Zhu Haiyan shouted: "Mother! Mother!" He ran down the execution platform and waited beside the old woman, crying uncontrollably, which moved the viewers.
The Zhuhai ant shed tears and said, "Mom, let's go home." It picked up its mother and left. The old white ant looked at the lonely figure of the Zhu Hai ant leaving.
Zhu Haiyan has been an official for many years and has never fawned over his superiors. Even now, he has neither been promoted nor transferred, and he is still a small waiter in the county magistrate's house.
After Bai Laoyi got up, he felt deeply guilty and ordered his subordinate officials to pay consolation money to Zhu Haiyi's family, and then left.
When I went back this time, I did not take a car, but walked alone on the road, hoping to sober up.
In the distant sky, the setting sun reflected the clouds on the horizon red. The branches and leaves stretched out on the lonely big tree, and crows circled the tree three times.
Tired birds return to their nests and sing their songs around the trees, while the floating clouds calmly fall into the red clouds. The walking stick slowly walks under the sunset, and the dog barks to welcome home.
After the old white ant returned home, he locked himself in the study room to reflect. Today's scene made it still unable to forgive himself. He locked himself in the study room all day long without eating or drinking.
Bai Shao was waiting outside its door, really worried about its current situation. The little ant walked out and asked: "Bai Shao, what's going on with Big Chong Bai?" Bai Shao said a little puzzled: "I don't know what's going on with daddy. He locked himself in the study as soon as he came back. If you don't eat or drink, I'm afraid that its body won't be able to bear it." The little ant comforted it and said, "White peony root, it's useless for you to worry about it like this. It must have something difficult to deal with. In my heart, when it figures it out, it will be fine. Let's not disturb it. It will walk out of this door in less than half an hour." The little ant pulled Bai Shao out and sat in the courtyard waiting for its father to come out.
Bai Shao looked back at the door, hoping that her father would walk out of the door soon. The white old ant was sitting alone in the study. There was no candlelight in the dark room, it was pitch black.
The white old ant sat in front of the desk, in a daze, sometimes looking out the window. He knew that his precious daughter was worried about him. He could not let the house insect cry for it. He had to cheer up, get up and walk to the door.
After hesitating for a moment, he opened the door and walked out. He looked up at the sky and saw that night had fallen, and said, "White peony root." Bai Shao looked back, stood up and threw herself into his father's arms. Little Ant stood up and looked at it with a smile. .
Bai Shao threw herself into his father's arms, and was so anxious that Bai Shao shed tears and said: "Dad, you are worrying the insect like this." The old white ant stretched out his hands to comfort him: "Am I okay now? I'm okay. "Yes." He looked at Bai Shao's tearful face again and joked: "Look, I'm almost crying like a tear worm. You're still crying at such a big age. Are you ashamed?" As he spoke, he was crying. His fingers traced its nose.
Bai Shao smiled slightly and said, "I'm not worried about you. Daddy still wants to make fun of my daughter." But Big Ant Bai was happy with it and said, "Okay, okay, daddy won't make fun of you." As he said that, he wiped away the tears on Bai Shao's face. He said softly: "Quickly wipe away your tears. Even if your father doesn't laugh at you, other insects will laugh at you if they see you like this." The little ant stood at the back, cupped his hands in front, bowed and said: "Big Bai, big worm." Bai Lao ant just said Nodding silently, he faced Bai Shao and said, "Look, daddy is hungry. Go and prepare some dishes to go with the wine." Then he sat next to the stone table in the courtyard, looked at the little ant standing beside him, and said : "Xiao Yi, come and sit down quickly, and drink a few bottles of wine with me." Xiao Yi claimed to be a disciple of Confucius and received Confucius' teachings in his dream.
However, since ancient times, Confucian students have been obsessed with vulgar etiquette and are bound by the cumbersome etiquette. They saluted and said: "Thank you, Mr. Bai, for giving me a seat." Mr. Bai, the ant, said, "No need to be polite, come and sit down." The little ant stepped forward and talked to Bai. The old ants sat opposite each other.
The old white ant poured wine for it, and the little ant stood up, holding the wine bottle in both hands, and then sat down again. Seeing its calm look, the white old ant felt that the young man in front of him was not simple.
At such a young age, and so calm about things, he asked: "Why don't you ask me what happened today?" Xiao Yi said slowly: "No need to ask more, if the big insect wants to say something, he will naturally say it." Come out." The old white ant raised the wine bottle and said: "Drink." Then he drank it in one gulp, and the little ant was also very generous and drank the wine together.
