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During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Chen Fan, the prefect of Le'an, was known for his dedication and outstanding administrative achievements. He was highly regarded by Li Ying, the Inspector of Qingzhou. However, due to disagreements with court ministers, he was demoted and became the prefect of Yuzhang.
In Yuzhang, there was a virtuous scholar named Xu Xi, whom Chen Fan greatly admired. Before Chen Fan even had a chance to settle into his new residence, he went to visit Xu Xi. He expressed his intention to emulate King Wu of Zhou, who was so busy seeking out worthy talents that his seat never had a chance to get warm, and sought Xu Xi's assistance.