Chapter 278: Night banquet at the Dong residence, planning for the future!【2】

That night.

Dong Zhuo's residence was brightly lit.

In the main hall, there was music and dancing, with tables full of wine and meat.

Most of the guests in the guest seats below the main seat had already left.

A small portion of guests who were drunk were being helped to guest rooms to stay and rest by maids.

In the main seat, Dong Zhuo, after heavy drinking, also had a flushed face and was showing signs of intoxication.

Two delicate-looking maids knelt beside him, using fans in their hands to gently fan him and keep insects away.

Dong Zhuo, holding a hangover soup, drank it down heartily.

"Refreshing."

"Refreshing!"

"Ziyi, this time it is truly gratifying."

Dong Zhuo laughed as he looked at Duan Yu, who was sitting in the lower left seat, and praised: "This time, Ziyi, you have shaken the Monan region; the Xiongnu and Xianbei are all trembling with fear. I want to see if the Xiongnu and Xianbei will dare to invade our borders again in the future."

Duan Yu smiled slightly and put down the wine goblet in his hand.

"Father-in-law, you flatter me," Duan Yu said modestly. "This time, it was entirely due to the elite Liangzhou troops under your command that we were able to defeat the enemy."

"Sigh!" Dong Zhuo waved his hand: "Don't be modest, you brat."

"Your ferocity is comparable to the Overlord; it was not in vain that I gifted you that Heavenly Dragon Halberd."

"The soldiers all said so."

"They said that General Duan's ferocity is rarely seen in ancient times, so don't be modest."

"Wenyou has already spread your martial prowess throughout the world."

Duan Yu: "..."

Looking up at Li Ru, who was sitting opposite and not yet drunk, Duan Yu could not help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

He used to think that being famous throughout the world was truly something spread by word of mouth among the common people.

Later, he realized he was wrong.

It was not like that at all.

How would the common people care about these famous scholars of the world?

The so-called fame, the "spreading" is the main point.

How to spread it? Naturally, by propagating it.

Later generations have media and various ways to build momentum.

But more than two thousand years ago, there were also ways to spread rumors.

For example, through catchy folk songs, or through merchants traveling far and wide.

In short, those so-called scholar-gentry and famous figures all used various channels to build their fame, eventually obtaining the title of "famous scholar of the world," a king without a crown.

Duan Yu did not yet have such talent under his command, so Li Ru had taken over these matters.

"Young Master Duan, in fact, this building of fame is very necessary," Li Ru said with a smile, stroking his beard. "This time, Young Master Duan's merit is a great achievement unseen since the new Emperor ascended the throne."

"It can also be said to be a rare achievement in the Great Han in decades."

"This time, you will surely receive generous rewards from the imperial court."

Duan Yu nodded slightly, expressing agreement.

Since Liu Hong ascended the throne, he had indeed not had any political achievements or military successes to show for it.

It seemed the only records of Liu Hong were his greed and lust.

As an emperor, his actions would naturally be written into the history books of later generations.

Even a greedy and lustful emperor would not want to be recorded in history books as having only greed and lust, with no political achievements.

"Young Master Duan can imagine, if Young Master Duan were just an unknown youth in a village, compared to a famous scholar known throughout the world, who would gain greater benefits?" Li Ru asked with a smile.

Li Ru's words hit the nail on the head.

This is like having the same merit.

A villager in a village who luckily catches a heinous criminal might only get a reward of five thousand coins and a medal.

But if an official accidentally catches a heinous criminal, it is not just a matter of five thousand coins and a medal.

Extensive publicity is certainly inevitable.

Things like "ridding the people of a scourge," "fighting the fierce bandits alone," and then being promoted three ranks and receiving a commendation are all standard operations.

Duan Yu understood Li Ru's actions.

Before the rewards, build momentum and spread fame.

The purpose is to spread the name before the rewards, so as to facilitate obtaining greater benefits and official positions.

Duan Yu smiled, picked up the wine cup in front of him, and bowed to Dong Zhuo and Li Ru to toast them: "Thank you, Father-in-law."

"Thank you, Mr. Wenyou."

Dong Zhuo shook his head with a smile: "It is you, brat, who is excellent; otherwise, even if I threw away this old face, what could I do?"

"Also, this is all Wenyou's planning."

Duan Yu bowed solemnly to Li Ru.

Duan Yu had read the Romance before, and to be honest, he did not have a very deep impression of Li Ru from the films.

All he had was the image of a villain with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks, fawning and opportunistic.

But after coming into contact with so many figures, including the heinous Wang Rou, Duan Yu discovered a major misconception.

None of these people who could leave a heavy mark in history were simple or stereotypical.

These people all had their own personalities, not like the paper cutouts in television shows or books.

Li Ru, as the chief strategist under Dong Zhuo, undoubtedly served as the chief before Jia Xu exerted his influence.

He participated in the entire process of Dong Zhuo's rise from a border commandery warlord to becoming a hegemon.

How could such a person, even under Dong Zhuo's control of the imperial court, still rely on Li Ru's planning, be just a fawning and opportunistic figure?

Perhaps from the perspective of a bystander, these figures recorded in history books all have positions of right and wrong.

But when you enter the game yourself and look at it from within, it can be described in just four words.

Each serving their own master!

There is no right or wrong; from the perspective of one's own interests, the so-called right and wrong are just a summary of success and failure after the fact.

"Thank you, Mr. Wenyou, for your hard work in planning." Duan Yu thanked Li Ru.

Li Ru quickly picked up his wine goblet and said with a very proper attitude: "Young Master Duan is too polite."

"Right now, this is just the first step of the plan."

"If we want to secure the greatest benefits, we need another plan," Li Ru said.

Duan Yu nodded and asked humbly: "I would like to hear the details."

Li Ru twisted his beard and said: "This time, Young Master Duan has performed a great service and must enter Luoyang to receive rewards."

"As for what official position and what title you will receive, we still need to operate a bit."

"Although the lord has support in the court, now that the Proscription of Partisans is in effect, even the Yuan family does not dare to go too deep."

"Therefore, we must start from another aspect."

Another aspect.

As soon as Li Ru finished speaking, Duan Yu guessed where the "other aspect" Li Ru was talking about was.

"Eunuchs." Li Ru said two words softly.

Duan Yu thought to himself, "As expected."

Li Ru continued: "Nowadays, the Ten Attendants in the palace have monstrous power, and the Emperor lives deep in the palace; what he hears and does is all controlled by the Ten Attendants."

"The eunuchs are a turbid stream; although they are greedy for money, they value their promises. As long as we give them heavy profits, we will surely gain something." ===== CHAPTER 280 =====