Translation Translation, What is Surprise!

The one singing was none other than Xu Shu.

It is said that after Qin Tian and Xu Shu headed north with their families, they traveled through Chen State and arrived within the borders of Pei Commandery.

Xu Shu had originally intended to drag Qin Tian along to directly pledge allegiance to Liu Bei.

However, Qin Tian would not hear of it, using the excuse of "conducting an investigation" to buy two separate estates for their families to live in, after which he stayed home all day, never stepping foot outside, spending his time only with his wife and children.

Seeing this, Xu Shu thought to himself that this was hardly the behavior of someone preparing to investigate; it was clearly the behavior of a salted fish lying flat.

Yet he also knew that Qin Tian was, by nature, quite indolent.

Previously, under Cao Cao, he had held a high position with great power and complex responsibilities, leaving him little time for rest.

Now that he had finally resigned, he was simply preparing to take a break for a while.

But the problem was that he was not like Qin Tian; he had a very favorable impression of Liu Bei, and after arriving in Pei County and making careful inquiries, he felt even more strongly that Liu Bei was an enlightened lord.

He defended against enemy invaders from without and brought harmony to the people from within, allowing the citizens of Pei County to live and work in peace.

In an era where warlords across the land plundered everywhere and treated people as less than human, a wise lord capable of such benevolent governance was truly impossible to find even with a lantern.

Thus, after investigating for several days, he began wandering the city, hoping to attract Liu Bei's attention.

Alas, several days passed, but Liu Bei remained in the county office all day, which meant he had not yet succeeded in entering service.

Regarding his predicament, that fellow Qin Tian not only failed to comfort him but even mocked him for not knowing how to market himself.

If one wanted to pledge allegiance to Liu Bei, one should simply go to the county office to meet him directly.

Even if one did not want to be proactive, one should at least dress in a unique way, or at the very least, do something to draw attention.

Therefore, after some thought, Xu Shu had decided to do just that.

However, having wandered for the entire morning without seeing Liu Bei, Xu Shu felt somewhat dejected.

Just as he was preparing to head home to discuss with Qin Tian how to enter Liu Bei's service, he heard a voice from behind him:

"Sir, please stay your steps!"

Xu Shu turned around and saw a man of elegant bearing, and could not help but ask in surprise:

"What business does your Excellency have?"

As the words left his lips, he saw the man bow and say:

"This humble one is Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande. Having just heard your song, I have come specifically to meet you!"

"May I ask your name, sir? Would you be willing to accompany me to the office for a chat?"

Hearing that it was Liu Bei himself, Xu Shu felt a surge of joy and hurriedly smiled:

"I did not expect to be in the presence of Lord Liu!"

"I am a man from Yingchuan, surnamed Xu, given name Shu, courtesy name Yuanzhi."

"Since the Lord has extended an invitation, how could I refuse?"

Seeing that Xu Shu did not decline, Liu Bei was overjoyed and made a gesture of invitation, saying:

"In that case, sir, please follow me!"

The two turned back and saw Jian Yong catching up. Seeing this, Liu Bei hurriedly introduced him:

"This is my attendant, Jian Yong, courtesy name Xianhe!"

Xu Shu hurriedly exchanged courtesies with him.

Jian Yong, upon seeing this, looked Xu Shu over and smiled at Liu Bei:

"When the time is right, the bad turns to good!"

"My Lord, you were just looking for talent, and has the gentleman not arrived?"

Liu Bei was naturally beaming with joy as he led Xu Shu along the road toward the county office.

The three walked all the way to the county office, where Liu Bei pointed to the seat of honor and said to Xu Shu:

"Sir, please take the seat of honor!"

Xu Shu saw this and hurriedly shook his head:

"With the Lord present, how could I dare to take the seat of honor?"

But Liu Bei would not hear of it and insisted that Xu Shu sit in the seat of honor.

Seeing the two of them declining, Jian Yong laughed:

"Sir, there is no need for such formality; my Lord has always been this way!"

Faced with their enthusiasm, Xu Shu found it difficult to refuse and sat in the seat of honor with some trepidation.

After settling Xu Shu, Liu Bei and Jian Yong sat down on the left and right respectively.

Before Liu Bei could even ask a question, Jian Yong said:

"Having heard your song in the market just now, I knew you must possess great talent!"

"But why did you say, 'The wise lord seeks the virtuous, yet he does not know of me'?"

Xu Shu heard this and gave a sheepish smile:

"I have let the Magistrate see a joke. Having heard that you were recruiting scholars and seeking talent, I wished to offer my services but dared not approach abruptly; thus, I sang in the marketplace to catch your ear."

Upon hearing this, Jian Yong stroked his beard and smiled.

Liu Bei, however, was overjoyed and said:

"It is fortunate that you sang in the marketplace, sir, otherwise I would have surely missed a great talent today!"

He immediately began to converse with Xu Shu.

His intent was twofold: first, to become acquainted with Xu Shu, and second, to test his capabilities.

When it came to the art of judging men, Liu Bei was arguably the finest in the late Han Dynasty; his eye for talent was exceptional.

