cite Han

Chapter 242 Three Lords

Liu Jing invited Jiang Wan to his seat, and said: "When I was young, I went to Xiangyang to study in the north. Because I came from the land of Artemisia argyi in Jiang and Hunan, and my own talent and learning were not good enough, so no one valued me. Only Pan Chengming treated me well." He favored me very much, and I was taken care of by him during the two years of studying abroad. Later, when I returned home because of my brother's death, Pan Chengming was afraid that I would waste my studies, so he did not hesitate to risk being reprimanded by Master Song, and lent me the annotations of "Book of Changes" privately. I still want to , is still touched."

Jiang Wan nodded and said: "Chengming is very accurate in seeing people, and has a vision far beyond others." He and Pan Jun are aunt brothers, and he is one year older than Pan Jun, so he is a brother.

Then Jiang Wan said again: "Of course, the foot is like He's jade, hidden in the wilderness, embracing the uncutness, people regard it as a stone, but it is actually a precious jade. Even if you can't see it from Chengming, sooner or later it will be for the world. know."

Seeing that Jiang Wan compared him to Heshibi, Liu Jing smiled heartily and said, "I have known Pan Chengming for many years, and I have heard of your name a long time ago. Pan Chengming himself said that his talents are not as good as yours, and he thinks that if you go to Xiangyang , will surely become famous in Jingchu."

In Liu Jing's memory, although Jiang Wan is known as a weak crown, his reputation seems to be limited to Lingling County. His official career started relatively late. He followed Liu Bei to Shu as a state official. .And that was ten years later.

In contrast, Pan Jun studied in Xiangyang when he was young, and worshiped under Song Zhong, a great Confucian in Nanyang and well-known in China. Therefore, his official career has been quite smooth, and he is a model of success at a young age.When Liu Biao was still alive, he became the governor of a hundred miles. When Liu Bei entered Shu, he was already in charge of the Jingzhou government, and he stayed in state affairs.

In Zhizhong, "the Han system is in the middle, and the masters are Cao documents." He is the chief steward of the State Governor's Department, second only to Bie Jia, and has great power.

Jiang Wan shook his head and said, "I am ashamed of Chengming's words. Chengming worshiped Song Zhongzi, and was appreciated by Wang Zhongxuan. He can be called the leader of Jingzhou. How can I compare with him?"

"You're too modest." Liu Jing couldn't help laughing.In terms of talents, Jiang Wan may not be stronger than Pan Jun, but in terms of weapons, he can win.Zhuge Liang commented on Jiang Wan's "loyalty and elegance, a tool of the country." He designated him as his successor.

Talented people in the world are like carp crossing the river, but to become a qualified leader, talent alone is far from enough, and even talent is not a necessary condition, but capacity is.

Potential rivals of Jiang Wan, such as Liao Li and Yang Yi, were talented but lacking, and eventually brought their own disasters and were exiled to the border county. Liao Li had a good death, but Yang Yi was forced to commit suicide.

After exchanging pleasantries, Liu Jing asked, "I wonder how much grain Lingling brought here this time?"

"Fifty thousand dendrobium." Jiang Wan replied.

"Hate less." Liu Jing sighed.Fifty thousand dendrobium rice grains may seem like a lot, but in fact they are only enough for two months for more than ten thousand soldiers under his command.

Jiang Wan said calmly: "Since last year's autumn harvest, Lingling has exported more than 20 hu of rice to Changsha successively. The warehouses in the county government are becoming increasingly empty. In case of natural disasters and man-made disasters, Lingling itself will not be able to protect itself."

Liu Jingdao: "I am also aware of the difficulties in Lingling, but as long as we get through this spring and summer, the pressure on Lingling's food supply will be greatly relieved."

Seeing Jiang Wan's face was unclear, Liu Jing explained: "Before I arrived, I was receiving the envoys from Linxiang. Mr. Zhang Fu thought that I had made great achievements in defeating the enemy, and ordered me to take pictures of Changsha's Ling County, Xiangnan, Liandao, and Zhaoling. , Liling, Ancheng, Rongling, Youxian, and Rongling nine counties."

Jiang Wan was slightly surprised, and it was no wonder that Liu Jing dared to speak so boldly. Zhang Xian really had the courage to give him nine counties in one go.There are only thirteen counties in Lingling County, and even fewer in Guiyang County, only eleven counties.In terms of the area of ​​cultivated land in the territory, the nine counties of Changsha are stronger than Guiyang County, and roughly equal to Lingling County.

Of course, Changsha is now in war. Even though the nine counties are temporarily not affected by the war because they are located in the south, the Changsha County Mansion has been besieged by the Jingzhou Army and has been paralyzed, and the government order does not come to Linxiang.Therefore, there will never be peace in the nine counties. Jingman, bandits, water bandits, sect thieves, tyrants, big surnames... must be a scene of demons dancing wildly.

With Liu Jing's lofty reputation in Changsha, coupled with the power of the Jingzhou navy that has just been defeated, it is not difficult to gain control of these nine counties.However, in today's turbulent environment, the nine counties are easy to get, but hard to manage, at least not half a year or a year.

