Chapter 95

“So it’s Bi Yi. I’ve heard that name before.”

Just heard? He’s someone I even thought of visiting personally.

At my words, Yi Yan’s face lit up as he spoke.

“Oh! Is that so? Well, that friend of mine, Bibinbaek, couldn’t stop praising him. He said he’s a talent who could revive a family but hasn’t had the chance yet. He even lamented about it. From what I saw, he’s definitely a talent.”

“Wouldn’t he be the leader of the rising stars in Xichuan, along with Dong Yun and Heo Suk-ryong? Please tell Bi Yi to come to the Rear General’s Office tomorrow. I can’t promise a specific time since I have other visitors, but I’ll meet him even if it means staying up all night.”

This much fairness should be maintained. No matter how talented Bi Yi is, there are others who have been waiting to see me for a long time.

Whether it’s because of my authority or if he genuinely feels the same, Yi Yan also agreed with my words.

“Haha, as expected of the fair and just Rear General. I should tell him to come early in the morning.”

Facing Yi Yan, who was laughing with joy, I also smiled sincerely.

Though bound by the Shu Han ideology, there are still differences in talent within it. Except for Zhuge Liang, who is overwhelmingly ahead, Bi Yi’s talent was special even among the top three.

Bi Yi is a master of multitasking. He can handle work while playing Go, and even while eating and chatting with close friends, he never lets go of his work. There’s nothing he lacks.

After Bi Yi’s death, Dong Yun, who succeeded him, was also an outstanding talent, but he lamented that he couldn’t keep up with Bi Yi’s speed of handling tasks.

Bi Yi trusted his subordinates with major tasks, while Dong Yun was more meticulous in handling things himself. Their work styles had their influences, but it was clear that Bi Yi possessed extraordinary abilities.

The incident with Yi Yan turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Even if I have to receive visitors all day, if I can secure Bi Yi, it’s a complete win. And if I can discover a few more good talents, it would be even better.

The next day, I went to the Rear General’s Office, looking forward to meeting Bi Yi. Arriving at the office under the escort of Jiang Wei and Bu Chuan, Ma Dai, who had arrived early, greeted us.

“You’re here.”

“You came early. Is Lord Wu inside?”

“Yes, he’s inside.”

The Lord Wu I was looking for was Wu Yi, who had temporarily taken charge of the Rear General’s Office when the Condolence Delegation was away. Wu Yi, who had Liu Bei’s wife as his sister, was Liu Bei’s brother-in-law and held the position of Governor of Guanzhong.

Of course, Guanzhong wasn’t our territory, so he had no actual duties. It was more of an honorary position given to him as a relative.

That doesn’t mean he was incompetent. On the contrary, after Liu Bei’s death, Wu Yi was recognized as an excellent general, being part of the core group of generals who led Zhuge Liang’s Northern Expeditions alongside Zhao Yun and Wei Yan.

Anyway, it would be a waste to leave such a Wu Yi idle as the Governor of Guanzhong, so I made him the acting Rear General to represent me.

He performed his role so well that I wanted to keep him in the Lanling Army, but he was too high-ranking to be my subordinate. Once the handover was complete, he would likely be drafted for the Northern Expedition preparations under the title of Governor of Guanzhong.

“Governor Wu, you’ve had a tough morning.”

“Not at all. I’m just doing my job. It’s thanks to the Rear General assigning that friend to me that I could finish without much difficulty.”

The friend Wu Yi was praising was Jiang Wei. I had formally appointed him as the Rear General’s Office Secretary and sent him to learn the ropes from Wu Yi.

“This will be the last day, then.”

“I should treat you to something for all your hard work, but I have a prior engagement today. I’ll invite you to my house soon.”

“Haha, I’ll look forward to it.”

The handover, which started with laughter, was nearing its end. With this, Wu Yi, having completed all his duties as acting Rear General, left the Rear General’s Office with a light heart.

As he left, Jiang Wei smiled wryly and said.

“The King of Hanzhong hasn’t given up on you yet.”

“Well… that’s true.”

Earlier, Wu Yi had mentioned that he had no duties commensurate with his abilities, so he was made acting Rear General. But there was another reason Liu Bei specifically appointed Wu Yi.

It was because Wu Yi was a relative. It was to get the family acquainted and close. Of course, I hadn’t been formally adopted as Liu Bei’s daughter-in-law. But that’s probably what Liu Bei had in mind.

“Anyway, let’s get ready to receive the guests.”

