When the Zheng envoy came to Chen, Chen Huan Gong did not take it seriously. His younger brother Chen Tuo remonstrated: "Being friendly with neighbors is the way to stabilize the country. We should not refuse it." Chen Huan Gong said: "Zheng is cunning and it is hard to find a way to stabilize the country." Let people believe that maybe this peace talk is still a trap." So he refused to receive the Zheng envoy.
The envoy reported back to Duke Zheng Zhuang, and Duke Zheng Zhuang said angrily: "The Chen State relies on nothing more than the Song State and the Wei State. The civil strife in Wei has just been put down, and it has too much time to take care of itself. Let me attack the Song State first, and then attack the Chen State. Shame on you." The doctor admonished him: "Your Majesty, don't be impatient. The Chen State does not receive the envoys because it means that the State of Zheng has no self in its eyes. We might as well show off our force and let them know our existence. Maybe the State of Chen will come on its own initiative. Let’s talk.” Zheng Zhuanggong nodded and said wisely, he sent border sergeants to pretend to be hunting, invaded the territory of Chen State, and plundered more than 100 carts of male and female border residents and their belongings.
Chen Huangong suddenly woke up
When Chen Huangong heard the report, he suddenly woke up. Only then did he realize that he was a small country and was not Zheng's opponent at all. If he wanted to seek stability, he must focus on improving the relationship with Zheng. He immediately summoned his ministers for discussion, and his younger brother Chen Tuo reported: "Zheng Guo sent envoys to visit us before. We might as well pay a return visit. I think that as long as we are sincere, we will be able to form friendly and good neighbors." All the ministers said that this method was the most appropriate. Duke Huan of Chen followed the plan and sent Chen Tuo to visit the state of Zheng.
Duke Zhuang of Zheng solemnly received Chen Tuo, the master of Chen State. He first apologized to Chen Tuo and said: "I did not manage the soldiers strictly, which caused them to lose discipline and strayed into Chen territory. I have severely reprimanded them. You are here, and we will conquer Chen State." All the population and supplies were returned, and hundreds of carts of grain were sent to the State of Chen as an apology. May Zheng and Chen always be friendly and non-aggressive." After the banquet, Ji Hu, the crown prince of Zheng, personally sent Chen Tuo and hundreds of carts of grain to the State of Chen. . Chen Tuo, the son of Chen State, sent Ji Hu back to Zheng State. Since then, the relationship between Chen and Zheng has been reconciled.
Ji Yu, the official of Lu State, had a wealthy father. After receiving the heavy gift from Zheng Guo, he spoke favorably for Zheng Guo many times in front of Duke Yin of Lu, advocating for a good relationship between Lu and Zheng, and the relationship between the two countries became better.
Duke Zhuang of Zheng said to the official Ji Zu: "The affairs of the State of Chen have been settled, and the State of Lu has also announced that it has made peace with the widow. Can the attack on the Song Dynasty be done?" Ji Zu said: "The Duke of the Song Dynasty respects the greatness of the country, and even the Emperor of Zhou regards him as such. Treat guests with courtesy, don't go to attack easily now, you have to wait for the opportunity." Although Zheng Zhuanggong was anxious, he knew that what Ji Zu said was very weighty. For more than twenty years, Jizu has been telling him about "The Book of Changes", which often mentioned a characteristic of lizards: "Lizards lie quietly on the loess. They are not taking a nap, but their eyes are staring closely. Ahead, wait for the best time to attack."
While waiting for the attack, Duke Zhuang of Zheng listened to the doctor's advice and formed an alliance with Qi, which was far away and located on the edge of the East China Sea. The king of Qi is a descendant of Jiang Taigong, the founding hero of the Zhou Dynasty. The king at this time is Duke Xi of Qi. The two kings of Zheng and Qi met at Shimen. Duke Zhuang of Zheng praised: "The ancestor of Qi State, Jiang Taigong, lived in a humble life for half his life. He never met his talents and wandered around. However, he endured the burden, observed the situation, waited for the opportunity, and fished in the Wei River. At the age of eighty, he finally met the master of the Ming Dynasty. He assisted King Wu of Zhou to destroy the Shang Dynasty and revive the Zhou Dynasty. First." Duke Xi of Qi also praised Zheng Zhuang, saying: "Although Zheng started late, it developed rapidly. I often hear that you are good at learning and value family ties. It's so late to meet you today!" The two of them liked each other very much, so they killed each other. Chickens kill sheep and smear the blood of the animals on their lips, which means they make an alliance with blood and become brothers. Duke Zhuang of Zheng was several years older than Duke Xi of Qi, and Duke Xi of Qi served Duke Zhuang of Zheng as his brother. The two agreed to take care of each other when things happened. During the banquet, Duke Xi of Qi asked: "Has the prince Ji suddenly married a wife?" Duke Zhuang of Zheng replied: "Not yet." Duke Xi of Qi said: "I have a beloved daughter. Although she is not old enough to get married, she still has a wife." You can also get married in advance. If you don't mind it, when the widow's daughter grows up, she can be Ji Hu's wife!" Zheng Zhuanggong thanked him repeatedly.
