The dinner was about to end when the moon was at its zenith. The group of people left by car one after another, and Chen Xi walked back in a daze, smelling of alcohol.
After all, after Fan Liang toasted the glass of wine, some people came one after another and toasted Chen Xi. Again, everyone who could hold the wine glass knew that Chen Xi could drink it, so Chen Xi drank a little. I feel lethargic, and all year round, it’s uncomfortable to be too awake.
"Zichuan, the road is difficult, isn't it." When Chen Xi was about to climb onto the frame of his bicycle to go home, Liu Bei stretched out his hand to support Chen Xi and said, and then the accompanying attendant naturally poured Chen Xi from a warm silver pot on the side. A bowl of hot milk.
"At least it can't be said that it's easy to leave." Chen Xi sighed, blew on the warm milk, took a few sips and said, "Actually, I'm not drunk, I just want to be drunk."
"I want to lead everyone in the right direction, but I find that the further back I go, the more difficult it becomes to achieve this goal." Chen Xi said with some regret, "It's a matter of political stance and concept."
The same person has completely different images in different people. Take Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty as an example. Sima Qian, Ban Gu, and Sima Guang were mentioned in the Historical Records, Hanshu, and Zizhi Tongjian just for the purpose of destroying the Xiongnu. The reviews are all completely different.
Everyone knew that there was a conflict between Sima Qian and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, but Sima Qian recognized Emperor Wu's achievements.
At the end of the Biography of the Huns, Sima Qian's evaluation of Yu was, "Although Yao was a virtuous man, he failed to succeed in his career. With Yu, Jiuzhou was at peace. If you want to establish a holy line, you can only choose a general! You can only choose a general!"
To put it simply, Sima Qian believed that it was imperative to conquer the Xiongnu. However, Sima Qian believed that the crusade against the Xiongnu would lead to the decline of people's livelihood in the country simply because Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty could not find a good prime minister. Fighting against the Xiongnu was a state matter and must be fought. But if the people's livelihood in the country is in decline, you have to take the blame.
When Ban Gu wrote the Han Dynasty, it was completely different to record Emperor Wu with the attitude of the descendants of the Han Dynasty. He was so highly regarded that he had no friends. As for fighting the Xiongnu, it was even more necessary to fight.
However, when Sima Guang studied Zizhi Tongjian, this was not the case at all. "Xiaowu was extravagant and lustful, and punished with severe punishments. He had luxurious palaces at home and foreign affairs abroad. He believed in gods and monsters and wandered around in an excessive way. He made the people exhausted. The reason why he became a thief is very different from that of Qin Shihuang."
Three people gave three reviews, and the content they wrote was all genuine and happened in history, but the three people's reviews were completely different.
Chen Xi knew this before. The so-called Six Classics annotated me, and my annotation of the Six Classics was nothing more than this.
Sima Qian stood in the position of a normal person and witnessed the prosperity of Wenjing and the hegemony of Hanwu, so he gave a reasonable evaluation, while Ban Gu stood in the lower reaches of history and clearly knew what Emperor Wu would do after that. of spirit.
Just like the Korean War, even though it suffered heavy losses, it allowed China to truly stand in a corner of the world instead of being recognized as a supported puppet.
Therefore, Ban Gu's evaluation is unimaginably high, and this spirit has always affected later generations. Not only did the Han Dynasty die due to force, but also after the Han Dynasty fell, there must be a Han Dynasty in every troubled time.
What was created was not a simple empire, but a spiritual backbone. Therefore, Ban Gu gave Emperor Wu a very high evaluation in the annals of history.
When Sima Guang came to rule Tongjian, it became another situation. Sima Guang was essentially opposed to foreign wars, so he dismissed the Han Dynasty's conquest of the Xiongnu. In addition, with the Song Dynasty, it was basically difficult to be regarded as unification. As for pioneering and enterprising, that is even more of a joke.
The simplest example is that the Qin Dynasty, the first unified dynasty, had an area of 3.4 million square kilometers. The two Jin Dynasties, which have always been regarded as the background, also had an area of 5.43 million square kilometers during the Western Jin Dynasty's victory. The Northern Song Dynasty's 2.8 million square kilometers did not even occupy the entire territory during the unification period of the Qin Dynasty, so the Song Dynasty's boast of unification was always refuted by others.
Naturally, Sima Guang clearly revealed his political thoughts in Zizhi Tongjian. Foreign war is absolutely undesirable. Even the most brutal Emperor Wu in foreign wars will have such a result. Do you think you are worthy of it? Are you competing with Emperor Wu?
Although from a certain perspective, Sima Guang's writing style in the history books is also a talent, and from a comparison perspective, he does praise Emperor Wu, but the comparison object is so rubbish that it is a bit of a curse, but in fact Sima Guang's meaning is very clear. , Emperor Wu is like that, you can't be like your ancestor Zhao Guangyi, and have a donkey, chariot and chariot competition on the Gaoliang River...
