Outside the official office of Huaiyin County Government, the ceremonial carriages of the King of Chu were parked densely, blocking a narrow road that was not wide.
Countless armored guards and soldiers holding shields were arranged in two rows. Behind the guard phalanx and the chariot phalanx, it was so majestic that it could not be seen to the end.
There was also a fleet of yellow axes that represented the authority of the princes and kings. A large axe stood brightly in the carriage. The axe's blade was wide and crescent-shaped. It was baked by the midday sun and glowed brightly.
Although Han Xin had already entered the Yamen Hall, the four-horse drum car and song car in the ceremony outside the door were still playing music.
Han Xin, who was sitting in the yamen office, heard the sound of silk and bamboo floating in the distance in his ears, and what he saw in front of his eyes was the chief of the pavilion who hurriedly came from the Nanchang Pavilion in the county, and the people who were led overnight by the Huaiyin County Cheng. The bad boy who was caught blocking the road and provoking him.
The middle-aged pavilion director back then is still the pavilion director now. His appearance and situation have not changed much, except that his temples are starting to turn a little white. His plump body is the same as before, and he is covered in a long, old, rough silk coat. He was kneeling, but he couldn't hide his trembling.
The pavilion was one of the last organizations of the government during the Qin and Han Dynasties. It was mainly located at various traffic thoroughfares across the country. Usually, there must be one pavilion within every ten miles.
As the lowest-level official, the pavilion chief's daily work includes receiving official messengers and sending and receiving government letters. He is also responsible for arresting thieves and maintaining local security.
Han Xin looked at him. In his impression, the pavilion chief seemed much taller than the middle-aged man in front of him who kept nodding and bowing.
I remember that the pavilion chief always liked to wear a farmer's hat, and his round head and face were always held high. Every time the two of them passed by, his eyes were higher than his head, so majestic that he never seemed to see himself.
Han Xin was a little dazed, so he shifted his gaze to the young man in short clothes who was kneeling next to the pavilion chief and shaking even more violently.
The arrogant and domineering young man did not join the army or leave the county during these nine years of ups and downs. He only worked as a straw sandal vendor.
Therefore, the county magistrate led a group of lieutenants, and under the guidance of the market leader, they easily picked him out from the bustling market.
At this moment, the young man was kneeling on the ground covered with rhombus-patterned square tiles, holding tightly to the gaps between the bricks with his fingers, not daring to let out any air. He could only feel that the raised lines of the bricks under his knees were like thin steel cables. It's almost embedded in the flesh.
He has bullied countless people in his life, and letting the weak get under his crotch was his favorite trick. But who would have thought that things would turn around and a Chu King would appear under his crotch.
The county magistrate sitting in the hall tremblingly told the whole process of arresting the young man. Han Xin couldn't help but laugh when he heard the name of the street again——
That was the bustling city where he experienced crotch humiliation. After going around and around, he was back again.
***
What used to be fish and meat is now a knife. Han Xin couldn't help but feel proud, but more importantly, he was impressed by the power of fate.
He was just thinking about how to express his regrets when he suddenly noticed that the Huaiyin County Magistrate, County Lieutenant and other officials standing in the hall, including officials who came from surrounding villages and towns, were all looking at the excitement in a way that they were not interested in the excitement. With a look of suspicion, he was waiting for his next treatment of these two people.
In countless fantasies in the past, at this time, he should be happy to express his gratitude and revenge, but now, everyone's gloating eyes made him sober up.
Yes, he has become the King of Chu that these people must look up to throughout their lives. If he really wanted to use his power to retaliate against them, it would be more common than crushing ants on the roadside.
However, he is no longer what he used to be. He has seen stronger and stronger people.
From the actions of the emperor and queen of the Han Dynasty, Han Xin vaguely realized that perhaps, for those in power, the highest level of power expression is often not violent conquest and killing, but top-down forgiveness and charity——
I am strong enough that I don’t need to take you seriously, and I am strong enough that I don’t need to be afraid of your existence;
Since you can no longer threaten me, whether you live or die is no longer important to me.
Thinking of this, Han Xin smiled, and the faint murderous look on his face disappeared, replaced by a trace of kindness. He stood up, walked slowly down the hall, stretched out his hand to support the trembling pavilion director,
"Back then, I was sending food everywhere, but many people disliked me. Thanks to you, I took you in and harassed me for several months.
Now, I will give you a hundred dollars, which is several times the amount of food you paid back then. It can be considered as repayment. "
The director of the pavilion didn't dare to get up. He just lay on the ground and shook his head desperately, not daring to speak.
Han Xin ignored him and moved to the other side, standing in front of the young man who huddled up in a ball with fear.
"I remember you once said that a real man should wield a sword, but why have you never made any achievements?
Seeing that you are also a strong man, I will give you another chance. "
The whole hall was in an uproar, and the young man raised his head slightly in fear, not daring to look at Han Xin's face, but just staring at the slightly shaking scabbard in front of him.
