"Your Majesty has long said that Prime Minister Xiao has the talent to control the country, care for the people, provide wages, and never stop the food supply. How long the war has been going on, the food, soldiers, and supplies he is in charge of have been shipped out from Guanzhong in a steady stream. , ensuring His Majesty’s confidence to compete in the Central Plains.
Your Majesty was well aware of this, so when it came to declaring merit and rewards, he was named the number one meritorious official. "
Xiao He, Liu Ji and Lu Zhi were all from the same hometown. He served as a meritorious official in Peixian County and wholeheartedly supported Liu Ji, the pavilion chief. When Liu Ji went to Xianyang to serve, his colleagues pooled money to help him practice, and each of them contributed three hundred coins. , Xiao He, who was usually frugal, generously invested 500 yuan, fearing that Liu Ji would be wronged in terms of food, clothing, housing and transportation in the capital.
Later, when Chu and Han were fighting, Xiao He firmly defended Guanzhong from beginning to end, giving Liu Ji a solid foundation -
At worst, you can still go back and learn from the Qin State to stand in the west and confront the six eastern countries.
"I think His Majesty was probably thinking of the ten members of Xiao Xiangguo's clan who followed him, so he learned that more than ten Kundi from Xiangxiang's country were granted the title of food, and each of them was given food."
After hearing this, Bo Ji slowly added another sentence.
Yes, Xiao He also sent all the descendants of the clan who were good at fighting to the frontline army. To put it nicely, they were accompanying the whole clan, but in fact, all the men of the old Xiao family were used as hostages. Eliminate Liu Ji's own suspicion about independently managing the rear base camp.
"Well, His Majesty said in front of everyone yesterday that he would give Xiao Xiangguo an additional two thousand households to repay his kindness for giving him an extra two hundred yuan in travel expenses."
Hearing such anecdotes, Bo Ji couldn't help but smile, covered her mouth and chuckled,
“Xiao Xiangguo’s deal is really a good deal.
Now he has become a Marquis of Feng, and has the largest number of households in the world. With these two thousand households, other meritorious officials are truly incomparable. "
Lu Pheasant nodded with a smile, but he thought with awe in his heart that it was said in "The Rites of Zhou" that a king controls his ministers with "eight handles", that is, a king can control and balance his subordinates from eight different aspects.
These eight handles are in order Jue, Lu, Yu, Zhi, Sheng, Seize, Destroy and Execute——
The title is to control his nobility, the salary is to control his wealth, the gift is to control his luck, the placement is to control his behavior, the life is to control him, the seizure is to control his poverty, the deprivation is to control his crime, and finally, the punishment is to control his fault.
Facing Xiao He, who is the prime minister and ranks first in merit, the honors, honors and splendors that can be given to him have reached the extreme and cannot be added any more. Therefore, there are obviously not many tools left for Liu Ji among the eight handles, and the only tools left are seizing, abolishing and executing. Three choices were made.
"This is not a good thing. After a while, Xiao He, who has always been kind to the people, will soon be forced to start being greedy and usury, and then become a fish and meat village." Lu Fei curled his lips and cursed in his heart, but he had no choice but to say it out.
These old brothers knew the emperor's suspicion very well. In order to protect themselves, they crossed the sea and showed their magical powers. This trick Xiao He once used in history is called self-defilation.
However, judging from the results that Lu Pheasant knew, this move only barely passed the test, and the process was still extremely thrilling.
***
Xiao He was extremely favored here, but from Handan, the capital of Zhao State, in the distance, there was a touching sad report.
The travel-worn Prince Zhang Ao traveled day and night from Handan to Luoyang, knelt down in front of Liu Ji, and cried to report the death of the old Zhao King Zhang Er.
"My father could hardly speak in the last few days. He only ordered his couch to be turned towards the direction of Luoyang City, with tears in his eyes.
I know that my father has regrets in his heart and wants to see His Majesty again! "
Liu Ji was sitting in the nine-foot-high Emperor's Hall in the Nangong, with layers of curtains woven with warrior statues hanging beside him. The emperor's threat was so powerful that he felt deeply in his heart.
Zhang Ao, who was dressed in plain clothes, lay on the ground with tears streaming down his face, not daring to raise his head to take a closer look. He could only catch a glimpse of the figure that looked like it was on the ninth level of the sky with his peripheral vision. He suddenly shook violently, and the people on the left and right were so startled that they rushed to help him.
"Zhang Er, what else did he say?" Liu Ji asked, his voice trembling.
"Before my father passed away, he also told me to be His Majesty's most loyal minister and to always serve the Han and the Emperor loyally."
