Mi Huang was a "general" of the Yue household, and his family held significant influence in Donghai.
It was necessary to show him some respect.
Shao Xun was a "brave general" of the Yue household, known for breaking through enemy lines, capturing flags, and being unstoppable in battle.
He was also suitable for handling dirty work, so it was important to keep him close.
No one achieves success easily.
I have sacrificed too much for the sake of important matters.
"Your Highness, I have heard that since the Han dynasty, the regions of Ru and Ying have produced many extraordinary individuals. Their reputations and actions are highly regarded, and they uphold righteous principles, which has only increased their prestige. The Cao Wei dynasty relied on them to achieve hegemony," Mi Huang said.
"Your Highness captured Sima Yi, achieving the great feat of restoring order and turning the tide. Yet, many positions in the military headquarters remain vacant, which is quite unfortunate..."
"Enough," Sima Yue waved his hand.
"Who do you want to recommend?"
"It is Yu Liang, Yu Yuangui, whom Your Highness previously sought to recruit. He is only sixteen, upright and simple, erudite and talented, and renowned for his filial piety. Those who hear of him cannot help but admire him," Mi Huang said.
"Such a virtuous talent, I truly cannot bear to see him left out. Therefore, I request that the Minister of Works recruit him."
Sima Yue hesitated for a moment.
To be honest, Yu Liang had refused him once before, which had left him somewhat displeased.
Now, with the urgent need to absorb the talents from Sima Yi's former headquarters, he wasn't particularly enthusiastic about Yu Liang.
However, since Mi Huang had brought it up, he had to give some face.
He nodded and asked, "What position do you think would be suitable to offer him?"
In Sima Yue's military headquarters, the highest-ranking advisor was the Military Supervisor—originally called the Military Advisor, but the name was changed to avoid taboo.
As the de facto second-in-command of the headquarters, the Military Supervisor had a heavy workload, so the position of Military Consultant was established to assist with administrative tasks—originally called Military Advisor Consultant, also renamed to avoid taboo.
There were also positions like Chief Clerk and Military Commander—if the Military Commander was overwhelmed, Left and Right Military Commanders could be appointed, with the former being the primary and the latter the secondary.
Additionally, there were two Advisors, six Staff Officers, one Chief Secretary, one Records Supervisor, one East and West Pavilion Consultants, one East and West Section Clerks, one Supervisor, and various other minor officials, totaling dozens of positions, many of which were currently vacant.
"The position of East Pavilion Consultant is still vacant. Perhaps we could offer him that?" Mi Huang suggested.
Sima Yue thought for a moment.
He actually had someone else in mind for this vacancy, but that person already held an official position and might not be willing to take it.
After a brief silence, he said, "Then let's offer him that position."
In the military headquarters, the West Pavilion Consultant was the primary, and the East Pavilion Consultant was the secondary.
Both were versatile positions without specific responsibilities, often helping out wherever needed and frequently sent out on missions, making them quite demanding.
However, they were also advantageous for gathering information and building relationships with various departments, at least ensuring familiarity.
Mi Huang's intention in having Yu Liang take the East Pavilion Consultant position was precisely for this purpose.
He was about to step down from his position as Supervisor, and he couldn't afford to be blind and deaf.
He needed someone to keep him informed, and Yu Liang was that person.
Shao Xun couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨.
It was so easy for scions of noble families to become officials, even if only in the military headquarters.
But if they gained the favor of their lord and were recommended, it wasn't impossible for them to become court officials.
Wasn't that better than risking one's life to rise through the ranks?
"What about Xu Lang?" Sima Yue suddenly asked.
"Someone has approached me about him, and there's a vacancy for the Gate Clerk. Perhaps we could arrange that?"
Mi Huang and Shao Xun were pleasantly surprised.
An unexpected gain?
The Gate Clerk was in charge of the "dignity of the gate" in the official residence—essentially the head gatekeeper.
If Xu Lang became the Gate Clerk, he would be "Gatekeeper Xu."
But jokes aside, this was a legitimate position in the military headquarters with several subordinates.
When important guests arrived, they would be immediately announced and guided, and the necessary arrangements would be made.
It was a decent starting point in the officialdom.
Xu Lang was nineteen this year.
At the Imperial Academy, he had initially been quite aloof and liked to show off.
But after several months of brutal combat, the young man had stopped putting on airs and had grown closer to Mi Huang and Shao Xun.
While not as impressive as Yu Liang, he was still quite good.
"This young man is handsome and knowledgeable..."
Mi Huang praised him as usual, then said, "If he were to become the Gate Clerk, it would greatly enhance the dignity of the Minister of Works."
"Then let him be the Gate Clerk," Sima Yue decided without hesitation.
The Xu family of Donghai was also a local influential family.
It was only natural to win over their members.
It was just a minor position like the Gate Clerk, so there was no harm in giving it to him.
If more members of the Xu family came to join in the future, they would have to be accommodated as well.
In Sima Yue's mind, the people of Donghai were reliable and should be heavily relied upon!
Mi Huang and Shao Xun were also quite pleased.