Put a few peony flowers in the Yellow River
After returning home, Zheng Zhuanggong told the prince Jihu about this matter. Ji Hu said: "Marriage should be a well-matched match. Now the earl of Zheng has a lower rank; the marquis of Qi has a higher rank, so the children dare not reach out." Zheng Zhuanggong said: "It was Qi who proposed the marriage, and we did not intend to reach out. Besides, being married to Qi State can help you in times of trouble. Why do you refuse?" Ji Hu replied: "A man who aims at self-improvement, how can he rely on nepotism?" Zheng Zhuanggong smiled, he liked his son If you are ambitious, you will no longer force yourself.
An envoy from the State of Qi came to the State of Zheng. When he heard that the crown prince Ji Hu was unwilling to marry, he returned to report to Duke Xi of Qi. Duke Xi of Qi admired Duke Zhuang of Zheng for his talent and strategy, and he could not help but love the whole house. Instead of being angry at Ji Hu, the crown prince of Zheng, he praised him and said, "The crown prince of Zheng is really a humble gentleman. Fortunately, my daughter is still young, so this marriage will not happen until now." Let’s talk about it later.”
The cold north wind blows, and the locust trees have lost all their leaves. The bare branches stand against the cloudless blue sky, making the place feel lonely and open. Winter has arrived this year, and according to Zhou rites, the princes of various countries should offer winter gifts. In the Zhou Dynasty, the etiquette for meeting King Zhou Tian was different in the four seasons. In the spring, the king of Zhou used the etiquette of court, in the summer, he used the etiquette of zong, in the autumn, he used the etiquette of court, and in the winter, he used the etiquette of encounter. Although the prestige of the Zhou royal family was declining year by year, Zheng Guo, after experiencing the pain of the invasion of the five kingdoms, realized that it was of great significance to form a good relationship with the Zhou royal family, so Zheng Guo prepared generous gifts, and Zheng Zhuanggong and the doctor Jizu went to Luoyang to meet King Zhou Huan.
Ji Heijian, Duke of Zhou, knew that King Huan of Zhou resented Zheng Guo, and also understood that Zheng Guo could not be conquered at present. In this case, she should hide her resentment and treat Zheng Guo with courtesy. So Ji Heijian went to persuade King Huan of Zhou to treat Duke Zheng Zhuang kindly, so as to encourage the princes. King Huan of Zhou agreed verbally, but when he saw Zheng Zhuang Gong, he remembered Zheng Guo's robbery of wheat and rice. He became angry and said to Zheng Zhuang Gong in a cold voice: "How is Zheng Guo's harvest this year?" Zheng Zhuang Gong replied: "Thanks to your great blessing, the weather will be smooth this year." King Huan of Zhou said, "That's good. In this case, I can keep the wheat in Wenyi and the rice near Luoyang for myself. Ha, ha." Zhou All the royal ministers laughed, except Ji Heijian who could not laugh. He glared at King Zhou Huan, but King Zhou Huan did not see it. Seeing the thorn in King Huan of Zhou's words, Duke Zhuang of Zheng thought that even if he said a lot of good things, it would not improve the relationship between Zhou and Zheng, so he stopped talking and said goodbye to King Huan of Zhou and left the palace. King Huan of Zhou neither hosted a banquet nor gave gifts in return according to Zhou rites. He only asked people to send ten carts of rice, and once again ridiculed Duke Zhuang of Zheng.
Duke Zhuang of Zheng was furious and was about to send someone to return the ten carts of rice. The doctor offered a sacrifice and admonished him: "The emperor gives gifts, no matter how high or low, they are called heaven's favor. If you don't accept it, other princely states will surely know that Zheng and Zhou are involved." A new estrangement has been broken. If the princes of various countries look down on the State of Zheng, it will inevitably affect the prestige and vital interests of the State of Zheng." The monarch and his ministers were discussing together when Duke Zhou Ji Heijian came over. He brought two carts of colorful satin and chatted enthusiastically with Duke Zhuang of Zheng. Ji Heijian said with a smile: "To the north of Luoyang is the Yellow River, and to the north of Xinzheng is the Yellow River. When spring comes, I put a few peony flowers in the Yellow River. You will receive them in less than two days." The peony flowers have a charming shape. , the flowers are brightly colored, so people named it "Peony" with the homophonic pronunciation of "Wu Yue" to describe its beautiful appearance. Giving peony to others is a way to express true love. Duke Zhuang of Zheng smiled and said, "We are all descendants of the Yellow River family and should get along well with each other!" Both of them laughed.