Whether someone was truly capable or not, Old Liu could generally discern it after a brief discussion.

Furthermore, Liu Bei possessed a unique ability: even while conducting an interview, he could remain subtle and unassuming, making others feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

After this conversation, Liu Bei preliminarily confirmed that Xu Shu was indeed a talent—and a great one at that!

He possessed unique insights, especially in military affairs, whether it concerned the drilling of troops or the deployment of battle formations.

Upon learning this, Liu Bei became increasingly delighted as they talked.

He was currently not lacking in martial generals.

He was also not lacking in civil officials to manage administration; what he lacked was a great talent like Xu Shu who excelled in military strategy!

Consequently, Liu Bei grew more intimate as they spoke, and before long, they had begun addressing each other by their courtesy names.

Seeing this from the side, Jian Yong also nodded secretly to himself.

He thought that Xu Shu's talent was remarkable, and today's trip had certainly not been in vain.

Seeing the two discussing the grand trends of the world, he took the opportunity to ask:

"I wonder how you view the current state of the world, Yuanzhi?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Shu frowned and said:

"To speak of the current state of the world, one must speak of the Emperors Huan and Ling."

"Since the reigns of those two emperors, the world has fallen into chaos, and the four-hundred-year foundation of the Han Dynasty has been nearly destroyed in a single stroke."

"Although Cao Cao has welcomed the Emperor back to the east, the warlords have risen in rebellion, and Yuan Shu has committed treason. It is clear that only one man can pacify the warlords of the world and restore the glory of the Han Dynasty!"

Hearing this, Liu Bei felt a deep sense of sorrow in his heart and said:

"It is a pity that although I am a descendant of the Han house, my troops are few and my generals are weak. Even knowing of Yuan Shu's treason, I am powerless to act, and I truly feel ashamed before my ancestors!"

Seeing Liu Bei in such a state, Xu Shu hurriedly comforted him:

"Magistrate, do not worry. Although Yuan Shu has many troops and great influence, such treason will surely lead the heroes of the world to punish him!"

"You may borrow their momentum to strike at Yuan Shu!"

"As for the conflict between two armies, victory or defeat depends not only on strength but also on strategy!"

"If planned properly, it is not impossible to defeat Yuan Shu!"

Seeing this, Jian Yong stroked his beard and nodded:

"Yuanzhi's words are excellent!"

Liu Bei bowed directly and said:

"Though I am untalented, I am willing to serve my country. After your guidance, Yuanzhi, my heart is greatly comforted!"

"I dare to appoint you as my military advisor. Would you be willing to assist me in achieving this great cause?"

His words were sincere and earnest, making them difficult to refuse.

Yet, upon hearing this, Xu Shu smiled slightly and quickly helped Liu Bei up:

"My Lord, there is no need for this. This Humble One came to offer his services, and the fact that you are willing to accept me is already a great favor; how could I refuse?"

"However, the position of military advisor is too significant and should be held by a worthy man. Please forgive me for being unable to accept!"

"What are you saying, sir?"

Liu Bei looked up, filled with confusion:

"You possess great talent, sir, and should naturally hold the position of military advisor. If not you, who else could serve as such?"

Jian Yong also stared at Xu Shu with a bewildered expression.

Under their gaze, Xu Shu smiled slightly:

"In truth, the reason I came today, besides offering my services, was to recommend a talent!"

"This person's talent is unparalleled in this age!"

"If you wish to achieve a great cause, my Lord, you must have this person's service!"

"As for the position of military advisor, only this person is worthy of it!"

Hearing these words from Xu Shu, Liu Bei and Jian Yong looked at each other in blank dismay.

Xu Shu was already a talent of rare caliber.

Who would have thought there was an even greater expert behind him?

To earn such high praise from Xu Shu, what level of existence must that person be?

Thinking of this, Liu Bei hurriedly asked:

"I wonder where this talent recommended by Yuanzhi is now? What is his name?"

Xu Shu smiled mysteriously:

"This person is right here in Xiaopei. If I mention his name, you will surely have heard of it."

"Do you two recognize the talent known as the Qilin?"

Upon hearing the words "talent known as the Qilin," Liu Bei's body trembled, his eyes widening as he looked at Xu Shu in disbelief:

"The person Yuanzhi speaks of, could it be Qin Tian, courtesy name Zixuan?"

Jian Yong was stunned on the spot.

No way, surely not?

He had only been speaking casually just now; could Qin Tian have actually arrived?

Amidst their reactions, Xu Shu smiled with satisfaction:

"It is indeed him. Zixuan is a friend of mine. Knowing that I intended to pledge my service to you, he traveled here with me and is currently staying within the city!"

"If you seek a strategist, my lord, you may go to see him. If you can persuade him to serve, then your path to hegemony is set, and great things can be expected!"

Seeing Xu Shu confirm it, Liu Bei's expression became vibrant, his eyes shining with brilliance as he looked at Jian Yong.

Translate this, what is a pleasant surprise?

This is a pleasant surprise!

A top-tier talent like Qin Tian had actually come to Xiaopei!