He still wore the bronze sword of unknown origin, but the sword belt was replaced with fine leather, passed through the jade jade on the front of the scabbard, and hung loosely around his waist.
"You go to Xiapi tomorrow and become a lieutenant in the army.
This time, you have to work hard and don't be a coward. "
The young man who thought he was certain to die suddenly burst into tears. He kowtowed and uttered random words of gratitude.
***
Seeing that there was nothing to say at this moment, the county magistrate whispered again that he had gone to Lao Piao's mother's house to look for him this morning based on Han Xin's description, but he never found anyone.
Han Xin looked at the bright skylight outside the corridor, thought for a while, and said,
"I know where Piao Mu is. You can follow me to find her."
The mighty ceremonial chariots and carriages set off again, with Yu Bao preaching along the way, until they reached the small river outside Huaiyin City.
The peasant women who were rinsing on the shore had never seen such a royal battle. They all got up and hid aside amidst the scoldings of the soldiers.
Han Xin, however, had sharp eyes and caught sight of an elderly woman under the big willow tree, who was also busy gathering silk floss.
He turned over and dismounted, ran to her in three steps and two steps at a time. Without saying anything, he just squatted down, took the silk thread from her hand skillfully, wrung it out gently, and made a strand of every twenty threads, neatly Put it into the bamboo basket beside her.
The old woman was stunned for a moment, looking at his splendid dark clothes woven with leopard heads and mottled patterns, and then carefully studying the heroic face for a while, then grinned and said with a smile,
"It's you, you're back."
"Yes, I'm back, old man. I didn't expect to see you again."
"You are so majestic now."
This was the most unintentional statement, but for some reason, Han Xin, who had always been decisive in killing, actually felt a slight heat on his face.
Ever since he arrived in Chu State, he could always feel that there was a gloomy gaze coming from the depths of Luoyang Imperial City, always observing him coldly, like a gleam on his back.
Therefore, no matter where he enters or exits, he must line up his troops and assume a majestic posture as the king of the land, as if he is showing off on a homecoming, or as if he is emboldening his courage with bluff.
I wonder if the emperor thousands of miles away can see through his guilty conscience?
"Old man, do you still have pancakes with you? I'm... a little hungry and want to ask for a piece of pancake."
Han Xin was a little embarrassed and wanted to change the topic.
"Yes, yes." The old woman tremblingly took out a linen bag from the bottom of the basket, opened it and saw half a gray wheat cake inside.
Han Xin solemnly took the cake and gestured to his side, and two sergeants carried the load and placed a large box of golden round cakes in front of the old woman.
He smiled and said,
"Old man, you feed me with wheat cakes, and I give you gold cakes in return. Since you say that I am a king's grandson, I will repay you in the way of a king's grandson."
The old woman also smiled and did not refuse. She just looked at him, then at the huge ceremony behind him, and said softly,
"You, the grandson of the king, went out to have a great time, but did you get what you wanted?"
This question was like a wake-up call, and Han Xin was stunned.
***
In the Imperial City of Luoyang, Shusun Tong was hurriedly clearing away the slips and slips on the case.
He had just told the princes about "Spring and Autumn". In the third year of Xuan Gong's reign, the ambitious King of Chuzhuang Chen Bing went to the border of Emperor Zhou to show off his power. He arrogantly asked Wang Sunman, the envoy of Zhou Dynasty, about the nine tripods that Emperor Yu had cast. How big, heavy and geometric.
Wang Sunman answered calmly, "The destiny of a country in the world lies not in virtue but in Ding." With his eloquent words and eloquence, he defeated the ambition of King Chuzhuang to covet the royal power of the Zhou Dynasty.
The eldest prince Liu Fei was a little unconvinced.
"In this matter, no matter how good Wang Sunman is at eloquence, he can't hide the fact that Zhou Qi has declined.
If the Zhou Dynasty was still in its heyday, how could the little king of Chuzhuang dare to claim the throne? "
Shusun Tong was about to continue explaining when suddenly a message came from Huangmen, saying that the emperor had summoned him to go to Nangong to discuss matters.
Not daring to waste a moment, he turned around and ran back and forth, almost bumping into the queen who was passing by outside the hall.
Lu Pheasant was frightened by him and took a step back, caressing his chest and said,
"What is it that makes you so anxious, Fengchang?"
Shusun Tong bowed hurriedly and said, "Your Majesty summoned me to discuss matters. I was afraid that I would be missed, so I was in a hurry."
Lu Pheasant knew that, counting the time, those rumors about King Chu's behavior must have reached Liu Ji's ears.
Leaving aside everything else, the entry and exit of Chen Bing alone was enough to touch the emperor's sensitive skin.
This Han Xin would lose his temper every time something happened in the temple.
She glanced at Shu Sun Tong and said with a smile,
"I remember that you drafted a proposal but didn't dare to report it to His Majesty.
It seems to be about the rules for princes and kings to come to Beijing regularly to meet with each other? "