Zhang Ao kowtowed desperately and couldn't help crying again.
Liu Ji gave a soft "hmm", and felt that his eyes were blank, his ears were buzzing, and a series of pictures flashed through his mind like a revolving door. They were actually the first time he went to Waihuang County to meet Zhang more than ten years ago. When I heard it, he saw his high-spirited face.
The two of them were still young in their memories. Liu Ji had not yet become the chief of the pavilion at that time, and was just a commoner. Zhang Er was Liu Ji's idol and the most famous disciple of Wei Wuji, the Xinling Lord of Wei State.
In the village house in Waihuang County, he looked at the sword in Zhang Er's hand with great envy, and heard him proudly boast that this was a token given by Lord Xinling himself. It was made by the best craftsman in the entire Wei region. The fastest knife.
At this moment, Liu Ji was in tears. It turned out that Brother Zhang Er was also wrong when he said that the fastest knife in the world is time.
He sighed heavily and said, "I know, Brother Zhang Er is my good brother, but it's a pity that he left too early."
Xiao He in the audience also wiped away his tears and said,
"King Zhao is a famous figure of his generation and is well-known throughout the world. I believe that the posthumous title can be composed of the word 'jing'."
"Oh? What's the special meaning of the word "scape"?"
"There is a saying in the posthumous law. From righteousness to help, it is called Jing; to practice righteousness is called Jing; to aspire to the big picture is called Jing; to be virtuous is to look up to, which is called Jing. King Zhao's knight-errant is worthy of this word."
"That's fine. The First Emperor abolished the posthumous title because he felt that others were not qualified to judge him. I think that if I dare to act boldly throughout my life, I want justice from the world.
The word "jing" is good, so this is the word. Zhang Er was given the posthumous title of King Jing. "
Liu Ji gradually calmed down and said softly to Zhang Ao,
"You kid, you came to Luoyang in a hurry to see me, and you didn't bring many guards with you. How come only ten people came in total? If something goes wrong on the way, how can I explain it to your father?
That's it, don't rush back to Handan now. Just stay in the palace for a few more days, come here every day to learn about military and state affairs, and also meet the queen and princess and talk to them more.
After a few days, the canonization edict and ceremonial notes are ready. You can go back and bury your father in a grand ceremony with the title of the new King of Zhao. "
"My lord, I will obey the imperial edict."
***
In the early Han Dynasty, the imperial power did not extend to the kingdom. Liu Ji and the central government knew nothing about the situation in the various vassal states. Therefore, he naturally did not know that the seriously ill old Zhao King Zhang Er was on the bed with his sons Zhang Ao and Zhao Zhao. The thrilling dialogue between the old ministers of the country.
After being on the sick bed for almost half a year, Zhang Er's body was rapidly weakening like a candle in the wind. His gray and dry hair and sunken cheeks all told that the owner of this body was almost exhausted. .
He took out his crumpled hand from his pajamas and stretched it out to his son who was kneeling in front of the couch crying. Zhang Ao hurriedly stepped forward, wiping tears with one hand and holding his father's hand tightly with the other.
"After I died, Ao'er immediately left for Luoyang to meet the Holy Spirit. First, he went to report the funeral in person, and second, he asked for Princess Shang Luyuan.
The queen loves her daughter very much. Only by marrying her can you be truly safe.
Also, when you go to Luoyang, you must drive lightly and simply and don't bring too many guards, so that His Majesty can feel at ease. "
Zhang Ao lowered his head and cried, nodding fiercely. Zhao Guocheng, Xianggao Guangao and Zhao Wu, who were kneeling beside him, both had expressions of dissatisfaction on their faces, but they were covered by their grief and could not be easily noticed.
But Zhang Er saw this and felt anxious for a moment. He forced his upper body up and gasped, saying,
"Guan Gao, Zhao Wu, you have followed me for thirty years, and it is a life-long friendship. I will entrust my son to you two today...
My son is too smart and has a lively mind. He is prone to slander and jealousy. If you still recognize me as your master, you must help the young master keep a low profile and protect yourself wisely.
If you dare to encourage him from the side and cause disaster, you will be the eternal sinners of my Zhao family... I will not rest in peace even under Jiuquan. "
Guan Gao and Zhao Wu responded in a muffled voice without saying a word, only kowtowing repeatedly.
"In this world, people with the surname Liu will eventually live, and our kingdoms with different surnames will not last long.
You should take care of yourself and never try to fight with Liu Ji and Lu Pheasant. You...can't beat him and his wife. "
