It was already past Unity Time, and the setting sun passed through the gaps in the sea of clouds. The stream of light instantly overflowed, turning into strands from west to east, extending to the easternmost end of the sky. On top of these strands, there was a pale white outline. , that is the full moon that has not yet given off its light.
At this time, the cool breeze blew, and the reeds undulated back and forth like snow waves, sweeping away the strong fragrance of the sun. What then rose was the faint fragrance of water, which lingered with the fragrance of lotus in the pond, making people forget their worries. . Even if a flock of wild geese flew over the heads of the three of them, they only felt that this was the sound in the painting, which made the world move and their hearts calm.
After meeting with the emperor, Dong Zhao did not reveal his purpose immediately. Instead, he took out a bamboo flute from his waist and played it gently in the sunset. Although the person is right around him, to the emperor's ears, the music seems to come from a very far away place, from the high wall, from the dense forest, from the far-reaching, desolate and uninhabited mountains. It sounds very strange at first. It's slender, but it captures the heartstrings at once, as if no matter how far away you are, this music can penetrate the heart and spleen smoothly through obstacles.
The emperor listened for a while and recognized that it was Wuguan Luozhao song, but it was different from the original song. The original song is majestic and majestic. Just listening to the intro, it seems like the sea of clouds is flowing with thousands of brilliance. The middle part is like flying boulders that are unstoppable, and there is also a sense of sadness that the world is vast and time is helplessly passing by. But after Dong Zhao's variation, it seems that time has passed by, the years have passed, the world has changed, but Wuguan has always been with the sun.
At the end of the song, it was as slow or fast as the flow of a small river, so that a group of wild ducks emerged from the reeds upon hearing the sound. When they saw the three people, they were startled, then turned around and hid away.
When the emperor saw this, he couldn't help but smile in a low voice. As the song was playing, Dong Zhao put down his bamboo flute and asked the emperor: "What did your majesty realize when he saw this scene?"
The emperor said slowly: "A few days ago, I read Zhuang Zhou and saw Kun Peng striking the water, and the ghost spirit was a thousand years old. I felt that the world was boundless, and humans and butterflies seemed to be one and the same. Listening to Dong Qing's music now is just like that time."
Dong Zhao shook his head slightly when he heard the words and said to the emperor: "Your Majesty is feeling the vastness of the world. This is human nature, but it is not the words your Majesty should say." After he said this, his tone changed and he read loudly: " The emperor's sword takes Yanxi Shicheng as the front, Qi Dai as the eel, Jinwei as the ridge, Zhou and Song Dynasties as the tango, and Han Wei as the clamp. It is surrounded by the four barbarians, wrapped in the four seasons, surrounded by the Bohai Sea, and led by Changshan. Based on the five elements, punishment and virtue are discussed; yin and yang are opened, spring and summer are maintained, and autumn and winter are used."
This is a line from "Zhuangzi: Swordsmanship". After Dong Zhao finished reading, he immediately asked the emperor: "What do you think when your majesty reads Zhuang Zhou's sentence?"
The emperor thought for a moment, then laughed and said: "This is rhetorical language. Although it is very powerful, none of the words are true, and it is just false."
Unexpectedly, Dong Zhao still shook his head. He pointed at the lake in front of him and crossed it from west to east until he reached the hiding place of the Tianji Mountains. He said, "Don't you see that your Majesty, this scene and this place in front of you are all filled with Xiaowu?" Is it the emperor's sword?" Seeing the emperor's stunned expression, he smiled and said: "The sword of Xiaowu came from Cangwu and ended in the west. The spine is made of feathers, forests, tigers and benches, and the king's laws and Zhou rites are the clamps; it is sharpened with beasts and bears, wrapped with the feelings of heaven and man, thinking of virtuous people and having great hopes to achieve power, and peacefully enjoying Kunming to show virtue; it moves like thunder, and the front is cold across the nine states. Crossing the East China Sea in the east, Shuofang in the north, dominating Dawan in the west, and all the northern households in the south, the Rong and the barbarians will be feared, and the vassals and guests will be subdued."
