When Ji Sunsi heard what Zi Lu said, he couldn't help but take another breath of cold air.
But when I thought about it again, I felt that it made sense:
"It's just... once Fei Yi falls down the city wall, won't our Ji family have no barrier to speak of? If something unexpected happens, I, the Ji family, will have no way out!"
Zilu was hesitant about Ji Sunsi's hesitation, but he didn't know what to say.
Because his master Confucius had told him long ago that he must not be too active in this matter.
Therefore, at this moment, he could only hold up his hands and say:
"Just follow the wishes of the family master."
Ji Sunsi was still undecided, and the quarrels among the students became increasingly noisy. This made him a little upset.
Li Ran, on the other hand, has been observing Ji Sunsi's every move from the back row. Seeing this situation, knowing that the time was ripe, he immediately walked over.
Ji Sunsi also saw Li Ran, urged Zilu to stand up together, and went to greet him.
After the two of them saluted each other, they both felt that the place was a little noisy, so they lined up the crowd and walked a little further.
Zilu, Gongeryue and Guanger followed behind.
After finding a secluded place, and after everyone around him became quiet, Li Ran smiled and said:
"I didn't expect that Mr. Jisun would be in such a good mood today that he would come to the township school assembly and listen to the gossips of these little Confucians!"
But I heard Ji Sunsi sigh and say:
"Just because I heard Zhong Yu mention it, this rural school assembly is also a place where talents come out in large numbers, and there are always some talents who will stand out from the crowd. It's just that I may have been unlucky to come here, but I didn't hear any high-level remarks... …By the way, I wonder why sir is here?”
Li Ran replied with a smile:
"Back then, Li Ran ran away from Luoyi and was unfamiliar with the place when he first arrived in Lu. It was at this rural school gathering that he got to know your father and his uncle and grandson Muzi. Therefore, Li Ran's visit today is just a Let’s revisit the old place.”
"Did Lord Jisun encounter something recently? Why do you think of looking for talented people here?"
Ji Sunsi sighed again and nodded:
"It's exactly what you said! Alas... just because of Fei Yi's matter, I am really worried!"
When Li Ran heard this, he couldn't help but smile slightly and said:
"Oh, it turns out it's for this matter. Haha, although this matter is also related to the future of the Lu Kingdom, in the final analysis, it is also Lord Jisun's family matter. It's not convenient for us to intervene!"
"However... the topic of this meeting is also what Mr. Zhenghe is concerned about. I wonder what Mr. Jisun has in mind?"
Ji Sunsi looked dejected and said:
"Hey...it's still hard to decide!"
So, Li Ran immediately followed the trend and invited:
"I wonder... Lord Ji Sun, do you have some free time? Li has nothing to do at the moment. If Lord Ji Sun doesn't mind, can you go to the house to talk about it?"
After hearing this, Ji Sunsi immediately replied:
"Very good! It's so good. It's such an honor for Sir to be willing to talk to you!"
So, Li Ran and Ji Sunsi each boarded their own carriages and headed towards the apricot grove outside the city.
Gong Eryue asked a little strangely:
"Why did you invite Ji Sunsi?"
Li Ran smiled at her and responded to him lightly:
"Haha, just have a heart-to-heart talk with him."
Gong Eryue curled her lips and said:
"With him? With the Ji family? But there's nothing to talk about."
Guang'er's big eyes rolled around and asked:
"Is my father going to talk to him about the demolition of Feiyi? After today's meeting, Ji Sunsi must have been a little shaken in his heart!"
When Li Ran heard this, he couldn't help but look at Guang'er in surprise.
He didn't expect that Guang'er could see the key to this at such a young age. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little worried:
Did they do it too deliberately? After all, even Guang'er can see it, so Ji Sunsi is not a stupid person, and he may have doubts in his heart!
Arriving at Xinglin Li Ran's mansion.
