When Zifang asked, he stood up with a smile and replied: "My opinion is completely opposite to everyone else's!" Everyone who heard this was surprised. Xiang Liang asked: "Sir, what do you think?" Zifang said: "General, please think about it, why did King Chen lose so quickly? Is it because he did not establish a descendant of King Chu? Now General Xiang takes Xiang Yan In order to command the people in the name of the Chu State, the people of Chu rushed to surrender. They believed that the general would definitely act in the interests of the Chu State, and believed that only you can revitalize the Chu State. Moreover, your Xiang family has been Chu ministers for generations, and you are also a loyal minister. , so how can the general become the king by himself? Now they advise you to become the king. This is simply setting the general up for injustice! Do you expect General Xiang to think twice?" After hearing this, Xiang Liang was in a dream, as if he was drunk. Fang Xing woke up and said: "Sir's words are indeed gold and jade. I almost did something to disgrace my ancestors. But now the Chu land has no owner, and the army and horses here are getting stronger and stronger. I want to go to war with the powerful Qin. I am afraid that my master will be unknown, so I would like to ask you, sir, to make some plans for me on how to revive the Chu Kingdom."
Zifang once again made a shocking statement: "Let the descendants of the King of Chu be kings, which will make all the people of Chu feel convinced!" Xiang Liang was shocked when he heard this, and said: "More than ten years ago, the Kingdom of Chu was attacked and destroyed by Wang Jian. I really don’t know if any of the king’s descendants have escaped. How can we find the descendants of King Chu now?” Zifang said, “We can look for this slowly.” Xiang Liang said, “Okay, let’s follow your wishes. I can do it. But if you can temporarily abandon the idea of restoring Korea and become my military advisor, then the mission of restoring Chu and destroying Qin will be successfully completed. I wonder what you want, sir?" Zifang said affectionately: " General, there is a person in this generation who is ten times better than me! If the general gets him, he will definitely be able to realize his great wish to destroy Qin and restore Chu. Don't you want to get this person?" Everyone was shocked after hearing this. Xiang Liang was even more shocked and asked who it was. Zifang said: "There is a strange man in Juhuan, Jiujiang County, named Fan Zeng. He is seventy years old. He is resourceful, has talents in the world, and has the ambition to help the world. Even Sun Wu and Fan Li in ancient times cannot compare with him. Why not general? Are you asking him to come out?" When Xiang Liang heard that he was a seventy-year-old man, he said disheartenedly: "Sir, I am afraid that it will be difficult to entrust important matters to an old man if he recommends it?" Zifang said seriously: "Don't you hear that? 'Wisdom does not lie in old age'! Baili Xi paid homage to the prime minister at eighty, and Jiang Ziya only became a general at ninety. What's more, Mr. Fan is only seventy years old, how can he be said to be old?"
At this time, Ji Bu and Zhongli stood up and said: "General, we have also heard of this man. Mr. Zifang is indeed right. This man is really a great talent. If you can invite him to come, Fu Chu The wish to destroy Qin will definitely come true!" Xiang Liang asked: "This man has talent?" Zifang said: "But he has talent." Xiang Liang asked again: "How is he compared to Mr. Zifang?" Zifang said with a smile: "He is ten times and a hundred times better than me! In my opinion, he can be compared with Yi Yin of the Shang Dynasty and Lu Wang of the Zhou Dynasty!" After hearing this, everyone was shocked. At this time, Ji Bu added: "I heard that Fan Zeng is a hermit. I am afraid that our career will not impress him and he may not come out of the mountain?" Xiang Liang asked Zifang again: "How did you know this person?" Zifang replied: "When I was in Xiapi, I once met a strange man who gave me the book of war, so I often looked for it secretly. Later, I heard that there was a strange man in Juhuan who was somewhat similar to the one who gave me the book, so I sent someone to inquire, but it turned out that he was not the one who gave me the book. People know it." Xiang Liang was surprised and said, "Sir, if you compare him with Yi Yin and Lu Wang, I think this person must be extraordinary!" He immediately ordered Ji Bu and Zhong Limei, "You two Why don't you take a generous gift and go to Juhuan to ask Fan Zeng to come out?" Ji Bu and Zhong Limei accepted the order, prepared gifts and dozens of followers, and set off that day.
