After the grain distribution incident lasted for five days, most of the manpower gathered by Julu was evacuated, and the management pressure was greatly reduced. Li Mengxi was finally able to breathe. He left the affairs to the officials to take care of, and he took a rest.

Liu Bei found Li Mengxi privately and specifically asked Li Mengxi how to arrange an official position for his teacher Lu Zhi. Liu Bei respected Li Mengxi's opinion enough. This was the first. Second, everyone had already made it clear that no matter who came to apply, they must start from the grassroots level.

The rebel army has a fair and strict promotion system. If you are really capable, you will surely come to the fore. On the contrary, if you can't even compete with ordinary soldiers, why should you be awarded high-ranking officials? Because of their reputation? Because of their deep friendship with so-and-so in the army.

?This is obviously not possible.

It was because of this previous discussion that Liu Bei came to discuss with Li Mengxi privately.

Liu Bei neither wanted to break the agreed rules and give the teacher a high position, nor did he really want the teacher to start from a junior official.

When the problem came to Li Mengxi, Li Mengxi was also in a dilemma.

Li Mengxi knew that Lu Zhi was famous and that Lu Zhi had extraordinary abilities, but everything had to be in compliance with the rules.

Don't let others do nepotism, but end up not following the rules and giving special treatment to Lu Zhi. This is not a question of whether Lu Zhi is worthy of his ability, but a question of fairness.

Li Mengxi pondered for a long time. He looked at Liu Bei and said seriously, "We, Julu, recruit talents and hire people. The only way to recruit officials is through the imperial examination."

Let Teacher Lu Zhi give it a try..."

"Inappropriate." Liu Bei frowned and retorted.

Li Mengxi responded with silence. He didn't know what to say. What was wrong? It was just an exam, not a slight.

"Then, you can let Teacher Lu Zhi join the army, test his skills in bowing and horsemanship, and prepare military strategies, and then give him a military position."

"What military position will you be given?" Liu Bei asked.

"Or a centurion, or a staff officer." Li Mengxi replied.

Liu Bei couldn't bear it, "Just a little captain of a hundred?"

"if not?"

"Teacher, he is proficient in strategy and military affairs. How can he be allowed to serve as a small centurion?"

Li Mengxi replied, "You must know that our army's orders, training, military laws and regulations, etc. are very different from those of the official army.

Although Senior Lu Zhi is proficient in military affairs, he is completely new to our army. In terms of ordering and dispatching, he is not even as good as an ordinary centurion in our army.

Senior Lu Zhi is not one of his strong points in our army."

…

After talking for a long time, Liu Bei and Li Mengxi still couldn't reach an agreement.

Li Mengxi suggested that it would be better to let Lu Zhi choose.

Therefore, Li Mengxi and Liu Bei, who had other purposes, invited Lu Zhi to meet at the city lord's palace.

While chatting, the conversation led to the official system of Julu.

"I, Julu, have the structure of fourteen political and military departments." After Li Mengxi said this, he stopped talking, picked up the water in front of him, and drank slowly.

Li Mengxi tried to arouse his curiosity by playing hard to get.

Lu Zhi seemed to have noticed something, and smiled faintly. He followed Li Mengxi's words and asked, "Little friend, what is this, the 14th Military and Political Department?"

Putting down the bowl, Li Mengxi bowed his hands to Lu Zhi and said, "Let the juniors come one by one."

"There are fourteen departments, including the [Personnel Department]. All matters such as the transfer and appointment of officials, the promotion and promotion of rewards and punishments, the construction of official residences, the distribution of salaries, and the review of meritorious deeds, etc., all belong to the Personnel Department."

"There is the [Ministry of Industry], and those who are engaged in industry take industry as their profession. All matters related to various industries, such as dispatching of manpower, requisitioning and distributing materials, and payment of wages, etc., all fall under the Ministry of Industry."

"There is a [Ministry of Foreign Affairs], and all matters involving foreign affairs fall under the jurisdiction of diplomacy."

“There is a [Legislative Department], which is responsible for compiling laws.”

"[The Ministry of Justice] is responsible for law enforcement..."

"[Administrative Department]..."

"[Engineering Department]..."

"[Ministry of War]..."

"[Ministry of Finance]..."

…

Soon, Li Mengxi summarized the structure of the 14 military and political departments.

Lu Zhi had served as a high-ranking official and was extremely familiar with the official system of the imperial court. The structure of the 14 military and administrative departments was very different from the official structure of the Han Dynasty. Lu Zhi heard this as a novelty.

Lu Zhi looked at Li Mengxi and asked in confusion, "My dear friend, why don't you use the official system of the Han Dynasty and establish another name?"

Li Mengxi smiled and said calmly, "Because the younger generation does not understand the official system of the Han Dynasty, so they can only set up their own structure."

Lu Zhi was shocked that this was the reason.

Lu Zhi felt that something was wrong. Although the structure of the 14th Military and Government Department was new, regardless of whether it was good or not, the official system of Julu was different from that of the imperial court, so it was inevitable that it would be criticized.