Li Ran asked Gong Eryue to take Guang'er down, while he personally welcomed Ji Sunsi and Zilu to the living room.
In the living room, Ji Sunsi was holding a cup of water, but he hesitated to drink it. He only saw a melancholy look on his face.
Li Ran couldn't help but smile when he saw this:
"Lord Ji Sun...could it be that there is something wrong with the water in this cup?"
After hearing this, Ji Sunsi came back to his senses and replied:
"Oh, how dare you, how dare you..."
Ji Sunsi quickly took a sip of water, drank it all in one gulp, and put the water cup back on the table:
"Mr. Ziming, Si has heard all the arguments in today's meeting. But... whether Fei Yi has to fall down the city wall, Si still has some doubts. I hope Sir can clear up my doubts!"
Li Ran asked:
"But I don't know...what misgivings does Mr. Ji Sun have?"
Ji Sunsi was silent for a moment and winked at Zilu. Zilu immediately stood up, cupped his hands and said:
"Please wait outside, please leave!"
After Zilu finished speaking, he bowed and exited the living room.
In the entire empty living room, only Ji Sunsi and Li Ran were left.
At this time, Ji Sunsi sighed and said:
"Hey... To be honest, sir, I have two worries now!"
"First of all, as we all know, Feiyi is the capital of our Ji family. In addition to our Ji family, the Lu State also has Shusun family and Meng family! If our Ji family demolishes the city wall, wouldn't it be equivalent to Let me, Ji, cut off her arms and wrists?"
"Secondly, I, Ji Sunsi, do not have disloyal intentions, but as a member of the Qing family, I naturally have to consider my own family. Now that the world is in chaos and there are no rules on etiquette and music, I am afraid that my family will not be able to do anything. If this corner of the city is regarded as a barrier, it will be plotted against by others in the future..."
"Sir... today's words are from the bottom of my heart. Mr. Si Zhi is a gentleman. Today, Si is sincerely asking for advice. I hope that Mr. Si can teach me..."
When Li Ran heard these words, he found that Ji Sunsi was indeed confused enough. Otherwise, this question would definitely not be so straightforward with his former "family enemy".
Li Ran was also a little caught off guard.
He never thought that the Ji Sunsi in front of him was really completely different from his father Ji Pingzi.
However, Li Ran soon figured out the reason.
After all, it was Yang Hu who supported Ji Sunsi. So his thoughts are relatively simple.
It is precisely because of this that Yang Hu was able to control the state affairs of Lu for several years.
If Yang Hu hadn't messed around with him in the end, it would have been difficult for Yang Hu to overturn just by looking at Ji Sunsi in front of him.
As for Li Ran, although Li Ran hated the Ji family deeply before.
But to a large extent, it was only aimed at Ji Sun Yiru. For the descendants, such as the Ji Sunsi in front of me now, I can't feel any more hatred for the moment.
What's more, now he and Ji Sunsi have the same goal. Therefore, even if Li Ran is not interested in the Ji family, reaching a certain degree of reconciliation with Ji Sunsi is the consensus that Li Ran hopes to reach now.
"Haha, Master Jisun, what are you talking about? Since Master Jisun told Li Ran so sincerely, then Li Ran will not hide it from you anymore!"
"My lord's first concern seems to be very reasonable on the surface, but it is not true. Now that the feudal lords are in trouble in Li Yi, they will inevitably fall first in the future. Your Excellency, you can wait until Li Yi is destroyed before doing this. Things! By then, the Ji family and the Shusun family have already lost their main cities, how can the Meng family survive alone?"
"As for the latter concern, haha, forgive Li Ran for making such bold assumptions. The "other person" that Master Ji Sun is worried about is probably Lu Hou, right?"
Ji Sunsi couldn't help but be shocked when he heard this, but he didn't dare to defend himself, because Li Ran directly exposed his deepest worries with one word.
Yes, the main city of the Ji family was destroyed and the city wall was destroyed. If the Marquis of Lu and the Ji family fell out and Fei Yi couldn't defend it, wouldn't he just have to run away?