What's the purpose of Black Shoulder coming here?
After Zhou Gong Ji Heijian left, Zheng Zhuanggong asked the doctor Jizu: "What is the purpose of Heijian coming here?" Jizu replied: "He knew that the Emperor Zhou had deficiencies when he received the emperor, so he came here to make up for the deficiencies. I feel , the two carts of colorful satin sent by Duke Zhou Heijian are just useful." Zheng Zhuanggong asked: "What's the use?" Ji Zuzou said: "Your Majesty, you are here to meet the emperor of Zhou this time. All the princes know about it. Now we Divide the colorful satin sent by Heijian into ten parts and put it on ten rice carts. When they left Luoyang, they said it was a gift from the Emperor of Zhou. They also said that the Zhou royal family had not seen the Song Dynasty for a long time and paid tribute. The king personally accepted the king's order and led the troops. Ask for it. Use this to call on other countries and ask them to follow us and send troops. If they don't respond, it will be said to be disobedience. Although Song is a big country, how can it resist the emperor's order and group together to ask for it?" Zheng Zhuanggong was so happy that he clapped his hands. Sacrificing his shoulders, he exclaimed: "Master is so resourceful! The time has finally come to attack the Song Dynasty!"
After Zheng Zhuanggong left Luoyang, he used the king's orders to publicize the crime of Song Dynasty's failure to observe ministerial ethics. Everyone believed what he heard. This word spread all the way to the Song Dynasty. Song Shanggong was shocked and frightened. He sent people to secretly contact various countries in order to solve this sudden war crisis. After Duke Zhuang of Zheng heard about Song's actions, he asked about the sacrifice. Ji Zuzou said: "Your Majesty can use the order of the Emperor of Zhou to inform the other countries and agree on a time to attack the Song Dynasty together. Among the various vassal states, Qi State will definitely respond to us. The land of Lu State and Qi State are connected, and they have been married for generations. Qi Jun wants to do it Lu Jun will definitely not object to the matter. In addition, Ji Yu's father, the chief official of the Lu Kingdom, has accepted our heavy gift and will definitely give advice to Lu Jun, abandon the past resentment, and respond to Zheng Guo. Cai, Wei, Xu and other countries have Although they may not respond, they should still pass on the order, so that it can be regarded as a public discussion." Zheng Zhuanggong followed the plan. Zheng and Qi had an alliance, and Duke Xi of Qi followed the agreement and appointed his younger brother Jiang Zhongnian as general and dispatched three hundred military chariots. Zheng envoy went to Lu State and agreed to divide the land of Song State that he won after victory into Lu State equally. Ji Yu's father was greedy. After hearing this, he readily agreed. Duke Yin of Lu appointed Ji Yu's father as a general and sent 200 military chariots to assist Zheng. Duke Zhuang of Zheng exercised his power as ministers of the Zhou Dynasty, mobilized the troops of the Zhou royal family, and personally led the soldiers of the State of Zheng to attack the State of Song. The Qi and Lu armies reunited as promised. The coalition forces attacked in multiple directions, and their momentum was overwhelming.
When Duke Shang of the Song Dynasty heard that the allied troops had entered, his face turned pale with shock, and he hurriedly called in Sima Kong Fujia for discussion. Kong Fujia said: "I sent people to Luoyang to inquire about the news, but I didn't hear that the Emperor of Zhou had an order to attack the Song Dynasty. From this point of view, Zheng Guo falsely conveyed the king's order and mobilized the troops of the Zhou Dynasty without authorization. Qi and Lu were also deceived. Now, in addition to complaining to the Zhou royal family, there is another way to make the invading enemy invincible. Fight and retreat." Duke Shang of the Song Dynasty listened attentively, and Kong Fujia continued: "Zheng Guo falsely conveyed the king's orders to win over other countries. Except for Qi and Lu, all other countries stood by and watched, and there were many countries that supported us. Analystically speaking, when Chen Guo made peace with Zheng Guo, it would neither support us nor dare to offend Zheng Guo. Cai, Wei and other countries once worked with us to conquer Zheng Guo, and now they can rekindle their old feelings. We should contact them and work together Deal with Zheng Guo. Now that Zheng Guo’s army is coming to Song Dynasty, the country must be empty. Your Majesty can send envoys to Wei Guo to report the emergency, and ask Wei Guo’s light troops to attack Zheng. Then Zheng’s army will definitely return to save itself, and the Song Dynasty’s crisis will be solved.” Duke Shang of Song Dynasty said, "This is a very good plan. I would like you to go there in person." Kong Fujia replied, "I will leave now to defend the country."
