Regarding the matter of Liu Xie's taking over power, although it did hurt the feelings of the old ministers and attracted some criticism, it did make the court appear full of vitality that had not been seen for many years. As the country entered the New Year, Liu Xie's various personnel arrangements were gradually revealed, and people became increasingly aware that the newly enthroned emperor was a completely different ruler from the previous emperor.
First of all, he focused on personnel matters. Unlike Liu Bei, who had a broad view of politics and was willing to decentralize power, Liu Xie was quite like Chen Chong in personnel matters, taking everything in detail and observing it. In the first month of the first year of Long'an, before the first batch of new county officials were about to take office, Liu Xie ordered all of them to go to the Deyang Hall in the palace, and then tested the personnel in various aspects such as agricultural promotion, education, and criminal law. Among them, the most important exam is the county magistrate and county lieutenant. Liu Xie believes that among all the positions in the government and the public, the county magistrate is the most important and can be called the representative of the state. If the county officials are incompetent, the court's policies will not be implemented, and the people will not be able to rely on them. Therefore, those who were incompetent in the policy test were dismissed on the spot and dismissed from their posts. As for those who excelled in the policy test, Liu Xie kept people secretly in the policy and planned to observe them in the long term.
The second is to focus on court discussions. Since Liu Bei was away fighting all the year round, the affairs of the court were mostly superficial and just a formality. In fact, domestic affairs are mostly divided into two categories: civil and military. Civil affairs follow Chen Chong, and military affairs follow Liu Bei. After the two of them decided on their plans in the Taiwan government, they directly implemented them. As for the court meeting, it was just to announce matters and show prestige. But now that Liu Xie has revived the court meetings, he often discusses matters in court. Although he still orders the Taige to draw up general plans, he also orders hundreds of officials to give advice before and after, to make up for his mistakes, so as to ensure everything is perfect. Everyone in the government and the public saw that he would come to every court and sit upright, and they all had a great impression of the emperor, because he seemed to have the etiquette of a sage king and the power of a wise king. Even the late emperor was slightly lacking in this aspect.
Of course, Liu Xie also listened to Chen Chong's advice and kept his father's last words in mind. Even if I don't like frugal style, I still insist on maintaining myself. He first appointed Shangguan Sheng of Longxi as Taishi Ling to supervise his abstinence from drinking and sex. At the same time, he ordered to set aside ten acres of farmland in the north of Xuanwu City, and confiscated high-quality wheat, beans, millet, rice and other grain seeds from the four areas. Then Liu Xie himself led the palace staff to plow and sow the land in Longmu, in order to sympathize with the sufferings of the people. By the end of April, the field, named Fengze Garden by Liu Xie, was lush and green, with rows of seedlings. At this time, due to the convenient river bridge in the north of Luoyang, Hebei caravans often came through Beimang. After seeing Fengze Garden, they all sighed privately: "Now that we can do farming, what else can't we do?" "
But when it comes to the deepest impression that the people of Luoyang have on the emperor, it must be the Hu vulgarity and Hu Feng in him. When King Heng Tuoba Li sent a small envoy to welcome Princess Dongping, the emperor saw that there were many Xianbei warriors among the accompanying envoys. Seeing that he was eager to hunt, he ordered the palace guards to set up a dome in the wild, and then competed with the Xianbei people for arrows. technique. The emperor hit nine out of ten shots, which few Xianbei people could match. Seeing this, he couldn't help but admire him and called the emperor "Ziyu". Liu Xie then held a banquet at the foot of Beimang Mountain.
At that time, Xianbei people gathered here, with domes and huts stretching out, and white smoke filling the air. People sat everywhere, boiled cheese and dismembered cooked meat, drank wine and sang songs, feasting day and night and staying overnight. Although Liu Xie did not drink, he also danced and sang at the banquet, which was quite cool. After night falls, there are few lights in Luoyang City, except for the bright bonfires under Beimang Mountain. There are also horse teams gathering at the fire to worship the sky, and the horses are galloping around. Liu Xie was puzzled, so Xianbei told them: "I beg for immortality for the king and the princess. May the husband and wife be harmonious and the prince be born soon!"