Thinking of this, Lu Zhi kindly said, "If you don't understand the official positions of the imperial court, someone who is familiar with them may be able to help you."

Li Mengxi didn't appreciate it. He shook his head and smiled, "No need! My official position is better than that of the Han Dynasty!"

This sentence talks about inner domineering.

Lu Zhi was speechless. People don't appreciate it, so forget it. The official system of fourteen departments seems to be quite good.

Lu Zhi only had one doubt. He asked doubtfully, "I dare to ask my little friend, among your fourteen official positions, where is [historian]?"

This made Li Mengxi wonder. In the design of the 14th, he had not considered the historian.

Li Mengxi hesitated and looked at Lu Zhi, "The imperial court has historians, so my land of Julu County also needs historians?" He was puzzled.

"The county has county history, the county has county history, and the township has township history. Why not?"

Li Mengxi frowned, "I was negligent at this time. I forgot to set up a historian." As he said that, he looked at Lu Zhi and then at Liu Bei who didn't say a word. Li Mengxi asked, "In your opinion, the position of historian should be given up."

Where should it be placed in the structure of fourteen departments?"

Liu Bei followed closely and said hurriedly, "How about setting up another one and increasing the number to fifteen?" As he said that, he looked at Li Mengxi.

Li Mengxi understood deeply that the post of chief official was suitable for Lu Zhi. Moreover, the historian was not involved in practical matters and his ignorance of Julu affairs did not affect him at all.

Li Mengxi said, "I think it's very good. It can be expanded to fifteen parts..."

Lu Zhi had objections, "I think it would be better for this historian to be included in the [Ministry of Science]."

Li Mengxi was stunned. He looked at Lu Zhi blankly. Does this science department know what the word science is?

Lu Zhi said to himself, "As my little friend said, [Science] is a gathering of experts in the art of studying all the knowledge in the world.

The post of historian is based on the laws of heaven and conscience, and anyone who is not a high-ranking scholar cannot be held responsible for it."

According to Lu Zhi's explanation, it really makes sense. Historians should really be classified under the science department.

Li Mengxi took the opportunity to say that there happened to be a shortage of historians and he wanted Lu Zhi to be appointed Minister of Science.

Lu Zhi didn't respond, but glanced at Li Mengxi first and asked, "Who is the current chief of the Ministry of Science?"

"Uh...I...junior."

Lu Zhi smiled half-heartedly, "You are so young, how did you get the title of Chief Officer of the First Department of Science?" In his words, he seemed to doubt Li Mengxi's ability.

This made Li Mengxi dissatisfied. Forget about other departments. Anyone could come to other departments, but in this science department, there really was no one except Li.

Li Mengxi raised his eyebrows and replied, "If a junior can be in charge of the Department of Science, he must be proficient in advanced arts!"

"Oh?" Lu Zhi looked very interested, "What kind of skill can be called a high skill?"

"The bending plow, papermaking, brewing, and steel pouring are all important skills."

Lu Zhi stroked his beard and thought. He nodded and said to Li Mengxi, "Well, I don't understand all these important skills. I'd rather take this minister's position as a junior."

It was really inappropriate to hand over the Science Department to someone else. Li Mengxi opened his mouth and had nothing to say.

Lu Zhi asked again, apart from ministers and below, what other official positions were there.

"There are Tian Bu from the Medical Department, Lu Li from the Carpentry Department, Liu Shi from the Embroidery Department, pottery, knife forging, papermaking, pharmaceuticals, etc., dozens of people."

After hearing this, Lu Zhi nodded again, "Everyone has his or her own strengths. If someone is not good at carpentry, embroidery, or blacksmithing, it seems he is not worthy of being an official."

According to the five-level structure, under the department, department, department, bureau, section, and department, there is only the bureau.

Due to Lu Zhi's status, the remaining official positions were too low.

However, Lu Zhi asked Liu Bei and Li Mengxi, "I heard that Julu uses the imperial examination method to select officials. It is based on merit. When will the imperial examination be held? Can I take part in the examination to compete for officials?"

"...Senior, there is no need to take the exam. I will speak to the officials..."

What Li Mengxi didn't expect was that he wanted Lu Zhi to become an official directly, but Lu Zhi lost his temper. His kind act was reprimanded by Lu Zhi.

Lu Zhi reprimanded Liu Bei severely. Lu Zhi scolded Liu Bei, saying that the court was full of evil, snakes and rats were rampant. It was not because the court could not rely on meritocracy, nor was it because the court was nepotistic.

"Xuande, although I am your teacher, I have just come here and have not accomplished anything yet. I have just arrived, and you want to destroy the method of selecting officials and go beyond the rules and grant me an official position.

One official and half a job is a small thing, but destroying it is a big deal.

Don't you hear that if your body is upright, you can't do it even if you are not told to do it? If your body is not upright, you can't do it even if you are told to do it?

You and I have a master-disciple relationship, how can others not know it? If you exceed the rules and grant me an official position, how can others not see it?
To be continued...