Dai Guo made a mistake in judgment
Kong Fujia, Sima of the Song Dynasty, came to the Wei Kingdom overnight and gave the Song Dynasty's treasured bronze tripod with a snake pattern to Wei Xuangong. This curved bronze tripod with a snake pattern is made of brass and is nearly a person tall. It is decorated with two curved snakes. It is undoubtedly the best craftsmanship in the world. Duke Xuang of Wei stroked the bronze tripod with the snake pattern and was extremely happy. He immediately agreed to send troops to attack Zheng. He sent his right minister Chou and Kong Fujia to surprise him from a small road and led the army to Xinzheng, the capital of Zheng.
Seeing the Song and Wei armies coming, Ji Hu, the crown prince of Zheng, and his official Jizu hurriedly sent orders to defend the city. The Song and Wei forces attacked urgently for several days, but to no avail. Kong Fujia said to Youzai Chou: "Whenever you attack, you should take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness and stop it as soon as possible. If it continues like this and Zheng's army comes to rescue us, we won't be able to escape even if we want to. It's better to take the road to Dai. Withdraw safely. I think the time when we leave Zheng is when Zheng leaves Song." You Zai Chou obeyed his words and sent people to ask Dai Guo (in present-day Lankao County, Henan Province) to borrow a road. The country of Dai had just been enfeoffed and established. Currently, the third king was Dai Shuqingfu. He made a mistake in judgment and thought that the Song and Wei coalition forces were coming to attack Dai, so he ordered the city gates to be closed and the defense to be strict. Kong Fujia and Youzai Chou were very angry, so they camped ten miles away from Daicheng and sent troops to attack the city in turn. Dai Guo's soldiers fought tooth and nail to hold on, causing casualties to each other, and it became a deadlock. Kong Fujia hurriedly sent people to Cai Guo to mobilize troops to help.
At this time, Zheng Zhuanggong led the coalition forces to conquer Gaocheng, Fangcheng and other places in the Song Dynasty. When he was about to point the finger at Suiyang, the capital of Song Dynasty, an urgent letter from Ji Hu, the crown prince of Zheng, was delivered to Zheng Zhuanggong. After Zheng Zhuanggong read the letter, he immediately sent an order to withdraw his troops. Jiang Zhongnian of Qi State, Ji Yu's father of Lu State and others came to see Duke Zheng Zhuang in person and asked puzzledly: "Why are we asked to withdraw our troops when we are taking advantage of the victory?" Duke Zhuang of Zheng was mature and solemn, and said calmly: "I have been ordered by the emperor to ask for help. The Song Dynasty relied on the military prowess of the two countries to win successive victories, and the punishment for the Song Dynasty was already in place. For the Gaocheng and Fangcheng that have been captured, Qi and Lu can each get one." Jiang Zhongnian said: "Qi's contribution is meager. Dare to accept the city." Jiang Zhongnian repeatedly gave in, and Zheng Zhuanggong said to Ji Yu's father: "Since Qi State is unwilling to accept it, then give these two cities to Lu State." Ji Yu's father, who loves money, did not refuse and handed over his hands. thank.
Duke Zhuang of Zheng was afraid that Xinzheng would suffer losses, so he hurriedly withdrew his troops and went back. Halfway through, I received another letter from the Crown Prince Ji Hu, to the effect that the siege of Xinzheng, the capital, had been relieved, and the Song and Guards had moved their troops to attack Dai. Zheng Zhuanggong smiled slightly and said: "It seems that Kong Fujia was very smart and was confused for a while. At present, the Song Dynasty has too much time to take care of itself, so how can it dare to cause trouble? We might as well come up with a plan." So he ordered the young master Ji Lu, Gongsun Ji Zidu and the official Ying Kaoshu Four ministers, including Gao Qumi and others, each led a group of troops and marched secretly towards Dai Guo separately. Gao Qumi was a man of great strength and scheming. He was discovered by Duke Zhuang of Zheng and put him to good use. He is currently serving as the official of the State of Zheng.
Pretending to lead troops to rescue Dai
Let's talk about the Song and Wei coalition forces attacking Dai State, and invited Cai Jun to assist in the battle. They were fully expecting to capture Dai City soon, but there was no progress at all. Suddenly someone came to report: "Zheng Guo sent his son Ji Lu to lead troops to rescue Dai. At present, We've already entered the city!" Kong Gongjia said, "Dai Guo had it at his fingertips, but he didn't expect Zheng Bing to come to help. What should we do?" You Zai Chou said, "Since Dai Guo has arrived with reinforcements, he will definitely make new moves. Let's first observe the city. We will then consider countermeasures based on what's going on inside." While the two generals were talking, they suddenly saw a crowd of people on the wall of Dai Guo, and all of a sudden they were filled with the flags of Zheng's army. Ji Lu was fully clothed and stood on the tower and shouted loudly: "Thank you generals for your help, I, the Zheng army, have taken down Dai City!" It turned out that this was Zheng Zhuanggong's plan. Ji Lu pretended to lead troops to rescue Dai, but in fact he took the opportunity to occupy Dai City. Zheng Jun captured it effortlessly. Dai Shuqing's father led his family and fled.
