Chapter 61

But now that she heard it, she seemed to understand the value of this one hundred gold.

"As for the fame you mentioned..."

"And what about becoming a general on horseback..."

"That is a matter for the future. If a man cannot even protect his home, how can he talk about fame, wealth, and becoming a marquis or a general?"

"Protecting the home and defending the country, protecting the home and defending the country, naturally, one must protect the home first!"

In an instant.

Dong Yi seemed to have been struck by Duan Yu's words in a hidden memory that had been buried for a long time.

In an instant, she became quiet.

Her gaze also looked into the distance like a memory.

Dong Yi raised her pointed chin, her hands resting on the carriage box beneath her.

The black skirt on her body was like a blooming black peony.

Her gaze looked at the flowing clouds in the distant sky.

Duan Yu looked at Dong Yi's profile.

He had to say that Dong Yi was very beautiful, and her temperament was too different from the women of this era.

"My father is an official."

Dong Yi looked into the distance and said: "When I was young, my family was just a local powerful clan."

"That was my happiest time, every day I could see my father's happy appearance."

"Galloping across the grasslands with those uncles, riding horses, drinking and eating meat, chasing and hunting."

Duan Yu listened quietly.

Although the two were riding an ox cart on the long street at this time.

But the moment Dong Yi spoke, the story seemed to isolate the noisy environment around them.

Duan Yu also seemed to see a graceful girl standing on the green grassland, with blue sky and white clouds in the distance.

On the horizon, men were galloping on horses, and women were leading cattle.

The scene was calm and peaceful.

"But good times didn't last long. A rebellion broke out in my hometown, there was fighting everywhere, and many, many people died."

"My father was conscripted by the imperial court and became a general, starting to suppress the rebellion."

"Later, because of his merits, he was rewarded by the imperial court and became a bigger official."

"At first, father was very happy."

"The people around him were also increasing, all saying that father had a bright future."

"But, the longer the time, the more I found that father was becoming less and less happy."

"I don't know why, especially after father went to Luoyang once and came back, he seemed not to have laughed for a long time."

"I don't understand why, why he could be so happy when he was at home, but why he was unhappy after becoming an official."

"Since then, father's concern for the family has become less and less."

Duan Yu saw that the emotion on that pretty face was a bit low.

Dong Yi said she didn't understand.

But Duan Yu seemed to have guessed some reasons.

There is a saying in the Eastern Han Dynasty that power is in the hands of noble clans, and wealth is in the hands of powerful clans.

Noble clans have orderly inheritance and master the knowledge monopoly rights to govern the world.

And powerful clans have money and people locally, monopolizing wealth.

But essentially, powerful clans are one level lower than noble clans.

Noble clans use powerful clans but look down on the origins of powerful clans.

Dong Yi said her family was originally from a powerful clan and later obtained an official position because of war merits.

But it should also be a marginalized official position in the local area.

What is a real official in the Eastern Han Dynasty?

What is an official in the eyes of noble clans?

Those who are two thousand shi, a commandery governor, and have the power of life and death are called officials.

Those who are two thousand shi, with silver seals and blue ribbons, are called officials.

Dong Yi said her father went to Luoyang, presumably to run for an official position.

But the reason he was unhappy must be because he was turned away, or was directly looked down upon.

For a small official from such a place, wanting to be promoted, one must first have a patron in the imperial court.

Without a patron, even if the achievements are good, the big shots in the imperial court will still look down on them.

What is a patron?

To put it bluntly, it is like a master.

I can recommend you, but you must recognize me as your master.

Dong Yi's father must have hit a wall in Luoyang City.

"I... can I say two words?" Duan Yu looked at Dong Yi.