This is a bit insulting, but that’s what it actually means. However, in any case, Sima Guang’s writing about Emperor Wu was more to support Shenzong of the Song Dynasty and to suppress Wang Anshi. It’s just that the emperor of the Song Dynasty was too rubbish. In order to show the bad situation of foreign wars, Sima Guang Certain aspects are highlighted.
As a result, it looks like he is in Emperor Heiwu. In fact, the essence is to persuade Shenzong not to play with that madman Wang Anshi. He is the good minister who is worried about the Song Dynasty. Wang Anshi is just a brainless man who doesn't understand anything and is very stubborn.
Chen Xi has read these three volumes of history. Although Zizhi Tongjian has not read them all, and Hanshu has only read the chapters that he is interested in, because they involve Emperor Wu, whom Chen Xi is interested in, Chen Xi has read them carefully, so he knows very well that once they are involved When it comes to positions and politics, many things will be distorted.
As a family grows, its position will gradually change. This is inevitable. For a group, this is almost inevitable.
"Are you regretting your choice?" Liu Bei and Chen Xi asked with a faint smile after entering the carriage, "You must know that half of the current situation is due to your own efforts. If you think there is a problem, first The one I’m looking for is actually you.”
"I have never regretted this choice. In fact, even if I had to do it again, I would choose to drive the major families out of the country and let them transform into military nobles." Chen Xi said seriously, "I just chose this path. I clearly understand how difficult this road is.”
"You can't keep them under your wings forever, and you are not their biological father." Liu Bei's tone was very calm, "You have paved the way for them, and they are on the road. Now they should go on their own. ”
"That's true." Chen Xi said with a bit of regret, "But if I want both parties to develop relatively quickly, I must combine the resources at the hands of the aristocratic families. Although I have never actively suppressed the major aristocratic families from the beginning, When my policy is in operation, it is constantly squeezing the shares of major aristocratic families, causing them to gradually weaken as they grow."
Liu Bei nodded. He knew this. Chen Xi basically did not express the idea of suppressing the major aristocratic families. However, since Chen Xi came to power, while the aristocratic families became stronger, they did become weaker for the country as a whole. However, even if In this way, major aristocratic families still have many resources that Chen Xi needs. These resources are currently not available to other classes.
"I have to get some things that once belonged to certain aristocratic families in order to solve the problem, and the major aristocratic families are not stupid. Even my silent father-in-law actually understands my true pursuit in the next stage. "Chen Xi sighed, "I don't even know if I let them go or if they are exchanging benefits with me."
"I hope it's the former, because the former means that I can still control the situation in the future, but if it's the latter, sooner or later the major families will cut off the reins that bind them." Chen Xi said quietly, "What I can do There is also an upper limit to the benefits given.”
"You are thinking too far ahead. Even if you are planning for a rainy day, this will happen more than ten years or even decades later, and it is somewhat contradictory. Because of the balance of power, it is not a contradiction at all, and it will be more than ten years or even decades later. Years have passed and a generation has changed, and certain ways of thinking will also change." Liu Bei was not very satisfied with Chen Xi's hypothesis.
"There is indeed a possibility of the latter. In that case, to a certain extent, it is more in line with the interests of both parties." Chen Xi nodded and looked out the window without looking at Liu Bei, because he knew very well the possibility of that kind of thing. Not big.
As far as the paths that major aristocratic families are currently trying, various political systems and various management methods, although Chen Xi originally intended to use major aristocratic families as a testing ground, the major aristocratic families are more trouble-making than Chen Xi imagined. excellent.
Liu Bei patted Chen Xi on the shoulder, "Let's see, even if we really can't control it, don't we still have me as a clan member who needs to safeguard the interests of the royal family? At that time, I will convince them, when the interests are not enough to seduce them. , it’s time for strength to come into play.”
"It's barbaric, it's barbaric." Chen Xi said with a smile.
"Only a savage body can carry a noble spirit. You said this yourself." Liu Bei looked at Chen Xi calmly. Chen Xi was dumbfounded, and then nodded.
"That's right, no matter how beautiful the idea is, no matter how noble the spirit is, it still requires a savage body to execute it." Chen Xi nodded, "Forget it, even if the root cause of the disaster is laid, after all, it still depends on everyone's ability. "
"Sometimes you think too far, so what if you really lose control? The Central Plains is not still the Central Plains, and it is much better than before." Liu Bei persuaded Chen Xi.
Chen Xi nodded. He knew why he thought so far, because he knew that as far as the empire in the Central Plains was concerned, there were not many times when there would be such an opportunity, and as long as one generation succeeded, and the four hundred years of the empire continued, even if the empire continued in the period, Ups and downs, as the years go by, these ruled places will be completely assimilated by the Han Dynasty and many aristocratic families.
Therefore, Chen Xi wants to do better. Even if he has done very well, there is no limit to this matter. He actively wants to lead all the people and major families in the Central Plains to do more. It's good, but unfortunately their respective positions don't completely overlap.