Kong Fujia of the Song Dynasty and the Right Prime Minister of the Wei Dynasty Chou saw that Zheng Jun had occupied Dai City in vain, and their lungs were about to explode. They said in unison: "We and Zheng Guo swear to be incompatible!" Just as they were saying this, Zheng Jun surrendered. The city sent someone to deliver a letter of war. Kong Fujia and Youzai Chou immediately approved the reply and made an appointment for a decisive battle the next day.
That night, the three armies of Song, Wei, and Cai were resting on time. Suddenly, flames shot into the sky and shouts broke out. It turned out that the troops led by Gongsun Jizidu of Zheng State, Ying Kaoshu, Gao Qumi and others were attacking. Kong Fujia and others in the Song Dynasty only knew that the decisive battle would be tomorrow, but they did not expect the attack tonight. The three armies of Song, Wei, and Cai were in chaos. The right commander Chou was killed in battle, and Kong Fujia escaped by chance. Most of the chariot and horse sergeants of the Three Kingdoms were captured by the Zheng army.
The sky was cloudy, and Kong Fujia, who had escaped, said angrily to his subordinates: "Since ancient times, wars have had etiquette. The military etiquette in our Zhou rites stipulates that we do not fight unscheduled wars, do not chase fleeing generals, and do not kill grizzled old men. Do not attack the injured sergeant. Now this rule has been broken by Zheng Guo, how annoying!" On the way to escape, Kong Fujia was thinking again: people are not born if they are rude, things are not successful if they are rude, and the country is not peaceful if it is rude, but there are some villains. In order to obtain personal gain, he deliberately destroyed this ceremony. Zheng Zhuanggong was the villain who destroyed the ceremony!
War is ruthless, there is depression there, there is celebration here. Zheng Jun played a triumphant song and returned home with a full load. Duke Zhuang of Zheng held a banquet to entertain all the soldiers. Everyone took turns to toast, and Zheng Zhuanggong looked happy. He raised his goblet and said: "I rely on the gods of my ancestors and rely on you to fight to the death, so I have a great reputation. Everyone, tell me, where do you stand compared to the princes of other countries?" After hearing this, the soldiers heard this. Then they all called Duke Zhuang of Zheng the tyrant of the princes. This tyrant is the leader of the princes. When the power of the Emperor of Zhou weakens, the leader of a powerful country wants to take the lead. Duke Zhuang of Zheng was very happy after hearing this. In the hall of Nuo University, only the doctor Ying Kaoshu remained silent. Duke Zhuang of Zheng looked at him with wide eyes, and Uncle Yingkao said: "Your Majesty, please don't be complacent! Now your Majesty falsely conveyed the king's order to attack the Song Dynasty, but except for Qi and Lu, no other country responded. On the contrary, Cai and Wei Instead, the state helped the Song State to attack our Zheng State, so please seriously reflect on it." Seeing Uncle Ying Kao's blunt remonstrance, Zheng Zhuanggong was not angry at all. Instead, he smiled and said: "You are right. Song, Wei, and Cai The three armies have suffered losses and have been punished. Now I want to launch an army to punish the unresponsive princes. Which country do you think is suitable to go to first?" Uncle Yingkao said: "The State of Xu is next to the State of Zheng. Your Majesty should give it a The last one was charged with disobeying the emperor's order, and then united the troops of Qi and Lu to attack. Before attacking the state of Xu, the king should also attack a small state, which is the state of Sheng. The state of Sheng is adjacent to Qi and Lu. Zheng, Qi, and Lu After the three armies capture the state of Sheng, the land and population of the state of Sheng will belong to Qi and Lu. After the three armies capture the state of Xu, the land and population will belong to our state of Zheng." Zheng Zhuanggong said yes.
a beautiful girl
The next day, Duke Zhuang of Zheng immediately sent an envoy to inform the kings of Qi and Lu of the plan to attack Xiang Sheng and Xu. The two countries fully agreed. Qi sent Jiang Zhongnian and Lu sent Ji Yu's father to lead troops to attack Sheng, and Zheng sent his son Ji Lu to lead troops to help. The soldiers and horses of the Three Kingdoms easily captured Shengguo (in the area of Ningyang, Shandong Province today) without much effort. Qi and Lu were very happy.
