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Luzi subsequently followed his master as they traveled through various states, but most of the time he lived in the Qin State. At first, if his speech had a hint of Wei State dialect, over time, as he resided longer in the Qin State, he began to speak with a Qin State accent.
A momentary distraction did not affect the ongoing conversation. Luzi then asked Fang Tianhua, who was gazing northward, "There really isn't much difference inside; in our Qin State, we advocate that the capable should take charge. Besides, the Prime Minister is a standard Wei Kingdom person! I wonder when General Fang arrived in the Qin State?"
Luzi initially wanted to ask Fang Tianhua if he came to the Qin State with his parents' family, but thinking about how unfortunate children born in chaotic times were, he quickly changed the subject. After all, who would willingly leave their homeland for an unfamiliar place unless their family faced significant upheaval? Given this possibility, Luzi indicated that this topic was merely casual conversation and could be skipped if it was inconvenient.
Unexpectedly, Fang Tianhua did not have any reservations about this topic and immediately stated that he was actually from Qi State. His parents never acknowledged that the current Qi State was legitimately ruled by the Tian Family, so they did not allow their children to serve in the court.
"The General may not know this, but I am not interested in holding any official position. I am simply immersed in studying martial arts, which is why I have traveled through the Feudal States to learn from masters. Unfortunately, most martial artists are merely pretenders. Five years ago, when I passed through Qin State, I discovered that there were indeed many skilled practitioners in the world. This is because Qin State has a fair Selection of Talents system, which has attracted martial arts experts from various Feudal States."
As Fang Tianhua recounted his story, Luzi finally understood what had happened. Just as Fang Tianhua mentioned earlier, he arrived at Qin Capital Xianyang five years ago during the annual Selection of Talents event held within Qin State.
The promotional slogan was extremely simple: as long as you believe you have the ability, you can register for free to participate in the competition! If you truly possess talent and receive official recognition afterward, all expenses for food and lodging will be covered!
There has always been a saying about poor scholars and wealthy warriors; ordinary families would hardly dare to dream of such opportunities. The costs of traveling through various states were considerable, and the Fang Family could not afford to support a martial arts enthusiast like him. Having been financially strained and even going without breakfast yesterday, leaving him hungry enough to feel faint, Fang Tianhua had no choice but to register for the competition for a meal.
Unexpectedly, once he started competing, he advanced uncontrollably and caught the attention of Qin officials. After the competition officially concluded, Fang Tianhua emerged victorious and was subsequently summoned by Chancellor Wei Ran at that time. It was then that he met the current Qin Army Commander Wuan Jun Bai Qi.
At that time, Wei Ran was a high-ranking official overseeing military affairs; many generals in the Qin Army were personally promoted by him. It was not surprising for talents like Fang Tianhua to ascend to general positions; even if it were someone else instead of Wei Ran, it would still be unquestionable.
Confirming that there were no factional ties involved allowed Luzi to relax because by then Chancellor had already changed to Fan Ju. While rumors of vendettas might be debatable, this person's pettiness was evident.
Moreover, Wei Ran did not voluntarily resign; behind the scenes, it was actually Fan Ju's machinations at work. He persuaded the king towards centralization while seeking opportunities to bring Wei Ran down from power. Even if Wei Ran was unaware at that time, he would surely learn later who orchestrated it all.
It can now be considered that even if Wei Ran, who has given up power, does not want to repeat the past, Fan Ju's character will still be on guard against the resurgence of Wei Ran's influence. The suppression of Wuan Jun and Bai Qi reveals this; otherwise, King Qin would not have replaced the generals again after Bai Qi captured the last city of Han, Wild King City.
Moreover, since Wang He took over as Qin Army Commander, Bai Qi returned to report but did not receive any rewards and showed signs of being sidelined again. Therefore, it is more reasonable to discuss topics like the sunrise than to think there is no involvement from Fan Ju in this matter.
The power transitions in China began with tribes, and family factions have long been entrenched. This has become a given fact that sovereigns must face when consolidating power. Especially the phenomenon of "pulling out a radish brings mud" is one of the most common occurrences.
This phenomenon continued into the Seven Warring States period, where family factions reached an unprecedented level. Rather than saying that each Feudal State was controlled by a Lord of the Nation, it would be more accurate to say that they were dominated by large families. Beneath these large families emerged countless smaller families, which comprised the ministers and generals' factions.
The consequence of this is that those who are promoted and utilized are often family members rather than commoners from outside their clans. This is also a means for them to protect their vested interests, an undeniable reality at that time.
Even the relatively fair Selection of Talents in the Qin State could not escape this reality, as it is a parasitic phenomenon that inevitably exists due to protective coloration in the process of civilization transmission. This leads those in power to unconsciously choose to protect themselves and often prefer to exclude talents who do not belong to their faction.
At this time in the Qin State, everyone knew Bai Qi was capable but had to acknowledge Chancellor Fan Ju. According to the self-protection principle, Fan Ju would naturally categorize Bai Qi into Wei Ran's circle. As long as Fan Ju exists in the Qin State, it will be difficult for those generals categorized into Wei Ran's circle to rise.
What does this really mean?
Yet there are so many people who still take pleasure in it! The only explanation might be that these individuals are so well-fed that they have nothing better to do than draw circles and amuse themselves.
Luzi quietly listened to Fang Tianhua recounting past events while gazing at the misty sky in the north. Once Fang Tianhua fell silent, Luzi had made up his mind. Rather than letting Fang Tianhua leave in anger due to his discontent with reality, it would be better to keep him around to retain this talent for the Qin State.
"Since General Fang is not burdened by status, then some matters may not be considered illegal. How about this: let’s discuss it after this campaign ends? By then, if General Fang still does not wish to stay in the Military and does not mind my humble establishment... well! At that time, I will speak with the Ministry of War on your behalf!"
What Luzi said was also for Fang Tianhua's consideration; after all, leaving one's post is no small matter. If he were to leave the Qin State entirely, it would be understandable since they might never meet again due to distance. Since he wanted to stay by Luzi's side this time, he would still belong to some department within the Qin State's civil service system.
This handling always feels unreasonable. However, with the proof from the Ministry of War and the king's approval, Fang Tianhua's identity would not be an issue, as it is sanctioned by the organization. The only difference lies in the positions held. As long as one does not leave the Qin State's structure, isn't that not revolutionary?
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