Therefore, although these nine counties can solve part of the military ration problem, they still have to rely on Lingling and Guiyang counties in the end.

After thinking about this point, Jiang Wan clasped his fists and said, "Congratulations, you. In the past, you only had one county, and you were able to repel the Jingzhou navy. Now you have nine counties, and you are sure to be able to stop the Jingzhou army."

"It's easier said than done." Liu Jing shook his head slowly. He didn't underestimate his opponent just because he had nine more counties in his hand.He will still stick to his original plan: relying on Ling County to fight against the Jingzhou Army, this is the only chance of winning.

Jiang Wan complimented Liu Jing a few more words, and then the two chatted about the situation in Jingnan, but Jiang Wan always had one thing in mind, and after finishing the topic of the situation in Jingnan, he took the opportunity to say: "When I passed by Pingyang Township on the way down, I saw the people The plow used for plowing the land is quite exquisite, and after inquiring, I found out that it was made by one step. The skill of one step is not inferior to the ancient Luban and Mozi."

"Huh?" Liu Jing couldn't help but glanced at Jiang Wan in surprise, he didn't expect him to notice Qu Yuanli. "You may know that I used to plow the fields myself when I was young..."

Jiang Wan nodded lightly, and Lingling has heard a lot about Liu Jing's deeds of "cultivating the farmer and raising guests".

Liu Jing continued: "At that time, I found that the plow for plowing the field was very heavy and difficult to turn, and it was very laborious to plow the land, so I wanted to improve it. But after I left the county government, I was busy with political affairs all day, so I delayed it. The year before last, I Appointed as magistrate of Ling county by the government, during the spring plow inspection, I saw the hard work of the people plowing the land, and this thought arose again. After a year of painstaking research, I finally made a more dexterous and convenient plow. I named it after its shape: 'Qu Yuanli.' to distinguish it from straight Yuanli."

Jiang Wan said with a smile, "Quyuanli? People often call him 'Liu Junli'."

Liu Jing couldn't help smiling, he also knew about this, and was happy to see it come to fruition.You must know that Quyuanli has been used throughout the entire ancient period and has been used in modern society, which means that no accidents, his name will be passed down through the ages.

Jiang Wan asked again: "I see that this plow is quite convenient and beneficial to the people. I wonder if I can take it back to Lingling and teach it to the people?"

Liu Jing nodded and said with a smile, "Of course. This is my original intention. How can I not want to." To be honest, Qu Yuanli may not be able to popularize the thirteen prefectures of the Han Dynasty in Liu Jing's life. Benefit early.

…………

Jingzhou, Nanjun, Xiangyang.

Today, Liu Biao's eldest son, Liu Qi, hosted a banquet at his mansion in the east of the city. His third brother, Liu Xiu, and his younger brother, Liu Hu, were all present.

Zhuge Liang is also there, wearing a Lun scarf on his head and a Confucian robe, sitting on a couch, with an elegant and refined temperament, and a very outstanding demeanor.

He has turned 19 this year, is eight feet tall, has handsome features, and has transformed into a majestic man.

He got married last year, and he married the daughter of Huang Chengyan, a famous scholar in Xiangyang.Cai Mao has two older sisters. The elder sister married Huang Chengyan, and the younger sister became Liu Biao's successor.In this way, Zhuge Liang became relatives-in-law with Liu Biao and Cai Mao because of his wife Huang's relationship.

On the left and right of Zhuge Liang, there are two people sitting. They are all good friends of Zhuge Liang who have met in recent years. One of them is more than seven feet long, wearing a thin towel and single clothes, with a strong body and a resolute face.

The name of this person is Xu Shu and Xu Yuanzhi. He is from Yingchuan County. He was originally from a poor family. Rescued by party feathers.Xu Shu was very grateful in his heart, and from then on he abandoned his sword and halberd and sacrificed his knowledge.Xu Shu lived in Xiangyang for seven or eight years and knew many people, but he especially admired Zhuge Liang, who was nine years younger than him, and believed that he had special talents.

The other person is tall and strong, with a high crown and brocade robe, a tall and strong body, a dignified appearance, and a handsome appearance.

His name is Cui Jun, his style name is Zhouping, and he was born in Anping, Youzhou. His family is the leading family in Beizhou.

Although his father, Cui Lie, was ridiculed by the people of the time for spending money to ascend to the position of the third prince, but when Li Jue and Guo Si attacked Chang'an, he fought against the rebels bravely, and finally died in Changjie. It can be said to be strong.

Today Zhuge Liang, Xu Shu and Cui Jun were invited by Liu Qi to participate in the banquet.In fact, Zhuge Liang didn't want to come at first, and he had rejected the invitation of Liu's children many times before, but this time he couldn't escape and had to come.It's not that he pretends to be noble, but that he really doesn't like the actions of Liu Biao's children.

