Although somewhat angry, he had no choice but to accept all of it.
It was perfectly normal that he, relying on his sister's connections to become a Great General, had no one willing to serve him when he first entered the court.
This was why he, as the Great General, had no prestige whatsoever.
Thinking of this, a shrewd look appeared in He Jin's eyes.
To establish himself in the court, it seems he must cultivate his own trusted followers. Only then would he, the Great General, have authority and not be looked down upon by these Eunuchs, powerful families, and high-ranking officials.
But he didn't know where to start. Although he was the Great General, many people wanted to join him, but he wouldn't take just anyone.
At the very least, they had to be from prestigious families, or renowned scholars of the era, or individuals who demonstrated talent, to be worthy of becoming advisors in his General's Mansion.
However, such people were hard to find. Anyone with a bit of fame had probably already joined another faction, and it would take some effort to poach them.
Just then, an official outside the mansion respectfully announced at the study's entrance:
"Reporting to the Great General, Biebu Sima Liu Jin has sent someone with a battle report."
He Jin, sitting in his study, frowned upon hearing this.
A mere Biebu Sima, a Thousand-Stone Sima Xu official, was beneath his notice.
With displeasure on his face, he said coldly:
"Leave such minor matters to my subordinate advisors to handle.
"From now on, do not report any battle reports from officials below Two-Thousand Stone to me. Do you really think I, the Great General, am so idle that I have to listen to their useless nonsense?"
The official standing at the door trembled slightly upon hearing this.
He couldn't help but regret it. He should have known not to accept that kid's money. Originally, such matters could have been handled by someone from the Great General's Mansion.
Now, reporting directly to the Great General had only made him unhappy.
He quickly bent at the waist, lowered his head, and prepared to leave the area quickly.
As He Jin sat in the room, the name Liu Jin sounded somewhat familiar, as if he had heard it before.
After a moment of silence, his eyes lit up, as if he had recalled something.
Some time ago, the extermination of tens of thousands of Yellow Turbans in Zhuo Commandery seemed to have been led by this Liu Jin, and he had even received praise from His Majesty.
After all, that battle in Zhuo Commandery was the first victory since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and it was highly valued by His Majesty. Therefore, those who were nominated still held some weight in the eyes of the court officials.
Thinking of this, He Jin's voice continued:
"Wait."
The official, who was about to leave, paused upon hearing this, his face growing more flustered, thinking he was about to be punished.
He quickly replied:
"May I ask what the Great General's orders are?"
"Is the Biebu Sima you mentioned the Liu Jin from Zhuo Commandery a while ago?"
He Jin stroked his long beard, his voice slowly coming through.
The official quickly nodded and said:
"Reporting to the Great General, it is indeed he who submitted this battle report."
He Jin became somewhat interested upon hearing this. After all, this young man had once annihilated tens of thousands of Yellow Turbans, thereby entering the court's attention.
Now, with another battle report, it was highly likely that he had achieved military success by killing enemies.
Thinking of this, a smile instantly appeared on He Jin's face. If good news came, he would naturally handle it personally.
When he reported it to the court, His Majesty would surely be delighted and praise him, and his position as Great General would become even more secure.
An urgent voice came out:
"Quickly report, what exactly is the battle result?"
The official dared not delay and quickly reported:
"Reporting to the Great General, Liu Jin, following the court's orders to go south and support Lu Zhi, passed through Wuji County in Zhongshan Commandery, encountered several thousand Yellow Turbans attacking the city, and subsequently annihilated them in one battle, killing several thousand people and beheading a Yellow Turban Qu Shuai."
He Jin, sitting in his study, was delighted upon hearing this. It was indeed good news.
It seems this Liu Jin has some ability. Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, this is the second major victory. Although only several thousand people were killed, beheading a Qu Shuai is no small achievement.
He lightly coughed and slowly said:
"Present the military achievements. I will then report them to His Majesty."
Soon, the door was pushed open, and an official was seen holding the battle report, respectfully placing it on the desk, then retreating.
He Jin picked it up and carefully examined it. Besides Liu Jin's signature, there were also joint signatures from Wuji County officials. This battle record could not be faked; it was likely true nine times out of ten.
After all, these people wouldn't be so bold as to forge military achievements. If the court investigated, these people would probably all be implicated.
He fell into deep thought. This young man had now achieved another merit. Reporting it up, he was probably hoping for a promotion.
He was currently only a Biebu Sima. Taking another step forward, he should be in the position of a Commandant. This official position was not small. Although it barely reached Two-Thousand Stone, it was not something just anyone could obtain.
This young man had no backing in the court. To advance further based on these merits alone would probably be difficult.
He Jin's eyes narrowed slightly as he fell into contemplation.
His influence in the court was not very strong. To gain a firm foothold, he had to win over some civil and military officials to serve him.
This Liu Jin was a good prospect. He was already demonstrating impressive military capabilities. If he were properly cultivated, he might very well become a valuable asset to him.
The only drawback was that Liu Jin was only a Thousand-Stone Sima Xu, and his position was somewhat low, not considered grand enough in He Jin's eyes.
However, with this military achievement, if he helped this young man secure the position of a Commandant, it should not be a problem.
If he performed well later, he could continue to be promoted and gradually cultivated to become one of his trusted followers.
He Jin nodded, still very much in favor of this idea, and decided that after the morning court session, he would report this matter and secure the position of Commandant for this young man.
He wasn't worried about whether this young man would be an ingrate, turning against him after growing powerful.
Anyone he promoted would essentially bear his He Jin's mark and could never break free in this lifetime.
Even if they left him to join those Eunuchs, powerful families, or noble gentry, they probably wouldn't be highly regarded by them, and might even be ostracized.
After all, in officialdom, the most detested are those who are two-faced. Once disloyal, no one would dare to trust them, and they would surely face exclusion.
Presumably, Liu Jin's official career would never advance further, so no matter what, this young man could not betray him.
Just then, another voice sounded from outside the room:
"Reporting to the Great General, the person who previously reported the battle results has presented one million coins, saying it is from Liu Sima as a token of respect for you, and hopes the General will accept it."
"Furthermore, this person also said that Liu Sima's admiration for the General is like the surging river, endless, and like the overflowing Yellow River, unstoppable."
"In this life, he will only follow the General's lead, obey every command, and will never betray you."
He Jin, sitting in his study, was delighted upon hearing this.