"Shura Martial God"
After that, Dong Zhao took a breath and looked at the emperor again. The emperor's expression had become a little confused. He chuckled in his heart, and then said: "Your Majesty, although the world here is vast, the sword of the emperor can change the color of the mountains and rivers." , all things die. Just as there was no Kunming Pool in ancient times, it existed because of filial piety and military filial piety. His Majesty’s words are only belittled.”
The emperor said "Oh", he raised his eyes to Dong Zhao, his tone had changed, and asked: "Sir, you have worked so hard to meet me, is it because you are here to teach me the art of the emperor? I can give you a casual riding routine." As a servant, you will always be by my side.”
Dong Zhao smiled and said, "That's not why I came here to ask about Your Majesty's ambitions."
"ambition?"
Dong Zhao saw the emperor's eyes brighten, and then said slowly: "Does Your Majesty want to be the hero of Zhongxing Sheji, or are you willing to serve Yao and Shun and let the two hundred years of the ancestors' foundation be in Xiaozong?"
The emperor looked at Dong Zhao for a moment and said, "This is not what a minister should say."
Dong Zhao looked at each other calmly and said: "If your majesty is the emperor in name and in reality, Zhao will naturally not say such words. But your majesty has the name of emperor in vain. If the ministers want to be loyal to the emperor, they must not say what the ministers should say." talk."
These words were directed at Chen Chong and Liu Bei. With the emperor's intelligence and talent, he naturally understood it instantly, but he pretended not to know and asked Dong Zhao: "Although the country is not unified now, the people are happy and the country is in peace. What's wrong, sir?" So?"
Dong Zhao laughed loudly when he heard this. He sat cross-legged among the reeds and said to the emperor: "I heard that Long Shou taught your majesty more about history and less about scriptures. Then Fan Sui said that King Qin Zhao spoke of the four nobles. Is it possible? Do you want me to say it again?"
The emperor was silent, and Dong Zhao said seriously: "He who is good at the country is called a king, he who is able to benefit and harm is called a king, and he who controls the power of killing is called a king..."
While the two were talking, Dong Cheng was listening on the side, and the emotion in his heart at this moment was dark and inexplicable. Generally speaking, there is more fear than excitement, and more uneasiness than longing. After the Liang Rebellion, the political situation of the imperial court has been stable for nearly five years. Not only the country's people's livelihood, but also the atmosphere of the court is completely new compared to the time of the late emperor. The name Gantang is worthy of its name. Now Dong Zhao's words are like a knife, but he is slashing at Liu and Chen, who already have a high reputation. Once His Majesty really listens to Dong Zhao's words, the court will inevitably lead to a life-or-death situation. It will be difficult to be merciful. If Your Majesty does not listen, Liu and Chen will Is it really possible to return power? Dong Cheng couldn't make up his mind either, and he felt more and more the pain of being in the court involuntarily.
He was stunned for a moment, and when he listened to Dong Zhao's words again, he had already read: "The poem says, 'Those who have strong trees are covered with branches, and those who are covered with branches hurt their hearts; those who enlarge their capital endanger their country, and those who respect their ministers despise them. Lord. Cui Zhu and Nao Chi were in charge, shooting at the king's stock, pulling out the king's tendons, and placed the county on the temple beam. He died in the past. Li Dui was in charge of Zhao and imprisoned the father of the master in the sand dunes. He died of starvation in a hundred days." This is said. In the past, during the Warring States Period, Duke Zhuang of Qi, King Min of Qi, and King Wuling of Zhao were restrained by powerful ministers and died tragically in the end.
The emperor stretched out his hand to signal, and Dong Zhao stopped and saw the emperor said: "Sir, you just want to use the words of ancients to impress me, but it is too easy! Let's talk about your own words!"
Dong Cheng was startled when he heard this, while Dong Zhao smiled. The emperor's words had actually stated his stance. He did have the intention to seize power and govern himself, but he just didn't have a plan or a reason.
Dong Zhao said: "That's why I asked Your Majesty about your ambition. If you don't have the ambition of a swan, I can only speak like a sparrow."