But seeing Ji Sunsi's noncommittal look, Li Ran couldn't help but sneered again and said:
"Haha, Sir Ji Sun is really worried. In the past, ever since Duke Zhao of Lu was dismissed from the Central Army, the Duke of Lu no longer had any real power in the military. And the Ji family now occupies the majority of the three armies. , So, since the office does not have military power at the moment, can it still threaten your Ji family?"
"What's more, if the Ji family can serve the monarch well in the future, why should they worry about being abandoned by the Marquis of Lu? Lu Zheng comes from the Ji family. This is an indisputable fact. Could it be that Lord Ji Sun has no confidence in this? What?"
"So... Lord Jisun, compared to Lu Hou, Fei Yi's troubles are probably even greater!"
——
Chapter 661_The informal politician
Ji Sunsi took a deep breath and obviously agreed with Li Ran's words.
"Sir's words are enlightening. It seems that the city wall of Feiyi... is not infallible!"
At this time, Li Ran thought about how to speak. He calmed down for a moment, then said again:
"Yes! In fact, not only does the doctor not have to worry about this, but also, if you can fall into Feiyi, you will actually have three benefits!"
Ji Sunsi couldn't help but raise his head and asked in surprise:
"Oh? How?"
Li Ran couldn't help but smile slightly and replied:
"The walls of Feiyi are very tall. Just repairing them every year costs a lot of money. Coupled with the standing garrison, it costs a lot of money every day. If the city walls fall down, they can save money and labor. Not only can the doctor You can save a lot of money, and you can also use this to win over the hearts of Fei Yi. By then, the people of Fei Yi will all support the Ji family, are you still afraid that the people of Fei Yi will not accept it?"
"This is a benefit."
"Secondly, once the city wall falls, Feiyi can expand outward without any hindrance, and use this to increase cultivated land and expand the commercial market. From this, your Ji family can also obtain more tribute, which will be beneficial to the country and the people. It’s beneficial and harmless!”
"Thirdly, the Ji family is the head of the three emperors. As the saying goes, 'The trees are beautiful in the forest', if the officials can knock down the city wall of Feiyi by themselves, they can avoid a lot of criticism in the future. This will enable the Ji family to survive for a long time. It’s a plan!”
"So, with these three benefits, why would the doctor not do it?!"
Ji Sunsi listened thoughtfully.
Li Ran's opinions are obviously much smarter than those of students in rural schools. At least, every word Li Ran said was based on Ji's interests, which naturally made it easier to impress Ji Sunsi.
However, despite this, Ji Sunsi still has some doubts.
After all, although he had never personally experienced the grudges between Li Ran and the Ji family, since he was now the head of the Ji family, it was impossible for him to be unaware of it.
Moreover, Li Ran was obviously closer to the Shusun family in the past, which inevitably made Ji Sunsi very worried.
After listening to Li Ran's words, Ji Sunsi had no more words for a moment, but he had no intention of leaving.
Li Ran is such a smart person, how could he not see the reason why Ji Sunsi is still hesitant?
Li Ran smiled slightly at this time and asked:
"Haha, Lord Jisun, are you still worried about when the Shusun family will move?"
After hearing this, Ji Sunsi suddenly raised his head, looked at Li Ran in surprise, and then awkwardly held hands with Li Ran.
At this time, Li Ran said calmly and calmly:
"Haha, actually...the Shusun family has the same concerns as your Excellency? They are just waiting for an opportunity, and Li Yi will definitely fall!"
"If you don't believe me, you can mention the matter of the Three Capitals in front of your Majesty tomorrow morning during the court meeting!"
"The Ji family is the head of the Three Huans. If you can take the initiative, then the Shusun family will fall to Liyi first. By then, Master Jisun will be able to sit back and relax completely."