Liu Biao occupied Jingzhou, and his children were all proud, so he set up banquets as three nobles.The big cup is called Boya, the second cup is called Zhongya, and the small cup is called Jiya.Boya received seven liters of wine.Zhongya received six liters of wine.Ji Ya receives five liters of wine.Call it "graciousness".

A wooden stick was placed at the end of the seat, and a long needle was placed on the top of the wooden stick.If any guest drank too much, or fell asleep under the wine table, prick his buttocks with a long needle on the top of a wooden stick, wake him up, and order him to continue drinking.

Such an approach is cooler than Zhao Jinghou's pouring wine into people.

Zhuge Liang has always believed that "the setting of a husband's wine should be reasonable to express affection, fit the body and return to the nature, and retreat at the end of the ceremony, which is the ultimate harmony. The idea is not exhausted, and the guests are tired, so that you can get drunk without causing confusion."

The purpose of arranging a banquet to entertain guests is to comply with etiquette and express affection. It should not only make the body comfortable but also make the mood happy. After eating and drinking, one should leave the table in time. This is a harmonious and complete banquet.

If the host feels that he has not enjoyed himself enough, and the guests do not feel tired, he can drink until he is drunk, but he must not be so drunk that he loses his mind and acts recklessly.

Therefore, Zhuge Liang is very disgusted with such wanton and indulgent behavior of Liu's children.

"Drink..." Liu Hu's face was red, and he wobbled to a guest's side, threatening while waving a wooden stick.

"Drink, drink, drink..." The drinkers around also booed.

Zhuge Liang shook his head secretly. At this time, a servant wearing a blue scarf hurried into the door, leaned against the left wall and walked around to the side of Liu Qi, who was sitting in the main seat, whispering in his ear.

Liu Qi was a bit drunk, but after listening to Cangtou's report, he woke up for the most part. He immediately got up, stopped his younger brother Liu Hu, and hurriedly ended the banquet.

Those who sat again couldn't help but look at each other. In the past, the Liu family's children often held banquets that lasted for a long time, wishing they could go on all night. This time, they hurriedly announced the end after only more than an hour. What happened?

On the contrary, Zhuge Liang heaved a sigh of relief. Participating in this banquet was a huge torture for him, and the sooner it ended, the sooner he would be relieved.Then he left with Xu Shu and Cui Jun.

After leaving Liu Qi's mansion, Xu Shu couldn't help sighing: "I heard that the Liu family's children are proud, but seeing them today, they really deserve their reputation."

Cui Jun didn't think it was a big deal, he came from a wealthy family, his father was a senior official, he was a real "son" of the capital.When he was in Luoyang back then, the banquets were much more exaggerated than those of Liu's children, and all sorts of bizarre things happened, just in line with the saying: "When a country is about to perish, there must be evildoers."

Zhuge Liang shook his head and said: "But today there is great chaos, the princes are fighting for their own interests, General Liu, as the clan, has neither the heart of Zhou Gong, nor the ambition of Qi Huan and Jin Wen, the superior cannot help the country, and the inferior cannot restrain the children, alas..."

…………

Liu Qi drove to the Governor's Office, frowning all the way, the third brother Liu Xiu and the younger brother Liu Hu were already drunk, his father was angry at this moment, if he saw them drunk and lost their temper, he would definitely be even more angry angry.

Cai Mao is an idiot, how powerful is the Jingzhou Navy?It would be defeated by Liu Zhongda.

The vehicle arrived at Liu Biao's office. Liu Qi just got out of the car and before he entered the door, he heard his father's angry voice coming from inside.

Liu Biao's image has always been that of a graceful gentleman, a refined person who rarely gets angry, but this time he was pissed off by Cai Mao.

"Cai Degui wasted Gu's trust." Liu Biao paced back and forth, "Gu Yu wants to transfer him back and replace him with his son Liu Hu, how about it?"

"No." Don't drive Liu Xiandao: "General, calm down. In the past, Xun Lin's father was defeated in Yun, but the Marquis of Jin still let him take his official position; Annexed Chidi land, Qin Mu ruled Xirong. The general should also follow the practice of the two monarchs and temporarily forgive Junshi Cai's crimes. In this way, Junshi Cai will know his shame in the future and be brave in return for the general's pardon."

Liu Biao didn't really want to replace Cai Mao in his heart, after all, doing so was tantamount to deliberately humiliating Cai Mao.The reason why he was able to gain a firm foothold in Jingzhou was because of Cai Mao and Kuai Yue. If he punished Cai Mao severely just because of one defeat, it would definitely arouse criticism from everyone.And it is not conducive to the stability of governance.

I thought so in my heart, but Liu Biao still had to put on an attitude, and said with a deep expression, "Cai Degui used the strong to bully the weak, but he was still defeated by Liu Zhongda. Even if he forgives him this time, will he be able to avenge his shame next time?"

Liu Xiandao: "Liu Zhongda, Jingchu is also a hero, but after all, his power is weak and his strength is beyond his reach. This time, Junshi Cai was careless, and next time he will be able to avenge his shame."

(End of this chapter)