Fan Ju knew that although Bai Qi was gone, his power had not been reduced at all. After being far away from Xianyang, he could move more freely and not be controlled by King Qin. So Fan Ju once again offered advice to the King of Qin: "When I heard that Bai Qi was leaving, I was very dissatisfied with the king's treatment of him and had complaints in my heart. He claimed to be sick in Qin, but he was not really sick. I was worried , if he goes to other countries, he is likely to become a thorn in the side of Qin."
This is just like what Wei Guocheng said to the King of Wei when Shang Yang was in Wei State, either he should reuse Shang Yang or kill him. However, the King of Wei did not listen to the instructions of the Prime Minister of Wei, and ultimately did not reuse Shang Yang or kill him.
At this moment, King Qin obeyed Fan Ju and had already belittled Bai Qi. Now Fan Ju said that even if Bai Qi no longer poses any threat, it would not be a big deal to kill him. This would prove that the King of Qin valued Fan Ju. Why would the King of Qin not do this?
In fact, the King of Qin knew that Bai Qi had fought for Qin through life and death and had made great military exploits. Everyone in the other six kingdoms regarded him as a sworn enemy. Except for Qin, no country will really reuse him. But now he not only disobeys the King of Qin in Qin, but also poses a threat to the status of the King of Qin. It seemed reasonable for the King of Qin to kill him.
This is the king. When a person is useful, he will treat him in a royal way; on the contrary, when a person has lost the value of use, he will abandon him without hesitation and even be domineering towards him. With his mind made up, King Qin hurriedly sent an envoy to chase Bai Qi, and at the same time gave him a sword to commit suicide.
I don't know who leaked the news. The news that King Qin and Fan Ju conspired to kill Bai Qi reached the ears of Bai Qi's old troops. Therefore, Sima Geng, Wang Jian, Meng Ao, Hu Shang, Lu Gong, Zhang Ruo and other high-ranking veterans of the Qin army who were not on the front line all chased Bai Qi on horseback to report to Bai Qi that there was a villain slandering the king. The king has already considered killing Bai Qi.
When Bai Qi heard this, his heart felt bleak. After all, he still couldn't get rid of the shadow of death. He thought that if he escaped from Xianyang, King Qin would let him go. It's a pity that the State of Qin no longer needs him. He is only a threat to the King of Qin.
Bai Qi looked at the sky, his eyes passing over the veterans and old friends who had fought with him on the battlefield for many years, and said calmly: "I have often heard that it is not that it is difficult for the Qin State to achieve fame and great deeds, but that it is difficult to obtain talents. Talent is difficult; it is not difficult for the Qin State to obtain talented people, but it is difficult to fully reuse these talented people; it is not difficult to use these talented people, but it is difficult to trust them. Now that the king no longer trusts me, I will die. Yes, what’s the big deal?”
The veterans wanted to persuade Bai Qi again, but they didn't know where to start. You must know that Bai Qi, an old man in his twilight years, cannot be tolerated by the Qin State, so where can he have a place?
Finally, the people sent by King Qin arrived and gave Bai Qi a sword to commit suicide. Bai Qi was still very calm, as if he had expected this death. Bai Qi sighed deeply and said, "I really deserve to die. During the Changping War, hundreds of thousands of Zhao troops surrendered. I deceived them and killed them all. Even if I die, I can't survive."
However, Wang Jian, Sima Geng and others all knew that Bai Qi spent his whole life as a soldier and conquered half of the country for the Qin State. He had no choice but to kill Zhao's surrendered soldiers. In terms of merits and demerits, no one can make a conclusion. All this is left to future generations to comment on.
Bai Qi's contribution to the Qin State and the Warring States Period can be said to be the greatest. Without Bai Qi, Qin's ability to unify the six kingdoms was still unknown.
But in front of them, Wang Jian and the others only saw Bai Qi picking up the sword and swiping it gently on his neck. The god of war who made the six kingdoms tremble and crouch, and the myth that Qin was applauded and proud of, fell heavily to the ground and disappeared into the history. In the dust. The King of Qin killed Bai Qi, wanting to kill him as a warning to others. However, those soldiers would not simply obey. Among them, Sima Geng was the most radical. The King of Qin had no choice but to kill Sima Geng again to calm the turmoil.
The people of Qin believed that Bai Qi and Sima Geng died innocently and in vain, so everyone felt sorry for them, and all the towns and villages set up temples to worship Wu'an Lord Bai Qi.
At this moment, Fan Ju's mood was undoubtedly complicated. He knew that his position was not as secure as Mount Tai, as outsiders saw. Not only were the conflicts between the military and Fan Ju difficult to reconcile, the King of Qin also gradually stopped using Fan Ju. What's more serious is that the King of Qin also received a secret letter, which categorically stated that Wang Ji, Fan Ju's crony, had committed treason and collaboration with the enemy. Soon after, Wang Ji was executed on the streets of Xianyang, and Fan Ju fell to the lowest point since he entered the Qin Dynasty as the prime minister.
Facing the increasingly severe situation, Fan Ju had already had the idea of retreating to the mountains. At this time, the arrival of a person made him finally solidify his idea and put it into practice.
