When Zhen Yu heard this, she pondered for a moment, then nodded, showing no intention of refusing.
The rules had always been this way; one indeed had to observe three years of mourning, and no joyous events could be held in the family.
Although Zhen Jiang was not young, she was very beautiful and came from a good family background, so even if she waited another two years, finding a good husband would not be an issue.
Moreover, with herself, the General Zhenbei's wife, present, arranging things would not be a problem.
So the two chatted, discussing household matters, with occasional bursts of laughter.
Time flew by!
On the first day of the first month, in the Third Year of Zhongping!
The entire Thirteen Provinces of the Han Dynasty were filled with joy and happiness, celebrating the New Year, accompanying their wives, children, and elders, and enjoying the festive time.
Even the chaotic warfare in Liang Province seemed to have quieted down at this moment, as everyone joyfully celebrated the New Year.
Outside the Prefect's Mansion in Yanmen Commandery!
Carriages blocked the street, making it impassable, as officials of all ranks and sizes from the city, along with powerful gentry families, brought good gifts to pay their respects.
After all, visiting the superior's home before the New Year was a very common practice.
The main hall was bustling, with officials and generals of various ranks gathered, drinking hot tea and warming themselves by the brazier.
Occasional hearty laughter made the atmosphere very cheerful.
As for the back courtyard, the lively atmosphere was no less than the front, mostly consisting of the female family members of officials and generals, who came to pay their respects to Yin Yue, General Zhenbei Liu Jin's official wife, showing their deference.
Many even paid their respects to Old Madam Zhao; although she was not Liu Jin's biological mother, everyone knew that in Liu Jin's heart, she was as good as his mother.
Liu Jin sat at the head of the table, picked up a cup of steaming hot tea, took a small sip, and cleared his throat.
He looked at the officials, gentry families, and others in the hall, and said with a smile!
"As the new year arrives, I hope you all will continue your efforts, govern the three commanderies properly, and ensure the people live in happiness."
"Especially regarding the policies implemented by the prefecture, you must cooperate well and not cause any trouble."
The officials, gentry families, and others sitting on both sides bowed and complied, not a single person daring to object.
One must know that the current Liu Jin was at the peak of his power; as General Zhenbei, he controlled the three commanderies, holding military and political authority, like a local emperor.
Neither in status nor position could anyone in the three commanderies compare to him; everyone could only obey honestly.
If anyone dared to show any opposition, they probably wouldn't even know how they died.
Liu Jin looked at their respectful demeanor and nodded with satisfaction.
Since defeating the Xianbei and being appointed General Zhenbei by the court, his prestige was enough to suppress the three commanderies, reaching a point where his word was law, and no one dared to disobey.
However, Liu Jin did not act recklessly or live a life of extravagance; instead, he treated scholars with courtesy and loved the common people, who all praised him as a virtuous and capable person in the three commanderies.
In Sili Province, within Luoyang City!
Today was exceptionally lively, with carriages and horses, people coming and going, blocking the entire street.
Because the Xi Liang Rebels had been defeated by the imperial army, and the news had spread throughout the land, those loyal to the Han Dynasty were overjoyed.
So Emperor Liu Hong led his civil and military officials to burn incense and offer sacrifices to their ancestors, washing away worldly dust and admonishing the ancestors, symbolizing that the Han Dynasty was about to move towards glory.
In a restaurant within the city, several young men were gathered, toasting each other and chatting from time to time.
The leader, with a handsome appearance and an imperceptible aura of a superior, was none other than Yuan Shao, a model for his generation.
Next to him sat Cao Cao, who looked at the bustling street with a smile and said!
"With the Xi Liang Rebels defeated, the world can finally be stable. As long as the Grand Tutors in the court do their best to assist the Emperor in implementing benevolent governance, I believe the world should be able to achieve complete stability."
Yuan Shao listened to these words, his expression remaining calm, but inwardly he showed disdain and did not take these words seriously.
Xu You, sitting nearby, stroked his beard and said in surprise!
"Mengde still thinks too simply. Although the rebels were defeated and fled back to Western Liang in disgrace, their strength is still not weak; they still have tens of thousands of combat-ready soldiers."
"As long as they recuperate for a year or a half, they will likely regroup and continue to attack the Three Supports."
"At that time, large armies will have to be dispatched again, leading to a prolonged stalemate, which will not only be costly and exhausting but also cause the court to be in a state of unease. So, as long as they are not eliminated, they will always be a problem."
When Cao Cao heard this, he frowned slightly; what Xu You said indeed made some sense.
This rebellion in Western Liang was not a matter of one or two years but had already begun during the reign of the previous emperor, with troops sent to suppress it, bringing stability for a period.
But not long after, they rebelled again, always remaining an unstable factor.
Even going back a century, Western Liang had always been in chaos.
However, Cao Cao remained very firm, believing that as long as the civil and military officials in the court worked together, the rebellion in Western Liang would eventually be quelled, the people of the world would be appeased, and the Han Dynasty would still be able to endure.
With a determined look, he slowly said!
"No matter what, the current situation is still developing for the better. First, there was General Zhenbei Liu Jin, who quelled the Xianbei rebellion, and now there is General of Chariots and Cavalry Dong Zhuo, who defeated the Xi Liang Rebels."
"With these brave and skilled generals, the turmoil in the world will eventually be quelled, and all regions will remain stable as usual."
Xu You, sitting nearby, looked at Cao Cao's determined expression and his high-spirited words, a smile playing on his lips.
He naturally knew the other party's thoughts, believing that the Han Dynasty could still prosper, and indeed, he was very loyal to the Han Dynasty.
He then looked at Yuan Shao's calm face and could also guess his thoughts; he did not particularly care about the survival of the Han Dynasty.
After all, his Yuan family had been Grand Tutors for four generations, having already reached the pinnacle of a subject's power, and even if their descendants could also serve as Grand Tutors, they probably wouldn't feel much excitement.
When power had reached its peak, certain ideas would naturally emerge in one's heart, even thoughts of changing the dynasty.
Because there was a precedent, which was Wang Mang usurping the Han Dynasty, and his Yuan family had disciples and former officials throughout the land, and could influence the court's direction, taking advantage of the world's chaos, it might not be impossible to follow Wang Mang's example and establish themselves.
Yuan Shao lightly coughed and said in a calm tone!
"General Zhenbei and General of Chariots and Cavalry are indeed brave and skilled in battle, rare talents for commanding troops."
"But governing the world and stabilizing the nation is ultimately not the task of these frontier generals, but of the Grand Tutors in the court and us scholars."
When Xu You heard this, he said with a fawning smile, echoing!
"Benchu is absolutely right. For the world to prosper and move towards glory, it is always we scholars who can achieve it. People from the frontier are ultimately people from the frontier and cannot ascend to the halls of elegance."