Most of the old ministers who have become officials rest in the suburbs of the city, and you can also see the Xianbei people's carnival fireworks at night. But most of them were unhappy. Even if the princess got married, they would only send their tribesmen to congratulate her while they studied behind closed doors at home. I don’t know who made the comment, but soon there was a saying: "The emperor is like a big beard, not like a human king."
However, for Chen Chong, his lofty status in the court remained unchanged. Although Liu Xie resigned as prime minister, he did not appoint a new prime minister, apparently to express his respect for Chen Chong. Therefore, when interacting with others, others still call him Prime Minister. Even though the old minister had left, there were still many disciples of Chen Chong in the court. They supported each other and called themselves the Queen of Dragon Gate, and often came to ask Chen Chong for advice. Therefore, although Chen Chong was no longer in the court, he still maintained great influence on the court.
It's just that Chen Chong kept his promise to Liu Xie. Although he was often concerned about the changes in the political situation, he tried to stay as simple as possible and not attract attention. On weekdays, I mostly spend time entertaining my grandchildren, occasionally chatting with old friends and keeping in touch with old friendships.
On May 1, Chen Chong heard that Xun You was ill, so he took Zhao Qiu and Lu Yi to visit him. At this time Xun You
His residence was near the Imperial College in the south of the city. Zhong Yao, Meng Da, Bian Rang and others also happened to come to visit him at this time, and they were accompanied by many disciples of the Imperial College. When Xun You heard that so many people were coming, he said to everyone: "Now that all the talents of the previous dynasty have arrived, and there are also the talents of the younger generation behind them, it is God's will that everyone gathers together. It is a rare opportunity. It is better to communicate and understand easily, which can be regarded as a happy life." It's a grand event." He also called for the descendants of the clan, including Xun You and Xun Chen, who were all accompanying him.
Although it was getting late at that time, the weather was hot, so everyone went to sit in a complex auditorium in Xunyou Courtyard.
It is said to be a hall, but it is actually a place to enjoy the cool air. There are shelves on it and it is covered with ivy. Chen Chong saw the four words "Sincerity and Honesty" carved on the wooden pillars in front of the hall, and knew that this was the place where Xun You spent his days reading in the cool air, talking and reciting poems with his friends all night long.
Everyone naturally respected Chen Chong. After paying homage to each other, they all took their seats according to their order. Xun You sat in the chair, Chen Chong sat side by side with him, Zhong Yao and Bian Rang sat in the second seats, and the other veterans sat on the mats on both sides. The juniors stood to serve and listen to the debate.
However, after Chen Chong took his seat, he saw that Xun You's face was a little sallow, so he was not interested in a long conversation. Instead, he talked about home affairs with his old friends around him. Mainly, Bian Rang and Mi Heng talked loudly at the table, while the others watched from the sidelines. Those who were not interested sat in the corner chatting with the chess players, which was very lively.
Chen Chong and Xun You talked for a while, and then he saw Xun You frowning, subconsciously pressing his chest, and hurriedly came forward to greet him. Xun You coughed and waved his hands repeatedly, and said with a smile: "It's not a big deal if you roar." After that, he ordered Cang Tou sent concoction and ice to relieve everyone's heat. Everyone fell silent for a moment. When Zhong Yao saw Xun You indicating that he was okay, he turned around and said, "Originally we agreed to talk about morality, but why did we get sidetracked? Wenli (bian gives way), Zhengping (ni Heng), let's continue."
Mi Heng grabbed the feather fan, took off his clothes and exposed his chest, then shook it and said, "If the words of the saint are exhausted, they will be no different from the common people."
He gave way but did not show weakness: "Zhengping said that the saint's words are endless, but there are gaps and mistakes in the saint. What is a saint?"
Mi Heng shook his head and said: "A saint is like Mount Tai. If you observe it, you will be mistaken. If you don't observe it, you will be obscured."
Bian Rang said: "Otherwise, the words of the saint are like the breath of blue language, which lasts for a moment."
Although both of them have entered old age, they are still quick in thinking and quick in speech, and they do not give in to each other.
"It is said in "The Way of Heaven" that words are precious and cannot be conveyed in words."
"Words are not conveyed, what did you say?"
"Heaven does not speak, but the four seasons always move. The saint does not speak, but reason always exists."
"Sages don't say anything, where do "Lao", "Zhuang" and "Yi" come from?