This person is Cai Ze.
Cai Ze, whose birth and death dates are unknown, was born in Gangcheng, Yan State (now Huai'an, Hebei Province) during the Warring States Period. He was good at eloquence and wisdom, and he lobbied the princes. King Zhaoxiang of Qin worshiped him as a guest minister. However, before that, although he had great ambitions, he never had the chance to put them into practice. In desperation, he actually thought of asking for divination.
At that time, there happened to be a famous fortune teller passing by Gangcheng. This man had also read the fortune of Li Dui, the minister of Zhao State, and successfully predicted that he would take power within 100 days. This person's name is Tang Ju. Ju is also written as "Ju". "Xunzi Feixiang" describes Tang Ju: "In today's Liang Dynasty, people with Tang Ju's appearance can know their good or bad luck, their good or bad luck, their evil and auspicious worldly names by their shape and color. The ancient people did not have it, and the scholars did not know the way."
When Cai Ze met Tang Ju, he felt as if he had found a treasure. After confirming that Tang Ju had shown Li Dui his face, he hurriedly asked Tang Ju: "In your opinion, what will a person like me do in the future?" After looking at Cai Ze in a pretentious manner, he said with a smile: "Mr.'s nose is pointed to the sky, his shoulders are too broad, which makes his neck look particularly thick and short, with a bulging forehead, a collapsed nose bridge, and bow-legged legs. Mr. Don't you think that this kind of appearance can only be found in saints?"
When Cai Ze heard this, he couldn't help laughing. He naturally understood that this was just a joke by Tang Ju, so he continued to ask: "Life and death are determined by fate and wealth. In my opinion, wealth is what I have. I want it." What my husband helped me look at was the length of my lifespan.”
Tang Ju shook his head for a while, and then said: "Because your appearance is invisible to others, your life expectancy will be 43 years later."
After hearing this, Cai Ze smiled and expressed his gratitude, then got on the carriage and left Tang Ju's residence. Then he said to his coachman: "God has treated me well. I am a man who can have rice, wine and meat for every meal, and drive the carriage quickly." Holding a gold seal in his hand and a purple ribbon around his waist, he is highly respected in front of his master and has enjoyed glory and wealth for as long as 43 years. What else can he not be satisfied with?"
So, Cai Ze left Yan State with confidence, hoping to show off his talents in Zhao State. Unfortunately, after arriving in Zhao State, Cai Ze was still depressed and frustrated. It didn't matter, Zhao State actually hindered his reputation. He was driven out of Zhao directly. In desperation, Cai Ze could only go to South Korea and Wei to try his luck. Unexpectedly, on the way, even his cooking utensils such as pots and tripods were robbed by robbers. Just at this time, the incident between Zheng Anping and Wang Ji reached his ears, and Cai Ze immediately felt that his opportunity might be at this time. So, he traveled all night and starry to the State of Qin, and became the guest of the King of Qin.
However, during this period, Cai Ze really put a lot of thought into it. After Cai Ze arrived in Xianyang, he stayed in the most luxurious inn, ate the most expensive food and wine, and told the innkeeper brazenly that he was about to become the prime minister. Once he became the prime minister, he would be rewarded heavily.
When the boss heard this, he burst out laughing. Isn't this the funniest joke in the world? This man is probably a lunatic. He is worthless, so why should he be the prime minister of Qin? Moreover, the current prime minister of Qin, Fan Ju, has just defeated Bai Qi, the God of War, and he is full of power. How could Cai Ze be so virtuous and dare to speak so shamelessly?
Cai Ze also laughed loudly, and laughed even more wildly than the innkeeper. He continued to say that the boss didn't know anything. He would be summoned by King Qin soon. At that time, King Qin would immediately exempt Fan Ju. Position, put yourself on stage.
Although no one took Cai Ze's words seriously, they spread quickly. Soon, such rumors even appeared in Fan Ju's house. This made Fan Ju very curious about Cai Ze. And what Cai Ze wanted was exactly this effect.
So Fan Ju directly invited Cai Ze into the Prime Minister's Mansion. He wanted to see who in the world could be so arrogant and bold. Such an unknown figure actually tried to gain his own position.
Fan Ju almost burst out laughing when he saw Cai Ze. This man was not good-looking, and there really was nothing outstanding about him. Compared with himself, who was talented and full of knowledge, it was really a world of difference. So, Fan Ju asked proudly: "Sir, what extraordinary ability does it have that you can take away my position?"
Before that, Cai Ze had already made complete preparations. When Fan Ju asked, he replied calmly: "How short-sighted the monarch is. As we all know, a wise monarch and an upright minister are the It is a great blessing for the whole country that a father is kind and his son is filial, and a husband is trustworthy and his wife is loyal. However, from ancient times to the present, many virtuous ministers and generals have finally died in depression."
