The county official bowed and presented three letters.
They were from He Jin, Tian Kai, and Zhen Yu.
Zhang Xin's heart skipped a beat.
He dismissed the official after issuing instructions for the rewards, then returned to the main hall and opened He Jin's letter first.
The meaning was simple:
I tried to get you named Marquis of Champion, but there are villains at court blocking it. Also, your man Tian Kai is capable—I've taken him. Stay in touch.
For a moment—
Zhang Xin froze.
Then—
"He Jin! I [beep] you! You [beep-beep]—I really [beep]!"
A string of muffled curses exploded in the empty hall.
If anyone had been nearby, it would have been a spectacle.
Lü Bu being taken away?
That was acceptable.
He had no shortage of generals—Zhao Yun, Guan Yu, Zhang Liao—any one of them could match Lü Bu. At most, it was a pity.
But Tian Kai?
"That's my only strategist!"
"Only one!"
"If you take him, who am I supposed to ask when something happens?!"
"He's my strategist!"
"Mine!"
"Mine!!"
Zhang Xin paced back and forth, fuming.
Only after a long while did he finally calm down.
He opened Zhen Yu's letter next.
It was a letter of thanks.
Zhen Yu wrote that, thanks to Zhang Xin teaching him calculation methods, he had been noticed by He Jin and recruited into the General's Mansion.
He expressed his gratitude.
Zhang Xin nodded.
That had been the plan all along—to build ties with the Zhen family. Zhen Yu remaining in Luoyang was actually beneficial.
If he came back instead…
That would be troublesome.
Finally, he opened Tian Kai's letter.
It detailed everything—his journey to the capital, the court debates, and his eventual recruitment by He Jin.
At the end, Tian Kai wrote:
Thank you for your trust. I will not return, but we shall remain in contact.
Zhang Xin sighed.
This was the reality of the times.
The empire was still intact. The Son of Heaven was still the supreme authority.
Serving one lord today and another tomorrow—perfectly normal.
He Jin was the Grand General, the head of all officials.
Zhang Xin?
Just a frontier prefect.
Anyone would know which choice to make.
I can't blame him.
And yet—
After thinking it through, Zhang Xin's expression eased.
This might not be a bad thing.
In the Han system, ties between former lord and former subordinate were taken seriously.
If Zhang Xin ever needed help, Tian Kai—now inside the General's Mansion—would be obliged to assist.
Otherwise, it would be seen as disloyal.
More importantly, Tian Kai could now act as a bridge between Zhang Xin and He Jin.
A connection inside the capital… that's valuable.
Zhang Xin picked up the letter again and reread the section about the court debate.
"So that's how it is…"
"No wonder I was given these 'empty' titles."
The so-called honors—
Commander of Military Affairs in Youzhou Holder of the imperial staff
On the surface, they were impressive.
In reality?
Almost useless.
The problem was simple:
The governor of Youzhou was Liu Yu.
And Liu Yu had once been Zhang Xin's superior.
How could a former subordinate bypass his former lord to command troops?
As for the imperial staff—
It symbolized authority to execute and intervene.
But Zhang Xin already had battlefield authority as Protector of the Wuhuan.
The new titles changed little.
All show, no substance.
Clearly, Liu Hong had struck a careful balance—
Reward him.
But not empower him too much.
"Perfect," Zhang Xin muttered with a faint smirk.
Putting down the letter, Zhang Xin quickly wrote a document and headed to the residence of Cai Yong.
He had grown familiar with the household.
Cai Yong had already told him he could enter freely.
Inside the courtyard, beneath a tree—
Cai Yan was reading.
A quiet, elegant scene.
Zhang Xin paused for a moment, appreciating it, before calling out:
"Zhaoji."
Cai Yan looked up and smiled.
"Greetings, Your Excellency."
"I heard an imperial envoy arrived today," she said curiously. "What honors has the court bestowed upon you?"
Zhang Xin smiled.
"I have been appointed Commander of Military Affairs in Youzhou—and granted the title of Marquis of Wuxiang."
"Really?"
Cai Yan's eyes widened before she quickly covered her mouth.
A marquis—at eighteen?
Even across four centuries of Han history, that was rare.
But then—
She frowned slightly.
Marquis of Wuxiang?
She didn't recall such a place.
Zhang Xin chuckled.
"If you don't believe me, come tonight. I'll show you the golden seal."
"Truly?" she asked, half in disbelief.
"Truly."
He then asked, "Where are Master Cai and Yuan Tan?"
"They are inside reading. Please wait, I'll call them."
Soon, Cai Yong and Gu Yong came out.
Zhang Xin immediately bowed.
"Teacher Cai."
Cai Yong laughed. "Congratulations, my lord."
Gu Yong also bowed. "Congratulations, Your Excellency."
After a few pleasantries, Cai Yong asked, "What brings you here today?"
Zhang Xin smiled.
"Let us speak plainly—I have come for Yuan Tan."
Gu Yong blinked in surprise.
"For me?"
Zhang Xin took out the document and presented it with both hands.
"Yuan Tan," he said seriously, "I wish to appoint you as my Chief Clerk."
"Are you willing?"