Ji Lu, the son of Zheng Guo, returned home triumphantly. On the way, he suddenly fell ill and died. Duke Zhuang of Zheng was extremely sad and showed great sympathy to his family. Ji Lu was the minister of the state of Zheng. Zheng Zhuanggong wanted to use the official Gao Qumi to take over. The prince Ji Hu secretly advised him: "Gao Qumi is greedy and cruel and cannot be reused." At that time, Ji Hu's brother Ji Qian was nearby. Zheng Zhuanggong believed that Ji Hu's words were reasonable, so he appointed Jizu as Shangqing to take over Ji Lu's position, and appointed Gao Qumi as Yaqing to help Jizu preside over the government.
"There are fusu in the mountains and lotus flowers in the sky. Instead of seeing the capital, you can see the madmen."
A beautiful girl walked between the fusu trees and the lotus pond, singing to express her longing and melancholy. This Zidu refers to Gongsun Ji Zidu. Ji Zidu is not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also handsome. He is one of the most handsome men in a thousand. The singing girl heard that Ji Zi was coming to hunt, so she walked dozens of miles to see him. Unexpectedly, not only did he not see Ji Zidu, he didn't even see a soldier. The girl who was waiting hard was disappointed when she met a frivolous man who came forward to tease her. It took a lot of effort for the girl to get rid of the entanglement. The sad girl walked on the mountain road and sang.
Where are Gongsun Jizi? They are intensifying their training of sergeants and are preparing to attack Xu State. There is no need to worry about hunting! When it was time to go to war, Duke Zhuang of Zheng led his ministers to offer sacrifices to their ancestors and gods, and then gathered the generals to review the troops. Duke Zhuang of Zheng ordered someone to make a large flag for his own use. According to the Zhou rites, flags are particular. The emperor's flag is painted with the sun and moon, the princes' flags are painted with dragons, and the soldiers' flags are painted with bears and tigers. All kinds of flags cannot be used indiscriminately. The arc is a kind of dragon.
Duke Zhuang of Zheng ordered his men to place a large flag on a chariot inlaid with bronze. The flag plus the flagpole weighed three people. Zheng Zhuanggong issued an order: "Whoever can hold the big flag and walk as usual will be appointed as the vanguard and give him this bronze-inlaid chariot!" Before he finished speaking, a general walked out of the queue, with a dark face, curled beard, and With thick eyebrows and big eyes, everyone saw that it was the newly appointed doctor Xia Shuying. Xia Shuying pulled up the flagpole with only one hand, took three steps forward, three steps back, and then put it back in the car. The soldiers cheered in unison. Xia Shuying shouted: "Where is the driver? Drive my car away." Before Xia Shuying could take the car away, the doctor Ying Kaoshu walked out of the queue and said loudly: "It's not impressive to walk with a flag, look. I waved the flag." I saw Uncle Yingkao holding the big flag in his hands, turning left and right, whirring, and everyone watching was stunned. Duke Zhuang of Zheng was overjoyed and said: "What a brave man! Give him the chariot and let him be the vanguard." Before he could finish speaking, another young man walked out of the queue, it was Gongsun Ji Zidu. He pointed at Ying Kaoshu He shouted: "You can dance the flag, can't I dance? Leave the chariot behind!" Uncle Yingkao saw that Ji Zi was approaching menacingly, so he simply ran away with the flag in one hand and the chariot in the other. Ji Zi was powerless and had nowhere to go. She was so angry that she picked up the gun and wanted to pursue him, but was stopped by Zheng Zhuanggong.
A bright halberd is easy to hide, but a hidden arrow is difficult to guard against.
This Gongsun Jizi was both talented and beautiful, and he was a member of the royal family. People usually respected and envied him. Many girls in the Zheng Kingdom regarded Jizi as the lover of their dreams and the date they yearned for. The favor of everyone made Ji Zi develop the habit of arrogance and arrogance, and she often competed with Ying Kaoshu and others for credit. This time during the fight for the chariot, Ji Zi became even more resentful towards Uncle Ying Kao.
Duke Zhuang of Zheng was so wise, he understood that morale can be stimulated but not damaged, so he praised the three generals in front of all the soldiers, and also gave Xia Shuying and Gongsun Jizi each a chariot and horse. Ying Kao Shu, Xia Shuying and Ji Zi all thanked each other and returned.
In 712 BC, Duke Zhuang of Zheng asked Qi and Lu to jointly attack Xu State on the grounds that Xu State did not listen to the orders of Emperor Zhou. They agreed that whoever captured the capital of Xu State first would preside over the division of Xu State's land. In order to express gratitude to the State of Zheng for helping Qi and Lu conquer their prosperity, Duke Xi of Qi and Duke Yin of Lu personally led their troops. Duke Zhuang of Zheng, who wanted to get the land of Xu State, led his troops to attack Xu and reached the capital of Xu State, Xucheng (in today's Xuchang, Henan Province). This Xu State was one of the vassal states with the surname Jiang that was enfeoffed by the Zhou Dynasty. The king at this time was Duke Xu Zhuang. Xu Zhuanggong led his soldiers and people to defend the city. However, the soldiers of Zheng, Qi and Lu were attacked from three sides. It was only a matter of time before the city was broken.
