"Your Majesty, I spent several days with this man. He truly is a gifted man, just as the rumors say-intelligent, brave, and eloquent..."
Seated in Taiji Hall, Yang Zong lavishly praised Shu Jinen to Cao Mao.
Clearly, Yang Zong admired him greatly.
Yang Zong looked somewhat worried. "Your Majesty, first Shamohan, and now Shu Jinen. I fear that in the future, they might..."
Cao Mao slowly set down his teacup and said with a smile, "Lord Yang, it is no matter. Who says they cannot become fierce generals and worthy chancellors in my service?"
Yang Zong said no more.
Cao Mao knew their future deeds, but he would never punish those around him for wrongs they would commit in the future.
If he did that, Cheng Ji should have been the first to die.
After all, that man had committed regicide.
Shu Jinen had rebelled and sent renowned generals fleeing in every direction, while Liu Yuan had even founded Xiongnu Han.
But the situation had already changed.
Their future deeds could be used to examine their character and disposition, but they could not be convicted for things that had never happened.
Shu Jinen had rebelled because disasters struck Liangzhou, yet Western Jin had provided no relief. Instead, it sent generals to suppress the people by force. Shu Jinen then organized the local Xianbei, Qiang, Hu, and Han people into an allied army and rose in rebellion, battering the Western Jin frontier until it knew no peace.
Liu Yuan had been able to establish Xiongnu Han because the Central Plains had already collapsed during the War of the Eight Princes, allowing him to lead the Xiongnu in a powerful rise.
But now, would those things still happen?
Meanwhile, Cao Mao lacked talented worthies, and capable people were scarce. These men could