Ji Bu and Zhong Limei followed Xiang Liang's instructions to invite Fan Zeng. After walking for more than ten days, they arrived at Juhuan County in Jiujiang County. Everyone was tired from walking that day, so they went to the city to eat and rest first, and then asked about Fan Zeng's whereabouts. Some people say that he himself has long been living in seclusion in Gushan, northeast of the county, which is exactly the same as people's rumors. The two of them asked questions all the way up the mountain. When they arrived at Gushan, it was dark and they couldn't tell the way up the mountain. When I was confused, suddenly a shepherd boy came down the mountain riding an old ox and playing the flute casually. Zhong Limei stepped forward and said, "Brother, please stop. I have something important to ask you." The shepherd boy jumped off the back of the cow and saluted, "What's the matter with our guest?" Zhong Limei said, "I heard that Fan Zeng The old gentleman lives here, does he know where his lodge is?" The shepherd boy said, "Why do our guests want to find our gods?" When Ji Bu heard this, he was even more surprised and asked, "Is there any gods on this mountain?" The shepherd boy said very proudly: "The old man you are looking for, Grandpa Fan, is the immortal here!" Zhong Limei asked curiously: "Why do you say he is an immortal?" The shepherd boy replied: "Because he said when he will be born. It rains whenever it rains; it blows whenever it blows. Someone else lost his cow, and he came back whenever he said he would, and it worked, so people said he was a god! "Zhong Limei was very surprised and said: "That's it!" The shepherd boy asked again: "Why are you looking for him?" Ji Bu said: "It is precisely because he is a god that we have something to look for him." The shepherd boy happily pointed ahead. The mountain road: "The mountain you see is called Gushan, which is the place where the immortal Fan lives. The mountain opposite is called Qishan. The two mountains are about the same height and size. The middle is like a gate to the sky, and because the two mountains are in confrontation, The north mountain is as round as a war drum, and the south mountain stretches like a war flag. They are really "evenly matched", so people call these two mountains Qigu Mountain. If you go up from here, turn around the hillside on the right, and pass through a dense forest, you can see We arrived at a house surrounded by fences, which is where the old immortal lived." Ji Bu and Zhong Limei were very happy, said goodbye to the shepherd boy, and walked up the mountain.
Ji Bu and others came to the mountain, turned around the hillside, and then around a small forest, when they suddenly heard the sound of a musical instrument. Everyone walked forward following the sound of the piano, and sure enough they saw several houses surrounded by fence posts, with lights on the windows inside. Because night has fallen, a bright moon rises slowly. And because it was summer, the weather was also very hot, and people were sweating profusely from walking. Ji Bu and Zhong Limei looked around the mountain scenery again, and saw that Gushan was beautiful but not majestic, the peaks were strange but not steep, the trees were dense but not shady, and the stone steps were wet but not slippery. Birds are chirping and insects are chirping everywhere, bamboo leaves are green, and pines and bamboos are intertwined with each other. It is truly a paradise. Looking west at Chao Lake, the bright moon is reflected in the center of the lake, coupled with the fishing fires, the microwave blue waves are slowly rippling in the water like crushed gold foil. From a distance, the water and sky are vast.
It turns out that Fan Zeng, who was called an immortal, spent his free time either reading and raising children in the thatched cottage, or singing softly under the eaves; , sighing with emotion about life. Tonight happened to be a bright moonlight, so he held the harp and admired the moon in the small courtyard in front of the house, and let two children learn to sing under the lantern. Since Mr. Fan was so engrossed in it, he had no idea that there was a distinguished guest coming to visit. Ji Bu and Zhong Limei couldn't bear to disturb them, so they simply stood at the door and listened. Fan Zeng in the courtyard was playing the piano and teaching the children to sing:
Don't you see, the ancient moon looks like a fresh grind tonight, and the river is full of waves.
The empty boat carries the moon and will never return, but the moon in the river still hangs the gong.
If you don't see me, my black hair will turn into snow in a blink of an eye, and the years will be wasted in a hurry.
Where is Weibin fishing today? What's the matter with Mu Diaoqing?