On the afternoon of the third day when Xu City, the capital of the Xu State, was besieged, under the fierce attack of the Zheng State soldiers, the official Ying Kaoshu held the banner of Zheng Zhuanggong and climbed up the Xu State wall without avoiding spears and arrows. However, before he could stand firm, an arrow suddenly flew from behind. Uncle Yingkao screamed and fell from the top of the city. It turned out that Ji Zi, who had always been at odds with him, was jealous that he had won the first prize, so he secretly fired cold arrows under the city.
As soon as the official Ying Kaoshu fell down from the top of the city, the official Xia Shuying immediately rushed up, took the banner of Zheng Zhuanggong and jumped up to the top of the city again, shouting: "Brothers, rush forward!" The Zheng soldiers saw the symbol. The authoritative banner of Zheng Zhuanggong was planted on the city wall of Xu State, and everyone took the lead bravely. Xu Cheng opened a gap. Seeing that the situation was over, Duke Xu Zhuang led his troops and civilians to break through and flee, not knowing where they were going.
Duke Zhuang of Zheng, Duke Xi of Qi, and Duke Yin of Lu entered Xu State's palace together to discuss the issue of Xu Land. Duke Xi of Qi and Duke Zhuang of Zheng were allies, and he laughed and said: "In attacking the Song Dynasty, your country is selfless. This spirit is worth learning from my foolish brother. As for the Xu land, it is better to give it all to your country." Duke Yin of Lu met Qi Xi When the public said this, he also echoed. While Zheng Zhuang was being humble, Baili, the former doctor of Xu State, came in with a child. Baili knelt down and cried: "Although Xu Guo did not respond to Zhou Qingshi's order, his crime will not destroy the country. I ask the three kings to decide what to do." Baili, the doctor of Xu Guo, was loyal, upright and selfless. The country is also famous in other countries. The three kings of Zheng, Qi and Lu were moved with compassion. Duke Zhuang of Zheng said: "Doctor Baili please come up. Who is this child?" Baili replied: "This is Jiang Xinchen, the younger brother of Lord Xu." Duke Zhuang of Zheng then said, "Uncle Xu Jiang Xinchen is smart and smart." Although Duke Zhuang of Zheng wanted to occupy Xu State, But he was afraid of losing his virtue and being interfered by the various princes, so he had to say: "I hope that the people will be safe and peaceful, and that they will obey the orders of the Zhou Dynasty. I am afraid that Uncle Xu and Jiang Xinchen are young and cannot manage the affairs of the country, so I will send someone to help him." Please ask Baili, the official, to send Xu Shujiang Xinchen to live in the east of Xu land; I will send Zheng Guo Gongsun Jihuo to live in the west of Xu land. What do you think?" Qi and Lu both nodded in agreement. Doctor Baili had no choice but to accept it, and he and Jiang Xinchen paid homage to the three monarchs.
mysterious witchcraft
The three monarchs led their troops to return home. This Ji Huo is the grandson of Duke Huan of Zheng. In name, he is helping Duke Xu Zhuang's brother Jiang Xinchen, but in fact he is monitoring him.
After the Zheng army returned to the court in victory, Zheng Zhuanggong rewarded the meritorious soldiers and compensated the fallen soldiers. Duke Zhuang of Zheng remembered the upright and brave doctor Ying Kaoshu and held a grand funeral for him. After the funeral, Duke Zhuang of Zheng did not leave Ying Kaoshu's tomb. He told the soldiers: "Uncle Yingkao was shot to death by an arrow when he climbed onto the city wall. He faced the enemy and turned his back to his brother, but the arrow that shot him to death passed through the back. Everyone said, Did Uncle Yingkao die at the hands of the enemy or at the hands of his own family?" All the soldiers were silent. Zheng Zhuanggong said loudly: "The Ban in the Book of Songs says: 'God's eyes are very bright, and he comes and goes with you.' "Uncle, how can I lead the Zheng State and command the Zheng Army?" All the soldiers lowered their heads. Duke Zhuang of Zheng asked the doctor Xia Shuying: "You are the second person to rush up the city wall after Ying Kao Shu. Who do you think Ying Kao Shu died by?" The doctor Xia Shuying bowed his head and said: "I just rush forward. I really didn't see who was shooting the arrow." Zheng Zhuanggong asked other soldiers, but they all said they didn't know. Duke Zhuang of Zheng said loudly: "A bright halberd is easy to hide, but a hidden arrow is difficult to guard against. Uncle Yingkao died in the hands of his own family. If the murderer is not found, how can I comfort Uncle Yingkao's spirit in heaven?"
