Empty Seat 2

“I dare not evaluate him.”

At Liu Bei’s urging that he wanted to hear my opinion, I reluctantly said:

“He is a peerless talent in the country.”

Guoshi wushuang (国士无双).

There is no scholar comparable in the country.

It was the words Xiao He used to introduce Han Xin, one of the Three Heroes of Han, and remained as an epithet symbolizing Han Xin afterwards.

“A peerless talent in the country… Then does that mean even Sima Yi, known throughout the world, and Cheng Ming, whom you called a talent worthy of dukedom, don’t match up?”

“Though I feel guilty towards those two, that’s right. The Military Advisor embodies all Three Heroes of Han in one body, so Your Majesty need not worry.”

“Haha, you knew my innermost thoughts. But embodying all Three Heroes of Han. I didn’t know you evaluated Kongming so highly.”

Hearing my evaluation, Liu Bei now seemed more at ease, wearing a comfortable expression.

However, as his worries decreased and only interest remained, Liu Bei seemed to have taken a liking to this character evaluation and continued to ask questions.

“Still, if you had to find someone comparable to Kongming, who would it be?”

I was half resigned. It’s difficult to go against the words of Liu Bei, who is king and lord, and since this is a private audience anyway, would it be a problem? Thinking “let whatever happens happen”, I spoke my thoughts out loud.

“In military strategy, Military Advisor Pang and the Minister of Works are comparable.”

“In internal affairs?”

“There is no one.”

“No one?”

When I answered immediately without even a moment’s hesitation, Liu Bei opened his eyes wide in surprise.

“Not even Zichu (Liu Ba’s courtesy name), Cheng Ming, or Zhengfang (Li Yan’s courtesy name)?”

“No. They don’t compare.”

Though I cherish Fan Jun, I have to compare what’s comparable.

To find someone comparable to Zhuge Liang in politics and internal affairs, there is no one except Xun Yu. And even that Xun Yu died long ago, so the “country” in “peerless talent in the country” meant the entire continent.

If we must make a comparison, we’d have to bring talents from other eras.

“Hmm, then besides those we’ve mentioned so far, are there any talented people you’re keeping an eye on?”

“Do you mean among civil officials?”

“Yes. There are so many young talents in the military, aren’t there? Not just you, but the Eight Wings you discovered, Weiwen Zhang whom I personally raised, and Feng Xi, Xiang Chong, Jin Shi who have been standing out recently, how many are there?”

How could he ask about civil officials’ abilities when I’ve been someone who’s been going around battlefields without rest for the past few years, barely staying in Chengdu?

Unlike me who’s basing things on knowledge from my past life, Liu Bei is truly the one with insight to see through people.

When I hesitated to speak carelessly, Liu Bei added the reason:

“Kongming is good at seeing people’s abilities themselves, but he tends to get too absorbed in just that. I’m worried about him employing people like Ma Yuanshang. But if he hears your character evaluations, won’t Kongming think twice?”

Ma Su… a name of love and hate for Zhuge Liang.

He was also living proof that Liu Bei was one step above Zhuge Liang when it came to judging people.

He had asked about Ma Su even before bringing up Zhuge Liang, was he keeping this in mind too?

“Moreover, I’m worried that he cherishes even lazy ones like Zhang Gongyan, saying they have talent.”

Zhang Gongyan would be Zhang Wan. It might be an unfamiliar name, but he was the famous prime minister who continued the lineage of Shu Han’s Four Ministers as Zhuge Liang’s official successor.

In the Romance, only Jiang Wei received attention as Zhuge Liang’s successor, but in reality it should be seen as Zhang Wan for internal affairs and Jiang Wei for military affairs.

But why is he wary of that Zhang Wan? When I showed a puzzled look, Liu Bei explained the background of why:

“I once entrusted Guangdu County to Gongyan, but he just drank and neglected state affairs. So I was going to execute him, but Kongming stopped me, saying he wasn’t a talent to just govern a hundred li, but a vessel to contain the country.”

Isn’t this completely the anecdote of Pang Tong from the Romance? It seems Luo Guanzhong took Zhang Wan’s record and attached it there.

“Then how did Your Majesty treat him?”

“I dismissed him from office. But since Kongming kept recommending him, I’m now keeping him as a Shangshulang.”

