Chapter 448: Different Endings
The next day, at the crowing of the cock.

Kong Rong's carriage stopped at the side door of the shogunate. Twelve personal soldiers holding spears stood guard on each side of the twenty-four steps.

These personal soldiers were all wearing the latest silver-gilt fish-scale armor. They stood there shining brightly and looked extremely majestic.

Kong Rong looked around and entered through the side door carrying his suitcase.

The lacquered leather box was neatly crafted with sharp edges, and it felt heavy in his hands.

After not drinking for a few days, Kong Rong's complexion improved, and his eyes, which were originally yellow and bloodshot, were now clearly black and white.

As I was walking in the corridor, I heard a few clerks walking behind me whispering to each other, talking about how the magistrate of twenty-seven counties in Guanzhong was demoted to Jiange yesterday to open up mountains and build roads.

Kong Rong couldn't help but quicken his pace. This news made him feel uncomfortable.

Just as he was about to enter the Sizhi Hall, he saw a strange young man standing there, wearing a gilded fish-scale armor, and bowed to him: "Are you Sizhi Gong?"

"I dare not, what are you doing?"

"I am Gao Jun, the supervisor of the Imperial Court. I am here to invite you, Lord Sizhi, to come to the hall to report on your duties."

"Okay, let me take off my cloak."

Kong Rong handed the lacquered leather case to the school official who was waiting nearby, then took off his sheepskin cape, exchanged the case with the school official, and asked Gao Jun in front of him with a smile: "From the accent of Gao Du, it sounds like an old friend. Is he from Yu County?"

"Yes."

Gao Jun gently cupped his hands and introduced himself: "I am the General of the Left under the command of my father, Marquis Lü Wen."

His background could not be hidden from anyone, and his brothers were found among the Dongzhou soldiers.

"He really looks like his father."

Kong Rong praised him and stretched out his arm to signal Gao Jun, who bowed again before taking a step forward.

They soon arrived at the main hall. When Kong Rong arrived, Hei Xiong was processing official documents. Kong Rong was led into the pavilion, sat down, and had tea.

After Black Bear finished the last piece of wood, he handed the pen to Zhuge Jin and asked, shaking his wrist, "I heard that since the beginning of winter, Wen Jugong has been drinking nectar all day long, with small banquets every three days and large banquets every five days. It's very lively."

Kong Rong replied calmly, "Your Majesty, most of those who feast with me are boastful and idle. It is better to gather them around you than to let them spread their evil everywhere."

Kong Rong replied solemnly, "There are also spies from Guandong among them. I can deal with them to prevent them from plotting to harm others."

"That makes sense. That's really unfair to Wen Jugong."

Black Bear asked with a smile: "I heard that there are many wild poems during feasts and revelries?"

"May I ask, Your Majesty, this reckless behavior is not a crime that should be punished, right?"

"will not."

Black Bear replied with a smile, then stopped smiling: "I also know that the administration of the shogunate is relatively clean, and it is not easy for this position of Sizhi to investigate the irregularities in the counties. But I hope that when we meet today, Wen Jugong can give me some surprises."

Kong Rong lifted up the lacquered leather box at his feet and said, "I wonder if this can be considered the surprise that Your Majesty needs. Please take a look at it."

Dian Wei stepped forward at this time, still wearing the mask, but his strong physique made him look at Kong Rong in a daze.

The lacquered leather box had been briefly checked when he came in and was now placed next to Black Bear. He reached out and took out a scroll of bamboo slips and saw that Volume Three was written at the beginning of the scroll.

He took out a few more scrolls, found the beginning of the scroll, and spread it out, looking at the strings of names on it.

Black Bear couldn't help but smile: "Mr. Wen Ju's poem is really to my liking. I wonder what Mr. Wen Ju needs recently?"

"Consider this as a dowry for Brother Bojie."

Kong Rong could no longer conceal his sorrow. He rolled up his sleeves to wipe the tears from his eyes and cheeks. He took a deep breath and forced a smile, saying, "I still miss the fine chrysanthemum wine that the emperor gave me two years ago. I just want to get drunk."

The list must be submitted. Only by submitting a list can innocent people get better development.

Anyway, Shu had been settled and the momentum of a strong Qin had been established, so Kong Rong had nothing to worry about.

"The fine wine will be stored in the cellar and sent to the residence of Lord Wen Ju later."