This statement made the emperor laugh, and he sighed: "Since ancient times, even the kings of Jie and Zhou have had the ambition to conquer the world. What you said is even more nonsense. Little does anyone know that there are countless people in the world who are greedy for the artifacts of the Han Dynasty. I How can I have no ambition? It's just to inherit the inheritance left by my ancestors and prevent it from falling into the hands of outsiders."
Dong Zhao said slowly: "In this case, Your Majesty should have the consciousness of being a loner."
But the emperor said: "This is Legalist talk, not Confucianism."
Dong Zhao said: "Has your Majesty forgotten the words of Zhongzong? The Han family has its own system, which is based on the overlord's way. However, it is purely moral education and uses Zhou Zheng! Now that Longshou is implementing the new policy, it is imperative to change the system. This is The way to subjugate a country!"
The emperor was noncommittal. He broke off a piece of reed and held it in his hand. He watched the reed swaying from side to side and said for a long time, "What do you think, sir, that would allow me to take charge?"
Finally waiting for this sentence, Dong Zhao took a long breath and said: "If your Majesty wants to take charge of the government, you must remove the Sili Xiaowei and the general Bafu."
The emperor said: "It can be explained in detail."
Dong Zhao explained in detail: "Longshou's disciples are all over the government and the public, and the Bafu is unique in military power in the north. If they only remove two people, they can respond to a hundred responses and forcibly abolish the establishment like Huo Guang, so they have to be removed. But within a short period of time, Your Majesty is alone and it is indeed difficult to do anything, but your Majesty has the blood of the late emperor, and his name as emperor has been recognized by the world. Therefore, we can start from within the court at the same time as Fang Bo, and gradually consolidate the power of the court."
"All matters in the court are decided by Longshou. Although Longshou is now deeply popular among the people, he is also burdened by the name of selflessness. As the saying goes, in the official residence, one should be loyal to the country. Loyalty to the country means loyalty to His Majesty. Therefore, Your Majesty is very open-minded. Liaise with his disciples and cultivate the friendship between the king and his ministers, so that they all become one."
"In matters outside the court, we should avoid overlordship. Fortunately, the country now has loyal ministers, such as Cao Cao in the east and Lu Bu in the west. Your Majesty can support the foreign vassals first and use their power to attack the governor to compete with the overlord government so that they cannot become dominant. .Liu Bei has always had great ambitions, but given time, he will definitely show signs of reverse."
"Therefore, Your Majesty can follow the example of King Zhuang of Chu, keep a low profile, and wait for the opportunity. Once there is an opportunity to seize power, you can imprison and kill the dragon head, pardon his subordinates, and then secretly send an edict to order foreign vassals to send troops to help. Until then, Your Majesty will stick to Guanzhong and Yizhou. We also have clan members to help us, and we should cooperate with each other from the inside and outside. We are not afraid that if the overlord is not eliminated, great things will not happen!"
Although he was impassioned, the emperor fell into silence. He also breathed a long sigh of relief, but he did not directly answer Dong Zhao's words. Instead, he looked down at the dead white dog on the ground. He squatted down and stroked the white dog, and suddenly asked: "This dog only barked once before it died. It must have been following you for a long time, right?"
Dong Zhao said: "It has been seven years."
The emperor asked: "Why kill it?"
Dong Zhao sighed: "Because it attracts people's attention, it will be useless after seeing Your Majesty today."
The emperor asked: "Don't you have any feelings?"
Dong Zhao replied: "Everyone has feelings for it, not to mention that after following it for seven years, I just played a song for it." He paused and then replied: "But after all, it is just a dog."
The emperor threw down the reeds in his hands and asked, "Sir, since you are making plans for me, what position do you want to take?"
Dong Zhao laughed and said: "Now that I am in the Sili Mansion, I know that the government is being transferred back and forth and it is not appropriate to leave my post. As for your Majesty, after taking charge of the government, with your Majesty's reward, no matter how much food you eat, I will accept it safely."
Finally, he pointed at Dong Cheng and said: "If your Majesty has any will, just leave it to Dong Gong." After that, he smiled slightly, turned around and walked into the reeds, resolutely like a fairy figure, not attached to the world of mortals. Just like this, it slowly disappeared from the sight of the emperor and Dong Cheng.
Counting the time the two of them talked before and after, it was less than half an hour.