While Jiang Wei and I were receiving the handover from Wu Yi, outside, Ma Dai and Bu Chuan were distributing waiting tickets and guiding the visitors.

And just now, we received a report that the visitors were about to be let in.

“I hope some good talents come besides Bi Yi.”

Facing what was essentially an interview, I muttered my small wish.

Even within the Lanling Army, there were those who were promoted based on their military achievements, but that alone wasn’t enough.

Many of the existing key figures had left, and as I was promoted from General of the North to Rear General, the army itself had grown, requiring more commanders.

But contrary to my expectations, the first visitor’s impression was ordinary. Despite his diligence in arriving before anyone else, he didn’t leave much of an impression in the conversation.

At least he didn’t stutter. Clicking my tongue inwardly, I sent him away. He seemed to know he had missed his chance, leaving the Rear General’s Office with a heavy heart and dragging his feet.

Perhaps because the first catch was a miss. The ones who came after weren’t much different from the first. It was a continuous stream of absent-minded reactions, as if a screw was loose somewhere.

Evaluating people, recommending them for positions—that’s only possible when you can see their thought process and decision-making abilities. This way, it’s neither here nor there.

Is Bi Yi really the only one? As I was sinking into disappointment from what felt like a waste of time, a talent who met my expectations finally appeared.

“I am Guo Yi. My courtesy name is Shaoxian.”

“Guo Yi? Are you perhaps the son of Guo Jun, who served as the Governor of Jidong?”

“Yes. He was my father.”

Yes! It’s talents like these that make the time spent worthwhile!

Guo Jun’s achievements during the conquest of Shu are too numerous to mention. His son, Guo Yi, was also a talented individual with both loyalty and ability, much like his father.

The father and son both devoted themselves to Liu Bei, similar to the Bu Yong and Bu Chuan father and son. But while the Bu family were fierce generals, the Guo family had the qualities of a fierce general along with the insight of a commander.

Guo Jun, with a few hundred soldiers, beheaded the leader of a ten-thousand-strong army, and Guo Yi killed Sun Xu, the Governor of Jiaozhi appointed by Eastern Wu.

The more I talked with Guo Yi, the more I realized his talent. His confident voice was full of strength, and everything he said was reasonable.

“How old are you?”

“I just turned twenty this year.”

Twenty years old, the same age as Jiang Wei. A year younger than me.

“At such a young age, you’ve already grasped the principles. The saying ‘like father, like son’ seems to be about you and your father.”

“You flatter me.”

“If you’re willing, I’d like to bring you into the Rear General’s Office. What do you think?”

At my proposal, Guo Yi’s serious face lit up with joy as he spoke.

“How could I refuse an opportunity given by the Rear General? I am deeply grateful.”

“Good. Then come to the Rear General’s Office starting tomorrow. We’ll decide on your position based on the situation then.”

No matter how talented Guo Yi is, the initial position I can give him would be around Captain or Middle Cavalry Commander. Guo Yi would stand out even within that, and with each promotion, he would quickly rise to the rank of general.

In Jiang Wei’s case, I had pushed a bit too hard. It was fortunate that his father praised him and he demonstrated his skills in a duel, or else there might have been strong resistance to Jiang Wei within the ranks.

With Guo Yi’s recruitment, I shook off my disappointment and welcomed people with renewed expectations, but there were no further significant results.

There were some who were above average, but none worth recommending and nurturing.

Then, finally, the star of this interview appeared.

“Minor official Bi Yi greets the Rear General.”

“I’ve been waiting for you. Please, sit.”

Gesturing to the seat, I offered him a place. As Bi Yi sat across from me, I studied his face for a while.

His overall soft features gave off a friendly vibe, making him a likable type. If Jiang Wei was a cold, handsome man with strong masculine features, Bi Yi was a warm, handsome man with delicate features and a gentle smile.

Beyond the good first impression, Bi Yi continued to exceed expectations.

His insightful answers to my questions, even pointing out things I hadn’t noticed, truly lived up to the reputation of the Shu Han ideology.

Seeing no need to test him further with questions, I instead asked him.

“Don’t you have any questions for me?”

“Ah, may I ask one thing?”

What question would Bi Yi ask?

About the Northern Expedition? His own evaluation?

But what Bi Yi asked was completely unrelated.

“I heard you’re very good at Tan-ki. Are you also good at Go?”

Bi Yi, who said he also enjoyed chess and Janggi, was more serious than ever.

What’s with this guy?