After singing the song, the piano suddenly sounded loud. Fan Zeng realized that someone was listening and ordered two children to open the door quickly. The boy ran over and opened the wood door. Sure enough, he saw someone, and they all said together: "We really have guests!" Ji Bu came forward and bowed: "I heard that Mr. Fan lives here. Could you please let me know." The two children agreed and walked in. After a while, someone came out and said, "Sir, we have a distinguished guest!" Ji Bu and Zhong Limei asked the sergeant to wait outside the door. They came to the courtyard respectfully. When they saw Fan Zeng, they bowed to him, "Mr. , we came from Xue County, Xue County, because General Xiang Liang raised troops from Jiangdong. I heard that you have always had the skills to govern the country and bring peace to the people, so I sent two of us here specifically to ask the old man to come out and help our general Xiang Liang raise his army to attack Qin. , to support the foundation of the Chu Kingdom. Tonight, we have been searching all the way here. Please forgive me for being a little abrupt." Fan Zeng was shocked and said: "This place is thousands of miles away from Xue County. Do you really come from here? From Xue County?" After Fan Zeng finished speaking, he looked at Ji Bu and Zhong Limei in surprise. The two of them also raised their heads to look at Fan Zeng. They saw him wearing a turban and cloth robe, with white hair and a childish face. He was energetic and vigorous. Although he was seventy years old, he was still full of energy. His bronze face was like a rock in the autumn sun, and his silver beard was like a mountain. The waterfall falling on the rock is really strange and ancient, elegant and refined. It is not a fairy, but it is better than a fairy.
After Fan Zeng was surprised, he stood up and asked: "Who are you talking about General Xiang? I am an old man from the mountains. How did he know me?" Zhong Limei said: "General Xiang is Xiang Liang, the son of Chu General Xiang Yan. He is now He has raised troops from Jiangdong and has occupied Liucheng. He is now stationed in Xuexian County and is gathering all the heroes from the Chu region to discuss important matters. The two of me are also his subordinates. Because General Xiang heard of your name, he specially sent The two of us are here to sincerely ask you to come out of the mountain and help my General Xiang to conquer Wu Dao and punish the Qin Dynasty, so as to save the people!" After saying this, the two of them reported their names. Fan Zeng said cheerfully: "I am already a decrepit man and have lived in the countryside for a long time. How can I think of helping your general to achieve great achievements? Let alone complete the great cause of destroying Qin and restoring Chu. Did you find the wrong person? "Zhong Limei said: "Sir, you have a strategic mind, a high ambition, and Lu Wang's ambition. We have not found the wrong person, haven't we?" Fan Zeng was even more surprised, and asked: "How do you know that I have Lu Wang's ambition?" Zhong Limei said: "In the lyrics you just sang, 'Where are you fishing on the Weibin now? What's wrong with fishing?' Doesn't that mean you admire Jiang Ziya's story of fishing on the Wei River? So I know you always have Lu Wang's aspirations!" Fan Zeng listened After hearing Zhong Limei's words, he laughed heartily and said, "I'm just singing casually, but you are really a thoughtful person! I guess you are not ordinary people. What positions do you two hold under General Xiang?" Ji Bu answered very humbly. "We are both very incompetent, we are just deputy generals." Fan Zeng saw that both of them spoke and behaved very appropriately and were very polite. He felt very happy and asked the two of them to get up and go into the room to talk.
When the three of them entered the room, Ji Bu asked Fan Zeng to sit in the middle. Fan Zeng was not polite and ordered the boy to offer tea. Fan Zeng asked Xiang Liang's situation in detail. The two then told Xiang Liang in detail how he raised troops from Kuaiji and crossed the river to drive out Jingju. They also presented the betrothal gift. Fan Zeng declined: "How can I receive a salary without merit? What's more, how can I, an old man, help your General Xiang complete such an important mission? You two should go back and report to General Xiang truthfully, and just say that I am old. You are incompetent, it is really difficult to obey your orders!" Seeing that Fan Zeng was unwilling to come out of the mountain, the two of them knelt down and said: "If you don't come out of the mountain, the violent Qin will not be destroyed. If the violent Qin is not destroyed, the people of the world will never be able to stand out. Sun! Now all over the country are rising up against the Qin Dynasty. The old gentleman has the ambition to save the people, but now he doesn't come forward. Wouldn't it be a failure of your life's knowledge and great ambition? Besides, the world is in chaos and all the heroes are rising up. Why do you always Why don't you use your great talent to mediate the world and rise up at the right time to establish some achievements? Moreover, General Xiang is now calling on the people in the name of Xiang Yan. He is now promoting the way of literature and martial arts, and is relying on righteousness to punish the people! Since then, Since General Xiang crossed the river, his power has grown very fast, and now he has a hundred thousand people. There is a saying that 'the wind follows the tiger, the cloud follows the dragon.' If the old gentleman can follow the trend of the times, take advantage of the trend, and enlist in the army, You will definitely be able to rise to the occasion, make achievements in the contemporary era, and be famous in future generations. You will be as famous as Yi and Lu, the sun and the moon will shine together, and you will be immortal through the ages!"