When people are unsure about something, they turn to wizards for advice. This wizard has a long history. During the reign of Emperor Shun, in order to produce salt for the people, Shun sent one of his sons to become the chief in Wuxian. He led the Wuxian people to steam the brine soil to precipitate the salt. During the cooking process, sacrifices are held, accompanied by performances and prayers. When white crystallized table salt was produced, people thought it was the result of witchcraft, and since then there have been witches. Wizards of the Zhou Dynasty were not only popular among the people, but also held official positions in the court. Duke Zhuang of Zheng called the wizard and asked him to cast a spell to curse the man who shot Uncle Yingkao to death.
The wizard brought a chicken and muttered something. Suddenly, the living chicken immediately became motionless and stunned. No matter how you touched it, caught it, or frightened it, it would not move. The wizard said to the soldiers: "Please pass by the chicken one by one and look at the chicken's eyes. If the chicken's eyes are open, then he is the one who shot Uncle Yingkao to death." Everyone was dumbfounded and looked at the magic of the wizard. There is no doubt about the spirit of He Dingji. In fact, the wizard knew in his heart that if he understood the physiological characteristics of chickens, any chicken would become a destined chicken.
The girl who asked to be buried with her
Witchcraft and witchcraft, if you believe in them, you will have magic, but if you don’t, you will have none. But how could anyone at that time not believe in them? As soon as the wizard said that, everyone walked by one after another, but only one person was extremely frightened. This person was Gongsun Ji Zidu. As soon as he opened his eyes, he seemed to see Uncle Yingkao stretching out his big hand to ask for his life; as soon as he closed his eyes, he seemed to see the deceased Zheng Huan Gong, Zheng Wugong and other ancestors scolding him for being unvirtuous and unrighteous, and killing him was harmful to Zheng Guo. A man of merit. Ji Zidu's blood vessels swelled more and more, and she finally shouted, rushed out of the queue, and committed suicide with her sword.
Faced with the sudden change, Zheng Zhuanggong was extremely calm. At this time, he already understood who killed Uncle Yingkao. But he couldn't make this matter clear, otherwise it would disgrace the image of Zheng's court. Zheng Zhuanggong put aside the matter of tracing the murderer and arranged for Ji Zidu to be buried with Gongsun etiquette, and his family was no longer involved.
On the day Gongsun Jizi was buried, a young and beautiful girl came and asked to be buried with her. At this time, burials were popular all over the world. In order to ensure the well-being of the soul of the deceased, nobles often buried living people with them, and those buried with them were mostly the deceased's wives, concubines, domestic servants, and slaves. The woman who asked to be buried with him was none other than the singing girl who secretly admired Ji Zidu. The girl thought that she could not be Ji Zidu's wife in life, but she should be with him after death, so she came here. Although Shangqing Jizu understood the subtleties, he couldn't help but ask Xia Shuying: "Looks and character, who is more important?" Just thinking about it." Jizu couldn't help but laugh.
In order to commemorate Uncle Ying Kao, Zheng Zhuanggong ordered people to build a temple in his hometown Yinggu. This temple is Yingdafu Temple, also known as Chunxiao Temple. After the temple was completed, Duke Zhuang of Zheng personally led hundreds of officials to offer sacrifices. Everyone sighed at the virtue of Duke Zhuang of Zheng, and their desire to serve the country of Zheng became even stronger.
On the way back to Xinzheng from Yinggu, Duke Zhuang of Zheng suddenly heard that Xiguo (in today's Xixian County, Henan Province) was invading. This country is nearly five hundred miles away from Xinzheng, and the king's surname is Ji. When Zheng Zhuanggong used the order of Emperor Zhou to order other countries to attack the Song Dynasty, he did not send envoys to conquer the country. Duke Zhuang of Zheng said: "This Xiguo has a small army and is dispensable. Let's forget about it." Unexpectedly, these words reached the ears of Xiaihou, the king of Xiguo. He was so angry that he ordered his soldiers to train day and night and attack Zheng on a certain day to highlight the status of Xi.
In 712 BC, Xi State launched a war against Zheng State. But Xi's army was too weak. Within a day, Zheng Zhuanggong commanded Zheng's army to easily defeat Xi's attack. Shangqing Jizu sighed at this: "The Xi Kingdom firstly did not consider its own virtue; secondly, it did not estimate its own strength; thirdly, it did not contact the countries that were close and enemies of Zheng to conquer together; fourthly, it did not explain clearly the reasons for conquering Zheng." With these four mistakes, how can we avoid failure when setting out on an expedition? With Xijun who does not overestimate his own capabilities, the day of Xijun's destruction is not far away."