Shangshulang was a mid-to-low level official on the lower end. It seems he was firmly stamped by Liu Bei. Seeing that he’s a Shangshulang even though Zhuge Liang pushed for him so much.

Ma Su was where Liu Bei was right, but this time Zhuge Liang is correct. Wasting a talent like Zhang Wan as a low-level official was a national loss, so I defended Zhuge Liang and said:

“In this humble servant’s opinion, it seems Military Advisor Zhuge has properly recognized talent this time.”

“Oh… even you say so. Are you perhaps siding with him because Zhang Gongyan is Cheng Ming’s brother-in-law?”

“My lord?”

You see it like this? When I looked at him with a face of unjust bewilderment, Liu Bei coughed and apologized.

“Ahem, I’m sorry. I misspoke.”

Come to think of it, Zhang Wan and Fan Jun were indeed in-laws. Perhaps the reason Liu Bei was wary of Zhang Wan in the original history was also because Fan Jun became a traitor who defected to Wu.

But the current Fan Jun is a pillar of Shu who rose to Governor of Jingzhou, maintaining his loyalty even under Guan Yu’s contempt.

On top of that, with me and Zhuge Liang praising Zhang Wan too, Liu Bei also reconsidered his judgment.

“I should take another look at Gongyan. I understand.”

This was the end of the character evaluations exchanged with Liu Bei.

Since this private audience started with concerns about Zhuge Liang, there was no reason to keep me any longer.

As soon as I withdrew, Liu Bei immediately called for Zhang Wan, as if to make up for his mistake just now.

And before I had even left the palace.

Liu Bei promoted Zhang Wan, who was merely a Langzhong, a new entrant and not even a Shilang with years of service, to Shangshu Puye.

It was an unthinkable, drastic promotion. To compare to modern times, it would be like a 6th grade civil servant becoming the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister at once. Of course, it’s not a perfect analogy and there might be some discrepancies, but it’s close enough.

Once the negative preconception from the first impression was stripped away by me and Zhuge Liang, he must have seen the true face of Zhang Wan as a person.

‘It would be good if all of Shu Han’s Four Ministers rise to key positions at this opportunity.’

Zhuge Liang. Zhang Wan. Fei Yi. Dong Yun.

The famous prime ministers who led Shu Han even after Liu Bei’s death.

Those who excellently governed and achieved a rich country and strong army in the utterly poor Shu Han of the original history would surely do their part solidly in any position.

‘Zhuge Liang and Zhang Wan are done, and Dong Yun is already a promising talent now, so Fei Yi is the problem.’

In this era without an imperial examination system, rising to official positions ultimately depended on connections.

Academic connections, regional connections, blood relations.

Though the importance of those three remains even in the distant future, now they are truly the beginning and end. In that aspect, there was no problem at all with Dong Yun.

He was born into a prominent family in Baxi, and his father Dong He was a high official of the current Shu Han.

Moreover, he became especially close to Zhuge Liang while helping with the Left General’s Office together since before Liu Bei became King of Hanzhong, so it was said Dong Yun had also received teachings from Zhuge Liang, who was his father’s close friend.

It was like achieving a grand slam of blood relations – regional connections – academic connections, so Dong Yun’s future was a smooth road, a flower path itself.

‘Fei Yi’s connections are not bad either.’

His blood relation Fei Guan defected along with Li Yan and held the position of Governor of Baxi, and though he was from Jingzhou, he studied in Yizhou so he had sufficient academic and regional connections.

It’s not that he lacked personal reputation either. There were widespread evaluations that he was a rising talent on par with Xu Shu Long and Dong Yun. But in reality, he was stuck in a low-level position.

‘Is it because of his age?’

Unlike Dong Yun who had entered his thirties, Fei Yi was in his mid-20s, only a few years older than me. While it might be understandable for military officials where military achievements come first, it’s difficult for young civil officials to rise to high positions.

‘If it’s really difficult, I’ll pull him over to the Rear General’s Office.’

Until now, I hadn’t thought much about this incident. The complacency that surely the contents of the conversation from the private audience with Liu Bei wouldn’t spread.

However, I didn’t yet realize that the impact this private audience would bring about was beyond imagination.