After a pause, Cai Ze continued: "Biqian was loyal but could not continue the Yin Dynasty, Zixu was resourceful but could not protect Wu Wan, Shen Sheng was filial but could not stop the Jin chaos. What is the reason for this? He who has both body and reputation is the best. ; Those whose names are worthy of the law but whose body is worthy of the law are in the middle; those whose body is alive but whose reputation is disgraced are at the bottom. People like Shang Yang, Wu Qi, and Wen Zhong tried their best to be loyal to the king and made great contributions, but in the end they were brutally killed, and they were not allowed to have their names and bodies. It is really sad. . Take the current kings and princes as an example, their fame and achievements are far less than those of the above three, but their wealth, wealth and wealth are even better. Looking at the trust that the King of Qin has in the princes, it is not as good as that of the Qin Dynasty. Duke Xiao’s trust in Shang Yang, King Chu Duo’s trust in Wu Qi, King Gou Jian of Yue’s trust in Wen Zhong.”
After making this comparison, Fan Ju already had some understanding of Cai Ze's talent, and at the same time, he also had a rough idea of what he wanted to express. Then I heard Cai Ze continue to say: "Now, if the prime minister still doesn't know how to advance and retreat, I'm afraid that your disaster will be more serious than Shang Yang and others. You don't know: everything in the world, the order of the four seasons, and those who have no merit will come. Successful people will go, this is the most obvious truth; the sun will move at noon, the moon will lose when it is full, and things will decline when they are prosperous. These are the constants of heaven and earth. Advances and retreats, waxing and waning, changing with the times, this is the way of the saint. Unfortunately, ordinary people are often misled Those who are tempted by selfish interests cannot understand the truth. Just like swans, rhinoceros, and elephants, the places where they live are originally far away from danger, but they are tempted by baits and eventually die."
Cai Ze's eloquence was truly outstanding. In just a few words, he made Fan Ju's chest feel cold. Cai Ze continued: "There is a saying in the book: Success cannot last long. When the king and the prince are in love with the Qin, they cannot plan to sit down, and they cannot plan." Go out of the corridor temple, sit down and control the princes, benefit the three rivers, and benefit the sun; eliminate the danger of Yangchang, block the road to Taihang, cut off the access road of the Three Qin Dynasties, so that the six countries cannot unite; the plank road leads to Shuhan for thousands of miles, making the world fearful Qin. Qin's desires have been obtained, and the emperor's achievements are extremely great. When Qin is sharing the achievements, but does not want to retreat, there will be disasters for Shang Yang, Wu Qi, and Wen Zhong. Why don't you let Gui Xiangyin, select the virtuous and give them to them? ?”
Speaking of which, Fan Ju was actually very clear about Cai Ze's argument. Cai Ze talks about human affairs and safety, his words are touching and every word is shocking. Fan Ju is so smart, he can understand everything with just one click. He knew that he had caused public outrage by slandering Bai Qi, and coupled with the affairs of Zheng Anping and Wang Ji, he was already in danger in the Qin political arena. Rather than end up with the same tragic end as Shang Yang, Wu Qi and others, it is better to retreat now and stay safe. Therefore, Fan Ju invited King Zhaoxiang of Qin to praise Cai Ze's virtue and recommended Cai Ze as prime minister.
Fan Ju did not expect that the King of Qin would readily agree to his request. It can be seen that the King of Qin has recently thought of punishing himself, at least it will be difficult for him to reuse him again. Because of Qin's current situation, it needs to rely more on the support of military groups.
And what Cai Ze did was really unexpected. He had only been prime minister for a few months, but he was worried that he would be killed because of the resentment of others, so he immediately withdrew. Later, when others asked him why, he explained bluntly that he was not Fan Ju. Fan Ju would be blessed if he survived the catastrophe, but as long as he survived the catastrophe, he didn't care about his future blessings. However, although he resigned from the position, he continued to participate in the political affairs of King Qin Xiaowen and King Qin Zhaoxiang. By the time of Qin Shihuang, he was still reused. It was through his lobbying that Prince Dan of Yan went to Qin to become a hostage.
This is something for later, so I won’t mention it for now.
After Fan Ju resigned from the position in the 52nd year of King Qin Zhaoxiang (255 BC), he died in his fief Yingcheng, which can be regarded as a good death.
It is necessary to mention here that, in addition to a good death (the main theory), there are many other theories in history about Fan Ju's death. For example, Mr. Lin Jianming discussed the death of Fan Ju in the compilation of "Manuscript of the History of Qin", which was very different from the death of Fan Ju recorded in "Historical Records". During this period, it was said in the "Chronicles" of Yunmeng Qin Slips: "In the fifty-second year (of King Qin Zhaoxiang), Wang Ji and Zhang Lu died." This Zhang Lu was Fan Ju's pseudonym when he first arrived in Qin. It can be seen that Fan Ju died in 255 BC when he was imprisoned because of Wang Ji's incident.
But it only said that Fan Ju died, but did not say that he was killed by King Qin. Based on the rigor of Sima Qian's writing of history books and the fact that Cai Ze's later incidents were true, it can be proved that in the year when the Wang Ji incident broke out, Cai Ze came to Qin and lobbied Fan Ju, who also He passed away soon after resigning his position.
Fan Ju died. He had merits and demerits in his life, but his contribution to the development of Qin and the entire history of the Warring States Period was unparalleled.