Ji Sunsi couldn't help but nodded after hearing this. But then, Ji Sunsi raised an extremely sensitive question:
"Sir...actually...there is still something unclear, sir, please enlighten me..."
Li Ran listened and asked:
"Oh? Sir, do you still have any questions?"
Ji Sunsi thought about it again, sighed, and then said:
"Hey... I am grateful to you for not giving up, Mr., and for understanding your teachings many times. In fact, I have no other doubts now, but... Mr. and my late father were mortal enemies before. But now... Mr. Why do you want to help me, the Ji family? I am really puzzled..."
Li Ran couldn't help but be startled when he heard this question.
Obviously, Li Ran did not expect that Ji Sunsi would ask such a straightforward question this time.
However, this problem is no longer a problem for Li Ran today.
Li Ran smiled slightly and replied:
"Haha, since you asked sincerely, how could Li Ran not tell you frankly?"
"It is true that I, Li Ran, have an old feud with your father and even your great-grandfather. That is why Li also hated Wujiwu back then, and he hated the Ji family deeply."
"However, after experiencing these years, Li has also seen many things clearly from it."
"For example, as far as the Ji family is concerned, as I said before, it is an indisputable fact that Lu Zheng came from the Ji family. Now that the Marquis of Lu is weak, Lord Ji Sun will sooner or later become more experienced as he grows older and richer in experience. He wants to take charge of the state affairs for Marquis Lu."
"But Master Ji Sun is completely different from your father's way. When your father was alive, he only knew the advantages of Quan Qing, but did not know the shortcomings of Quan Qing. Therefore, he and Lu Zhaogong became life-and-death enemies! "
"When the two fought against each other, although Lu Zhaogong was defeated by the Ji family, he died in depression. However, the Ji family was also captured by Yang Hu in the end. From this, it can be seen that both of them will suffer in the end!"
"The events of the past are still vivid in my mind. Your Excellency is the sect master of the Ji family. You must observe the principles here!"
"So, Li has one more thing to say, please remember it, Dr. Ji Sun!"
At this time, Ji Sunsi heard the words, but without saying a word, he immediately stood up and knelt on the ground, and bowed his hands, ready to listen to Li Ran's teachings.
Just listen to Li Ran continue to say:
"The Ji family has done many unjust things and is in danger. Fortunately, God has never stopped the Ji family to produce such a loyal and loyal master. If you really think about the future of the Ji family, please remember these four words - respect the emperor and love the people. !”
"If your Excellency can do this, the Ji family will be very lucky, and the people of Lu will be very lucky! Just like Zheng Guozi Chan in the past, if your Excellency really has the ambition to care about the family and the country and benefit the people, then why should Li be an enemy of the Ji family again? ?”
"However, these words today are spoken from the bottom of my heart! Sir Ji Sun, please think about them and be careful."
Li Ran's words were indeed sincere and he stated his position very straightforwardly.
Ji Sunsi couldn't help but be moved when he heard this.
After this period of precipitation, Li Ran's thoughts have also undergone earth-shaking changes.
Before, he really wanted to support the office and suppress Quan Qing, especially after seeing the tyranny of Ji Sun Yiru, Feng Duan and others.
However, after going through a lot of failures and trials, especially after seeing the stubbornness of King Chu Ling and the jealousy of the princes, Li Ran's current thinking has undergone a huge change.
In his current view, truly good politics does not actually lie in what it is, but the most important thing is still "people"!
Regardless of whether you are a king or a minister, if it can really bring benefits to the people of the world, then why should you be obsessed with "form"?
Of course, there are kings of a country who are diligent and love the people like Duke Zhao of Lu, but there are also models who are militaristic like King Ling of Chu.
As for Quan Qing, although there are more snobs like Fan Yang and Tian Qi who are afraid of chaos in the world, it is undeniable that there are indeed examples like Zichan and Shuxiang who dedicated their lives to the country.