Mi Heng was speechless for a moment, but when Chen Chong heard this, he interrupted with a smile and said: "I have already said that Tao can be Tao, but it is not Tao, and it can be named, but it is not famous. I rode an ox out of Hangu Pass, and I didn't want to leave any words. , it’s just a method of convenience left in response to the people’s high expectations. Zhuangzi also said that what you get is in the hand and should be in the heart. The mouth cannot express it, but the number is stored in it. The minister cannot use it as a metaphor for the minister’s son, and the minister’s son cannot accept it. Yu Chen. It can be seen that the sound teaching will eventually come to an end!"
As soon as he appeared here, everyone in the audience clapped their hands and praised him for his kindness. Zhong Yao refused to lag behind. He was stroking his beard and thinking, and quickly came to his aid and said:
"Exactly like this, so what the sage says is a common saying? The so-called sage sets up images to express his meaning, sets up hexagrams to express his falsehood, and combines words to express his words. Change them to make them more beneficial, and use drums and dances to express them. God. It can be seen that the singing and dancing hexagrams are also the words of the saint!" Chen Chong used the dictionary "Lao" and "Zhuang", and Zhong Yao used the dictionary "Yi·Xici". This statement was so appropriate that the younger generations nodded repeatedly. He admired him, and the old ministers also clapped their hands with jade handles and applauded him.
Everyone seems to be getting better and better, making quotations and expounding on each other. The weather was indeed very hot, and some people's Confucian clothes were soaked through, but they were too embarrassed to be rude like Mi Heng, so they all picked up fans and shook them desperately. When Xun You saw it, he said, "Everyone might as well take off your headscarf, roll up your sleeves, and feel comfortable."
At this time, Bian Rang and Mi Heng's discussion had already moved from "Lao" and "Zhuang" to "Yi", from whether the Yao Ci was the final words of the saint to the debate on the meaning of "Zhen". Many young people also joined in the argument, and the scene became a melee. Only Chen Chong, Zhong Yao, and Xun You were listening with their fans on the side and said nothing.
Chen Chong listened for a while, then looked back at Zhong Yao and said quietly: "Why don't people talk about classics now, but all about metaphysics? Is there some talented person in Taixue?"
Zhong Yao glanced at him and said with a smile: "Ting Jian is really deaf to what is going on outside the window. He didn't know that He Yan came from Hebei. He was the grandson of General He Jin. There is no rival, so everyone follows his example and talks about mysteries!"
Chen Chong shook his head and said: "It is interesting to talk about mysteries, and it can be used as a pastime, but it is no different in the country, which is really not a good sign."
Unexpectedly, Zhong Yao sighed, and then said coldly: "But your Majesty doesn't need us old people, so what's the use of talking about state affairs?"
Only then did Chen Chong realize that his old friend was secretly expressing his dissatisfaction with him. Yuan Chang was originally the uncle of the state and an appointed minister. When he was at the peak of his power, he was forced to give up his position because of his and Liu Xie's designs. He must have been extremely unwilling to do so! Chen Chong thought for a moment and couldn't help but feel guilty. He was about to continue talking to Zhong Yao, but Zhong Yao stopped him. He said, "Ting Jian, I was just a little resentful, and I lost my composure just now."
Xun You seemed free and easy. He asked Cang Tou to pour a cup of herbal tea for each of them, and then said with a smile: "The past is over. Since we are far away from the rivers and lakes, there is no need to worry about the temple anymore. Why are you two so uneasy?" What about resigning? It shows that sincerity and integrity have not been achieved yet!"
Suddenly someone outside cleared their throat loudly, and everyone turned around to look. It turned out to be Xu Miao from Yan. While everyone was arguing, he asked for a small bed and sat under the locust tree in front of the hall. At this time, he held the pen in his right hand, and handed a piece of silk to the child with his left hand, and handed it into Chen Chong's hand.
Chen Chong took a look and saw that it was actually a painting in which people had different expressions, sitting and lying down in different ways. The brushstrokes were simple but round, giving it a lifelike feel. It felt cool and refreshing to look at, which was very pleasant. Chen Chong was so impressed that he circulated the painting around the banquet. A famous descendant said: "Today I meet all the sages, it makes me happy and forgets the summer heat. It is just like this painting!"
Everyone was delighted to hear this and made an appointment to discuss it someday. Go to study fo
