Mythical Version of Three Kingdom

The relationship between a father-in-law and son-in-law is rarely harmonious, unless one side is overwhelmingly dominant, creating a false sense of harmony that hides underlying tension.

Li You, along with Fa Zheng, had begun issuing household registrations to scholars willing to become teachers. Watching them eagerly accept their registrations and then follow Fa Zheng to the library to borrow books brought great satisfaction to Li You. In his eyes, each of these scholars, who had now become elementary teachers, represented dozens of literate children in three years, and symbolized the gradual decline of the aristocratic families from their eternal pedestal.

”Miss Cai, Miss Cai (Second),” Fa Zheng greeted Cai Yan and her sister with a respectful bow.

Cai Yan had successfully transitioned to the role of a librarian. After all, idly staying in Mount Tai was not a long-term solution. When Li Ru recruited female officials for Chen Xi, Cai Yan was brought into the fold as the sole librarian in charge of the library.

In this era, the position of librarian, unlike in later generations, was a highly coveted job. As a librarian, Cai Yan could borrow books at any time, take home the ones she wanted to read after work, and was provided with plenty of paper for transcription. Once this position was made public, countless scholars and elites lined up for the chance to secure it.

Among those vying for the position were some fierce contenders, including individuals who left their mark in history. Had the initial selection process proceeded as originally planned, Cai Yan might not have stood a chance.

Now, with only Cai Yan as his protégé, Li You had asked her if she was interested in this position before Chen Xi even finalized the selection process. Given her love for literature, music, and art, Cai Yan naturally expressed her interest.

By the time Li You informed Chen Xi of Cai Yan’s interest, Chen Xi had already issued the recruitment notice. The position’s perks and prestige, comparable to a high-ranking official role, attracted a flood of scholars, creating quite a stir.

Chen Xi was amazed by the number of renowned individuals who applied. Among them were figures like Chen Chi, Chen Hua, Zheng Zha, and Xu Qin, all from the prestigious Yingchuan Academy, known for producing top-tier talents.

Chen Chi had once been recommended as the Grand General of the Wu Kingdom, though he died soon after assuming the position. Chen Hua had served as the Secretary-General of Wu, equivalent to Xun Yu’s position in Wei. Zheng Zha had helped establish Wu’s ceremonial protocols during its founding, and Xu Qin was another well-known figure Chen Xi recalled from historical records.Seeing such impressive names among the applicants, Chen Xi felt that bringing back the scholars from Yu Province had been a worthwhile endeavor.

From Qing Province, there were also two formidable figures—Xu Gan and Wang Xiu. Though few in number, their capabilities were top-notch. Xu Gan, one of the Seven Masters of Jian’an, was only second to Cai Yan in musical talent. And when it came to statecraft and practical matters, Wang Xiu was more than capable of assisting even the likes of Lu Su.

However, with such stiff competition, no matter the subject of the exam, Cai Yan’s chances of coming out on top were slim.

Yet, with Li You’s prior arrangements, the so-called first public recruitment became a bit of a black box operation. Female candidates such as Mi Zhen, Zhen Rong, Zhen Jiang, and Cai’s younger sister were brought in to take the exam. After the first round, only Cai Yan, her sister, and Mi Zhen remained.

The process continued until ten candidates were left for the final interview. Surprisingly, Cai Yan’s younger sister, with no prior preparation, proved to be as formidable as her elder sister—another testament to the Cai family’s talents.

During the interview, Liu Bei himself made an appearance. His regal presence, combined with the promise of official positions and benefits, easily secured eight of the candidates, leaving only Cai Yan and her sister. Naturally, Cai Yan took the librarian position, and her sister gained unlimited borrowing rights as well.

While it was a bit of a black box operation, everyone involved was satisfied. Only Li You felt somewhat embarrassed by the process, but others seemed unconcerned, apart from feeling the exams were somewhat excessive.

Liu Bei, on the other hand, was quite pleased to have recruited eight capable individuals. After testing their abilities, Chen Chi was placed under Liu Xie, Wang Xiu under Lu Su, and then Lu Su handed Wang Xiu over to Man Chong. The remaining individuals were assigned to newly occupied counties in Qing Province.

When the recent event of spiritual talents being sealed occurred, Cai Yan, who had been focused on her studies, did not pay much attention. Even after her abilities were restored, she had not yet had a chance to play her zither before Fa Zheng summoned her to handle library matters. Li You, concerned about unidentified individuals causing further disruptions in Fenggao, had decided to expedite the registration process.

This led to the scene where Li You and Fa Zheng, braving the cold weather, worked outdoors on registrations. Li You filled out the registrations and stamped them, Fa Zheng escorted the individuals to the library, where Cai Yan quickly found the requested books, and the city guards then escorted the newly registered scholars to the assigned academies.

As for the potential loss or damage of books, Li You was unconcerned. The cost was negligible, and the registrations themselves created mutual accountability. One or two missing books would bind dozens of scholars to Qing Province, which Li You deemed worthwhile.

For scholars, abandoning a thousand books for the sake of one would be foolish. And risking their reputation and future prospects for a single book, no matter how valuable, was not worth it—especially for these well-fed and well-clothed elites who valued their reputation more than anything.

Li You and Liu Xie had a deep understanding of the mentality of scholars, particularly those from humble backgrounds. Integrity and reputation were often more important than wealth, and for many, these principles were seen as sacred.