Ji Sunsi was silent for a long time, and finally raised his head and said:
"Sir's words are unforgettable to me. I will remember your teachings! Tomorrow morning, I will propose to your Majesty that you go to the three capitals!"
When Li Ran heard this, he couldn't help but feel happy and said:
"Lord Jisun has gained great benefits for the country, but he has given up small personal gains! Children can be taught, children can be taught!"
Ji Sunsi waved his hand and said:
"Mr. Dayi, he solved this confusion for Si. Si is by no means a hard-hearted person, so how could he not feel anything?"
Li Ran and Ji Sunsi had another conversation, and after explaining the details of tomorrow's meeting, Ji Sunsi said goodbye and left.
Li Ran sent Ji Sunsi out of the house, and Zilu saw that both of them were smiling, guessing that the agreement had been reached.
Ji Sunsi and Zi Lu each got into the carriage and left.
And Li Ran stood at the gate, his mood unable to calm down for a long time.
Fan Li suddenly said:
"What Mr. Ji Sunsi said just now... was it rhetoric or sincerity?"
Li Ran came back to his senses and glanced at Fan Li. It seemed that Fan Li also heard the conversation between him and Ji Sunsi.
"Haha, there is reality within the fictitious, and there is fictitiousness within the reality. There are words in it, but the heart is also sincere!"
Fan Li said curiously:
"Mr., have you really changed your mind?"
Li Ran didn't shy away from it and nodded to him:
"Is there really a difference between the way of the king and the power of the king? If the way of the king does not exist, it is replaced by the power of the king. If the power of the king is uncontrolled, it is controlled by the way of the king. Aren't these two mutually exclusive entities? ?”
"The failure of the monarch's way is due to the fate of heaven. Even if a wise man is found occasionally, it is not a long-term solution. Although the power of the minister is below him, if he can carry out his affairs with great virtue, isn't it better than those who are mediocre and violent? Is your monarch much stronger?"
Li Ran really figured it out.
In fact, strictly speaking, aren't Huo Guang, Zhuge Liang, Zhang Juzheng and others in later generations also first-rate ministers of power?
Although these people are not the kings of a country, they are all important ministers of a country who care about the world.
In this era, Guan Zhong, Zi Chan and others were all examples of how to take charge of a country with the power of ministers.
Fan Li was quite surprised by these remarks.
However, he was also the most adaptable person, and he quickly understood what Li Ran meant.
"Sir's words are not bad. The reality is such that there have been countless powerful ministers since ancient times, but those who made the country achieve hegemony and make the seas and rivers clear, such as Zhao Wenzi of Jin State, Zichan of Zheng State, Guan Zhong of Qi State, etc. They are definitely not in the minority!"
Li Ran couldn't help but sigh:
"It's just... I wonder if Ji Sunsi can truly understand the profound meaning of this?..."
Obviously, because of his lack of qualifications, Ji Sunsi has not yet gained the attention of the dark people. But it's hard to say whether he will change his mind when he regains control of the Lu Kingdom as the leader of the Ji family.
"However, the matter of Sandu City is still on the string and must be launched! Now, the aim of this matter is not to attack the city, but to attack its heart!"
When Fan Li heard what Li Ran said, he was also convinced, and he couldn't help but replied smartly:
"Haha, attacking the heart is the first priority, and attacking the city is the second priority. But... I'm afraid that Gongshan is not ferocious, and it will make it difficult to sleep and eat well!"
When Li Ran heard this, he couldn't help but look towards Fan Li, and tapped him with his finger, giving him a knowing smile.
At this moment, I heard Liguang shouting from all over the house:
"Alijun, where are you?"
When Fan Li heard this, he quickly responded:
"Guang'er, Fan Li is here!"
Liguang said:
"Come here quickly!"
Fan Li glanced at Li Ran, who smiled and said:
"Haha, go ahead."
Fan Li cupped his hands towards Li Ran and stepped back.
Li Ran, on the other hand, stood at the door for a while before entering.