With Yu Liang as the East Pavilion Consultant and Xu Lang as the Gate Clerk, their access to information within the military headquarters would become even smoother.
They would need to maintain frequent contact and nurture these relationships.
At every stage of life, one encounters certain events and meets certain people.
If one can make good use of these opportunities and accumulate experiences, it will be beneficial for the next stage of development.
For now, Shao Xun could only connect with families of moderate influence in Donghai and branches of the Yu family from Yingchuan, but that was enough.
Having been in Luoyang for two years, upon careful consideration, he had already accumulated quite a bit of capital, even if figures like Wang Dao might look down on it.
Outside the Jinyong City, a large contingent of soldiers suddenly poured in.
As the highest point in Luoyang, Jinyong City's defensive facilities were extremely well-equipped.
The city walls were high and thick, the defensive tools were complete, and the city was divided into three interconnected sections, allowing for resistance in stages.
Inside the city, there were warehouses and water sources, enabling long-term defense.
Historically, every time Luoyang fell, Jinyong City was the last to be captured.
Even after Luoyang was completely destroyed, Jinyong City remained, often becoming the headquarters for the governors and generals of various regimes that occupied Luoyang.
But now, this stronghold had its gates wide open, and countless soldiers from Guanzhong swarmed in, heading straight for where Sima Yi was being held.
Sima Yi had already been stripped of his titles and lands, reduced to a commoner, and had no ability to resist.
After being captured by the western soldiers, he was dragged to the square outside the city and tied to a pyre.
Zhang Fang personally lit the fire, watching as Sima Yi screamed in agony amidst the roaring flames, and laughed heartily.
The defenders of Jinyong City all wept, and even many of the Guanzhong soldiers couldn't bear to watch, turning their heads away.
Zhang Fang didn't care, forcing everyone to witness Sima Yi's gruesome death.
He was feeling quite pleased, as if a great vendetta had been avenged.
Sima Yi had led the imperial guards to humiliate him, causing the loss of twenty thousand out of seventy thousand soldiers, a devastating blow that nearly led to the collapse of the entire army.
How could such a grudge not be avenged?
"If you want to share in the feast, go pick from the pyre while it's still hot, or it'll be burnt to a crisp," Zhang Fang pushed a few officers beside him, saying.
The officers looked troubled.
They did eat human flesh, but it was usually cured and dried meat.
Sima Yi was burnt to such a state, who could stomach it?
"Hmph! Still being picky," Zhang Fang said unhappily.
Everyone's expressions changed.
Zhang Fang was known for his unpredictable temper and often killed people.
If he was displeased, he might just tie someone up and throw them into the pyre to keep Sima Yi company.
"Haha, look at you all, so scared. I was just teasing you," Zhang Fang laughed again.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, forcing out a few dry laughs, though they also felt some resentment.
Was it fun to toy with people like this?
"After killing Sima Yi and capturing some slaves, we'll withdraw," Zhang Fang picked up a spear and poked at the pyre, then said with satisfaction, "This damned place, Luoyang, doesn't even have food. Sima Xiao managed to send a batch into the city, but it went to Sima Yue, not us. On the way back, we'll probably have to eat meat. As usual, we'll eat the men first. The women can entertain the troops, and we'll eat them last."
"Yes, sir," the generals responded in unison.
Although the war had ended, the situation had taken a new turn.
The Governor of Xuchang, Fan Yang Wang Sima Xiao, seemed to have allied with Sima Yue, openly supporting him and sending a batch of supplies into the capital, alleviating Luoyang's urgent needs.
Other provinces and commanderies, seeing that Luoyang had already determined the victor, also began to send the long-overdue taxes and grain, as the prestige of the Jin dynasty still held.
The first to act was the Governor of Xuzhou, Dong Ping Wang Sima Mao, with the first batch of supplies already on the way.
This man was a seasoned opportunist, lacking courage, supporting whoever was winning and turning his back on anyone showing weakness.
Yangzhou, Qingzhou, and other regions also began to send supplies, and even Jizhou, which had once been an enemy, released the withheld resources.
Luoyang seemed to have suddenly become peaceful, on the verge of returning to its former tranquility and prosperity.
Zhang Fang was cruel, but he wasn't a fool.
The more peaceful Luoyang became, the more conspicuous he would be, and the more likely he would be targeted.
Since the court was offering official positions to buy him off, it was better to take the opportunity and withdraw while he was ahead.
Moreover, the fighting in Guanzhong was still intense, and Hejian Wang was struggling, having already sent envoys requesting the return of some troops.
There was no reason to hesitate; the entire army would withdraw.
The flames roared, and black smoke swirled.
The last capable prince of the Jin dynasty was executed in a horrifying manner amidst the flames.
Black clouds rose, gradually spreading, seemingly enveloping Luoyang and the entire world.
Beasts roamed the earth.
Rotting wood stood in the halls of power.
Across the nine provinces, fires of war raged everywhere, and tragedies unfolded one after another.
Luoyang had a brief respite, but perhaps it was just the calm before an even greater storm.
(End of Chapter)