When the white ant saw it, he praised: "There are a lot of little ants." The little ant smiled and said: "The little ant dare not compare with the big ant. The white old ant is the husband of the wine, and the little ant just drinks a few drinks." He laughed and said: "What a drunk husband." Listening to the little ant's talk, it was obvious that it was not an ordinary insect. It must have great wisdom in its heart, and said: "Then tell me what happened to me today?" Looking at the old Bai Dayi in front of him, he looked confident and said: "The surname Bai is the common surname of the Zhao Kingdom. Common people do not have such surnames. Da Chong is a family of officials and is the most valued minister of King Zhao. At this time The reason why King Zhao sent the big worm to Zhangshui must be because of taxation. A country’s taxation determines its fiscal revenue and is related to the strength and weakness of a country. The big worm must be worried about the difficulty of collecting taxes." After hearing this, the old ant Bai pretended. Calmly, he looked at the little ant in front of him and said, "Why do you see that?" The little ant looked at the facial expression of the white old ant and said, "There just happened a war between Qin and Zhao. This was a war of unprecedented scale. The Zhao State The treasury of the Qin State was depleted. The Qin army conducted frequent military exercises in Lantian and demonstrated to the six eastern countries, mainly targeting the military power Zhao State that could compete with the Qin State. However, the Zhao State, which had just experienced the war, was already exhausted. The people are exhausted, the food and grass are exhausted, and the state treasury needs to be replenished through taxation, right?" The old white ant also admitted at this time, saying: "Yes, the Qin army is conducting military exercises in Lantian, and all the six countries are afraid. Your Majesty A large number of troops were added to Taiyuan and Anyi to prevent Qin soldiers from leaving Hangu Pass, posing a threat to Handan. The need for so many soldiers, horses and food is the primary problem. At present, there is only one way to increase taxes on the people and replenish the national treasury." Xiao Yi heard this After speaking, he was silent for a long time without any words.
At this time, Bai Shao walked out of the kitchen and put the dishes on the table. She sat next to the little ants and listened quietly without talking to them, so as not to disturb their conversation.
At this time, the little ant began to speak and said, "Big worm, do you know what Xiaosheng saw along the way?" The old white ant said, "Tell me about it." The little ant drank a bottle of wine in one gulp. Said: "Refugees, because of the war, they left their homes because of the war, and traveled long distances over mountains and ridges. Along the way, they fell one after another. There were more bones in the loess. They were either from disease or hunger. The dead people are not counted. Among them, there are also massacres. In order to grab the few rations from the people, these soldiers who escaped back massacred wantonly. The number of people who died during a migration was more than the number of people who died in a big war. Many. When passing by a village, there were only a few old, weak, sick and disabled people left in the whole village. The old man sat in front of the door and leaned over and asked: "Everyone has fled, why don't you leave?" "This is what the old insect said to me. Those who can walk have fled, leaving those of us who can't walk to wait for death." There was silence at this time, and everyone was deep in thought.
At this time, Xiao Yi was the first to speak, saying: "The people are living in dire straits, and the Zhao State is also like this, right? All the young and middle-aged people have gone to fight, and the only ones left are these old and weak women and children. How come there is still surplus food to hand over?" , this must be where the big insect is in trouble." At this time, the big white ant thought of Zhu Haiyan, the servant, and felt a little ashamed when he thought about it.
Speaking of this matter, this is why it is forbidden to reflect. But Xiao Yi said: "There are too few upright officials like Zhu Haiyi. To bury his mother lavishly, Big Chong should go to mourn in person to show that Big Chong attaches great importance to her. If this matter is handled well, Big Chong can take advantage of it." This wins the hearts and minds of the people." Xiao Yi has also been in power for many years, so he is naturally very good at doing this.
The old man, the old man, took notice of Xiao Yi's talent and asked, "Sir, you know the current situation. Do you have any strategies for this?" Xiao Yi offered advice: "With the current situation, Qin is strong and powerful. Weak, there are Wei and Zhao on the side to compete with Qin, and there is a big country in the south, that is Chu. The king of Wei is eager to compete for supremacy, and once had a dispute with Qin over Hexi, and Chu and Qin had a dispute over Danyang , both suffered defeats. We can ally Wei and Chu to fight against Qin, and block the Qin army within Hangu Pass so that they do not dare to go east. This is external. Internally, it is reform, which reduces taxes and burdens or disasters for the people. Severe areas are tax-free for three years, and the government does not disturb the farming season. After that year, there will be a good harvest, and the surplus grain will be handed over to the national treasury, making the country rich and the people strong. In busy times, they are farmers, and in wartime, they are thousands of troops. The king has stationed troops in Taiyuan and Anyi this time to suppress the Qin army from top to bottom. Then the money and food will come from the powerful or princes and nobles, rectify the government and kill corrupt officials. These two measures can enrich the military and food treasury, defend the border areas, and promote honest or capable officials. Governing the place." These words reached the heart of the old white ant, and said: "There are many high-ranking princes and nobles, so I'm afraid it will be difficult to deal with them." The little ant said: "At this time, more cruel officials are promoted to be in charge of the criminal law. For Hundreds of officials or princes and nobles can serve as a deterrent." The old white ant heard that these ideas seemed a bit like the ideas of the Legalists, and laughed: "This idea of yours runs counter to the principles of Confucius, but it is a bit like the ideas of the Legalists. ." Xiao Yi disagreed and said: "A country has its own laws. To deal with chaos, focus must be used. Only in this way can the country run in an orderly manner. The people should be governed with benevolence and teach the people to be kind and polite. , emotions and laws are used together, emotions are inducements, laws are restraints. The highest state of war is to end wars with war, so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment." The old white ant asked again: "With the current situation of Zhao State, can it unify the world?"