Fan Zeng was deeply moved after hearing these words, but he still insisted: "I am already seventy years old, I am afraid that I have more than enough ambition but not enough strength!" Zhong Limei said: "Baili Xi bowed to the prime minister at eighty. , Jiang Ziya did not become a general until he was ninety years old. You are only seventy years old, how can you say you are old? You should think about the people of the world?" After saying this, he burst into tears. Fan Zeng was very moved when he saw that the two of them were so pious and had come all the way from a thousand miles away. Now they were sincerely inviting. He helped them up and said sincerely, "Oh! I have known for a long time that there will be many hardships in my old age. This is indeed the case today. This is really God's will! Now that General Xiang has risen at the right time and obeyed the people's wishes to eliminate the government, this is also out of loyalty. You two are like this, I am really grateful, I will allow you to come down the mountain! "When Ji Bu and Zhong Limei heard that Fan Zeng had agreed to the invitation, they were so happy that their eyes filled with tears. Fan Zeng accepted the gift and arranged for the two of them to live in a cottage that night.
On this day, Fan Zeng led everyone down the mountain. As soon as he went out, the sergeants knelt to greet him. Fan Zeng was very happy, so he went down the mountain to the city first, handed the two children to his family, and said: "I have been kindly invited by General Xiang Liang, so I have to go. You should often go to the mountain to clean my cottage in your free time. , don’t let the yard and vegetable garden become barren. When I succeed, I will come back to live there!” The family agreed. At this time, when the people in the city heard that Fan Zeng was going to help General Xiang Liang complete the mission of destroying Qin and Xingchu, they all came to see him off, and the door was crowded.
Half a month later, Ji Bu and Zhong Limei escorted Fan Zeng to Xue County. When Xiang Liang heard that Fan Zeng was coming, he was overjoyed and immediately led all his soldiers ten miles out of the city to meet him. When Fan Zeng arrived at Xue County, he saw many people under the city gate from a distance. The leader was wearing armor and had extraordinary weapons. He led everyone to kneel down and said: "Xiang Liang, I am busy with military affairs and can't do it myself." It is really disrespectful to go to Juhuan to invite seniors to come. Now that you can come all the way, it is really a blessing to Xiang Liang, a blessing to Chu State, and a blessing to the world!" Fan Zeng returned the courtesy and said: "The general is so kind, I am really pleased. Touched." He got out of the car and helped Xiang Liang up, saying: "The general's father is an unparalleled hero. Now that you have inherited his ambition, Chu will definitely be able to help you! I came all the way to repay the general for his kindness. !”
Xiang Liang was overjoyed to see that Fan Zeng was strong and energetic, as if he were among the gods, so he welcomed Fan Zeng into the city. When the people heard that Xiang Liang had invited an elderly military advisor, they burned incense and lined the streets to greet him. People rushed to pay homage to Fan Zeng, and the city was boiling.
When everyone came to the palace, Xiang Liang said happily: "You are here today. God has given you to me. I hope that in the future you will generously display the talents of Yi Yin and Lu Wang, and the talents of Sun Wu and Fan Li." Tao Lue, help me complete the great task of destroying Qin and Kuangchu. How lucky the Chu country is! How lucky the world is!" Fan Zeng said: "General, it is really commendable to attack Qin with righteousness. Your troops are now sweeping across the Jiang and Huaihe Rivers, and all the people belong to them. In the future, they will be the successors of Chen An anti-Qin force formed by the queen. But I am already old. I am afraid that I will not be able to repay the general's kindness even if I am afraid that I will devote my loyalty and wisdom to donate my bones." Xiang Liang was overjoyed and asked Fan Zeng to bathe and change clothes first, and then eat. rest.