§

Even things done under the blankets become known, and words with no legs travel a thousand li.

The story that Zhang Ran had a private audience with Liu Bei and gave character evaluations, and the rumor that Zhang Wan, who received her recommendation, was promoted at lightning speed from Shangshulang to Shangshu Puye overnight, reached the ears of Zhuge Liang who was far away in Nanzhong.

“Military Advisor, have you heard? People all over the world are praising you as a talent of the Three Heroes! Wouldn’t this surpass even Xun Yu’s talent of the royal throne?”

The voice of Ma Su, whom he had brought along as an Assistant Officer on this southern expedition, was filled with great excitement.

Zhuge Liang was the person Ma Su respected more than anyone else in the world. He was the first person Ma Su, who inwardly prided himself as being superior even to his brother Ma Liang, sincerely admired and acknowledged as being superior to himself for the first time in his life.

The same was true for Zhang Ran. Though Ma Su’s position was as a civil official, he always envied military positions and aimed to someday sit in the seat of a general.

For such a Ma Su, Zhang Ran, who achieved success at a younger age than him and rose to 4th in the military hierarchy, could only be an object of admiration.

When Zhang Ran, the object of admiration, left an evaluation extremely revering Zhuge Liang, the object of respect, Ma Su’s heart fluttered as if he himself had been praised.

But looking at Ma Su who was excitedly talking about the rumors widespread beyond Chengdu throughout Shu Han with an excited face, Zhuge Liang furrowed his brow.

Seeing Zhuge Liang making a displeased expression rather than being happy, Ma Su lowered his voice while watching his reaction.

“Military Advisor…?”

Ma Su looked back on his words and actions, wondering if he had made some mistake.

He didn’t think at all that Zhuge Liang would be uncomfortable with Zhang Ran leaving a character evaluation. So Zhuge Liang’s reaction like this must be because he had done something wrong.

But Zhuge Liang’s inability to be happy was not because of Ma Su, nor because of Zhang Ran.

“How could our lord compare talents against each other?”

This was behavior unbecoming of a gentleman. Though Zhuge Liang acknowledged and found interesting Zhang Ran’s discerning eye for talent, he could be certain that this method was wrong.

“Though I am in Nanzhong, I must submit a memorial to our lord.”

Whether those who received Zhang Ran’s evaluation acknowledge it or not, they probably won’t feel very pleasant.

It was a measure that failed to consider the public opinion of those mentioned in the evaluation that only Zhuge Liang was the best in the world and they couldn’t compare.

Only then did Ma Su understand what Zhuge Liang was worried and concerned about. He felt ashamed for having been happy just at the exchange of compliments between people he liked.

As Ma Su left to allow Zhuge Liang to focus on writing the memorial, Zhuge Liang wrote out the memorial in one stroke.

While writing, Zhuge Liang thought of another worry.

‘Mingjing will be troubled by the public for a while. Mingjing is a shield to protect the country and a spear to defeat enemies. I can only hope she doesn’t get entangled in unnecessary political strife.’

If I had known this would happen, I should have called Fan Jun and Pang Tong to Chengdu. If even one of them had been there, they could have excellently swatted away the flies that would swarm around Zhang Ran.

‘It’s fortunate that General Yu is there at least.’

Since Zhang Fei was in Chengdu, it probably wouldn’t develop into a big problem. Though he seemed to be in seclusion outwardly, Liu Bei was also properly overseeing state affairs, so in the worst case, everything would be fine if Liu Bei came out of seclusion.

‘Cao Pi will soon ascend to the throne. The grand plan is proceeding smoothly.’

As the calculation that there wouldn’t be any major problems was made, Zhuge Liang’s expression also relaxed comfortably.

Then suddenly, Zhuge Liang made a mistake of miswriting a character by moving the brush wrongly.

“Oh no.”

As befitting Zhuge Liang who considered frugality a virtue, he was using bamboo slips, so he scraped off the miswritten part with a book knife beside him.

“Liang, your cultivation was still quite shallow.”

Seeing how your mood has been lifted like this.

But it wasn’t a particularly bad feeling.

Thus, somewhere in Nanzhong, the sound of a book knife scraping bamboo slips and Zhuge Liang’s small laughter could be heard.