Liu Yan glanced around the room, and even Zhuge Liang showed a hint of interest. It seemed that the saying "A fair lady is what every gentleman desires" held true.
"Diao Chan," Liu Yan said solemnly, raising his thumb.
"Of course," Lu Su, Chen Xi, and the others nodded in agreement. There was a clear political inclination in this ranking, but that was inevitable. Diao Chan's actions aligned with the era's values of loyalty and filial piety, and she was undoubtedly a beauty. Even if her looks were on par with others like Cai Yan and Zhen Mi, her first-place standing was solid.
"So that means Lu Bu has already claimed four first places. Besides the top spot for civil officials, which likely belongs to Zichuan, Lu Bu has secured first place in warriors, weapons, fine horses, and beauties," Li You remarked in a neutral tone.
"It can't be helped. When it comes to martial prowess, there's no arguing against Lu Bu. If anyone disagrees, they can challenge him. As for weapons, the strongest belongs to the strongest warrior. Regarding fine horses, Red Hare is unquestionably first. And as for the title of the most beautiful woman, while there may be some debate, Diao Chan's deeds ensure her top spot, even if others match her in looks," Liu Yan explained with a hint of helplessness. He would have liked to see Xu Zi avoid placing Lu Bu first, but if you don't rank him at the top, who else could take that position? Despite Lu Bu's flaws in character and morals, his unparalleled martial skills leave little room for dispute.
"What about the top civil official?" Zhuge Liang stepped in, helping to steer the conversation away from a sensitive subject. Everyone was interested, but no one wanted to be the first to ask, making Zhuge Liang's question a welcome change.
"That one's still undecided. Xu Zi leans towards Zichuan but hasn't given a definitive answer. He's still deliberating," Liu Yan replied after glancing at Chen Xi, causing the others to nod in understanding.
"Zichuan, why are you frowning?" Jia Xu noticed Chen Xi's expression and asked.
"The civil official ranking won't be released for a while—at least not until we've secured the north," Chen Xi replied with a smile. "Xu Zi isn't confident yet. He's still worried that we might lose."
"If we win, everyone's rankings will rise," Chen Xi continued. "I imagine quite a few strategists on Yuan Shao's side are ranked highly right now, but once we defeat them, the rankings will become clearer."
Everyone laughed at that. "Let's focus on defeating them first! Once we've beaten them, our rankings will definitely improve!"
"As for the young talents ranking, the top spot currently belongs to Kongming. Xu Zi gave him a very high evaluation. Initially, Xu Zi considered putting Fa Xiaozhi at the top, but after some hesitation, he decided that placing Fa Xiaozhi in the young talents category would be unfair to the others," Liu Yan shared with a smile.
"Fa Xiaozhi... putting him in the young talents ranking would indeed be a bit much," Jia Xu commented, and the others nodded in agreement. Fa Zheng's abilities were already fully developed, making him more than capable of standing alongside the older generation. His only shortfall was a lack of experience.
Zhuge Liang's expression clearly showed his dissatisfaction. He resolved to work harder and prove himself, aiming to break into the civil officials ranking. The prestige of that ranking far surpassed that of the young talents list.
"When will the rankings be released?" Zhuge Liang asked, his rare eagerness showing.
"It's hard to say. The warrior rankings, weapons rankings, beauty rankings, and fine horses rankings are already out. The young talents ranking will take a bit longer. As for the civil officials ranking, while it may not be delayed until we conquer Hebei as Zichuan suggested, it will still take some time," Liu Yan replied with a smile.
"That works for me," Zhuge Liang nodded, satisfied. Since there was still time, he planned to find a way to make it onto the civil officials ranking. He'd leave the top spot in the young talents ranking to...
Two figures flashed through Zhuge Liang's mind—one with a dark face and thick eyebrows, and the other with sharp eyes and a predatory gait. As he thought of them, Zhuge Liang couldn't help but smirk. He needed to secure his place in the civil officials ranking before those two realized there was even a ranking. Let them deal with the young talents list...
A subtle smile spread across Zhuge Liang's face.
Out of nowhere, Zhuge Liang found himself driven by the desire to outshine Pang Tong and Sima Yi. Since his birth, these two had been the only peers who consistently made him feel uneasy. While Fa Zheng also bothered him, Zhuge Liang could easily ignore him as long as he wasn't around. But those other two... they always seemed to haunt him.
"Kongming seems excited. Speaking of the young talents ranking..." Chen Xi rubbed his chin thoughtfully and asked, "Does being unmarried qualify someone as a young talent?"
"It seems so..." The group paused, and Liu Yan thought for a moment before replying. After all, Xu Zi's definition of "youth" was somewhat vague. While Chen Xi and Zhou Yu might still fit the category, including Fa Zheng in the young talents list did seem a bit unfair.
"Kongming, I recall you have a fiancée, right?" Li You, who held Zhuge Liang in high regard, asked.
"Teacher, yes, I do have a fiancée. The problem is, she's currently in Jingzhou and only fourteen years old," Zhuge Liang replied with a hint of embarrassment.
"I'll write a betrothal letter for you later. Jingzhou is a place of constant turmoil—it's not a good place to leave her. Which family is she from?" Li You asked, his tone assertive.
Li You, who had no sons and only two daughters, treated Zhuge Liang like a cherished disciple. If Zhuge Liang hadn't already been engaged, Li You would have offered his own daughter in marriage, ensuring that his knowledge and legacy would live on through Zhuge Liang.
"She's the eldest daughter of the Huang family," Zhuge Liang replied with a wry smile. Despite his modesty, he didn't object to the arrangement. He had met Huang Yueying before, and while her appearance wasn't her strongest suit, her intelligence was something even Zhuge Liang couldn't help but admire.
"Congratulations, congratulations," Chen Xi teased Zhuge Liang, playfully offering his best wishes. Most of the men in this group had been engaged early in life, as was the custom of the time.
"I can't help but think of Fa Xiaozhi's unfortunate situation," Jia Xu sighed. Li You had grown attached to Zhuge Liang, just as Jia Xu had with Fa Zheng. It was hard not to appreciate a bright student, and Jia Xu felt a pang of sympathy for Fa Zheng's misfortunes.
Everyone shared a moment of silence, feeling a collective pity for Fa Zheng. Despite his youth, he had already achieved a position of significant authority. In any other context, he'd be considered an ideal son-in-law. Yet, his streak of bad luck seemed unmatched...