Black Bear made a promise and flipped through the seven volumes of the list, which involved more than 500 scholars, more than 100 of whom were singled out by Kong Rong as harmless to the shogunate.

The rest are divided into two categories, one is hopeless, and the other is ambiguous. After all, it is a banquet, and people get drunk every day. Scholars who are unhappy with their lives and careers speak wildly, and it is too common for others to respond.

If people are punished for their words, then theoretically it wouldn't be an exaggeration to punish everyone involved since Kong Rong had heard so many outrageous remarks.

After looking through the list, Black Bear looked solemn.

Seeing him like this, Kong Rong felt better.

For a moment, the hall was silent.

After a while, Black Bear rolled up the bamboo slips, tied them up one by one, and put them back into the lacquered leather box. "I will meet with the Chief Clerk later. What suggestions does the Chief Justice have?"

Kong Rong restrained his expression, thought for a moment, and then said, "Since the conquest of Shuzhong, the Chief Secretary has also been concerned about the long-term development of the government, more than ever before."

"I am not a harsh person, Wen Ju Gong is a man of peace of mind."

After Black Bear finished speaking, he raised his cup to drink tea, then held the cup and stared into the distance, lost in thought.

Seeing this, Kong Rong also stood up and was asked to leave.

Walking out of the hall and standing in the corridor, he breathed a sigh of relief.

This is not a question of whether you are afraid of death or not, but whether death is worth it, whether it has meaning, and whether it will cause losses.

The leak of the Title and Salary Law is a warning.

A warning to the middle and high-level officials in the shogunate: if you work hard, everyone will have the hope of becoming a noble in the future; if you don't work hard, there is a high possibility that your descendants and your clan will be imprisoned in the future.

How could a family that had once been officials and controlled resources be willing to become resources that were controlled?

Not to mention Cui Zhouping, Kong Rong also cherishes everything in front of him.

Although the Kong family is a big tree with deep roots, the offense has been serious. If the whole tree is cut down and a small sapling is planted, it will be able to deal with the people of the world.

God knows where the new saplings come from.

Soon, Cui Zhouping was also led by Gao Jun.

He brought nothing with him.

This also saved a lot of trouble. Black Bear asked: "I will ask three questions now. The first is why did you instruct the wife and daughter of an official from Hebei to spy on my wife's origin?"

Cui Zhouping said nothing. Seeing Black Bear looking at him with sharp eyes, he replied, "It is for the sake of the whole village. If we can learn about the lady's origin, we can persuade the people of Hebei to come to offer tribute. With the support of the lady at home and the wealth of Hebei outside, why worry about meritorious service and wealth?"

Cui Zhouping could not stop talking once he started. "Your Majesty has the ambition to cure the world's chronic illness. Although I admire you, I find it difficult to agree with you. The world has been in chaos for a long time, and the people are eager for stability. I think that Your Majesty might as well be tolerant and leave Hebei a glimmer of hope, so that the officials and people of the world will no longer suffer from the war."

"Haha, ever since the fall of the Chen Kingdom, I have distrusted the surnames of people from all over the world."

Black Bear smiled and said, "They can collude with the inside and outside to kill the king, and they can also collude with the various barbarians to invade the border. The scholars in various states are pursuing profit and forgetting righteousness. I am generous to them, but have they ever been generous to others?"

Cui Zhouping said nothing, and then asked, "May I ask what is the second matter, Your Majesty?"

"No need to ask."

Black Bear smiled and shook his head, then asked, "I am away on a campaign, and the Chief Secretary is here so that I can rest assured. This contribution must be rewarded. I wonder if the Chief Secretary wants to go to the four counties in Hexi, or to Shuzhong?"

Cui Zhouping's face changed slightly. He was quite worried about Shuzhong. After thinking for a while, he replied: "I would like to go to the four counties in Hexi."

Zhang Xiu is the governor of Hexi, one of the three governors currently. Besides Zhou Yu, the other one is General Zhenbei Liu Bei, who is one level higher than the governor.

Liu Bei was a semi-subordinate and a partner within his own Jian'an court.

Black Bear thought for a moment and said, "I'll ask you to go to Wuwei County. Next year, when I go on an expedition to the Western Regions, I'll recruit you as the Chief Military Officer."

"I am humbled by your kindness, Your Majesty."

Cui Zhouping stood up and bowed deeply. Black Bear smiled indifferently and said, "Then go back and rest in peace. The imperial edict will be issued soon."

"Here."

(End of this chapter)