Video Clip: Opening Inventory of the Ten Emperors

Chapter 203 Li Guang is difficult to seal, less moral sympathy

As for Li Guang's character and demeanor, it seems that he is not a person who can achieve great things.

There is a saying, "The sea is tolerant to all rivers, and tolerance is great."

A truly outstanding star is able to be frank and open-minded.

However, it was obvious that Li Guang was not that kind of person.

This can be clearly seen from his treatment of Ba Lingwei.

When Li Guang was idle, he used to shoot and hunt in the Nanshan area of ​​Lantian to pass the time.

Once he went out with an attendant in the dark, and after getting drunk, he reined in the horse and set off on his way home, passing Baling Pavilion on the way.

Ba Lingwei, who was in charge of public security in the area, happened to be a little drunk too.

He was not respectful and polite when he met Li Guang, and he loudly reprimanded Li Guang for violating the prohibition on walking at night.

Li Guang's attendants stepped forward and declared that this was the "old general Li" (meaning the retired general Li adults), hoping to avoid the punishment of Li Guang for violating the prohibition of night walks.

Unexpectedly, Captain Ba Ling didn't buy it because of the strength of alcohol, claiming: "The current general is not allowed to walk at night, let alone a retired general!"

So according to regulations, Li Guang was detained at his office for a whole night.

It should be said that although Captain Ba Ling's attitude was a bit rough and unsophisticated, it made people feel uncomfortable, but after all, he enforced the law impartially and acted according to the rules, so there was nothing wrong with it.

Li Guang does not review his own violation of the prohibition, but holds a grudge against Ba Lingwei, who strictly abides by the law and enforces the law, and waits for an opportunity to retaliate.

When Li Guang became the prefect of Youbeiping, the first thing he did was to take revenge on Captain Ba Ling and take him as the leader.

"I invite Ba Lingwei to join him, and kill him when he reaches the army" ("Historical Records Biography of General Li").

How can such a small belly and chicken intestines be rewarded, so how can they achieve great things?
It can be seen that Li Guang's tragedy does not lie in bad luck, but in his own weakness.

Therefore, in the analysis and evaluation of him, there should be less cheap moral sympathy and more historical cold thinking.

Of course, history has its paradoxes.

The transmission of historical truth and historical value judgments are sometimes unbelievable.

In the reality of history, they are not particularly outstanding figures. Due to various opportunities, they often integrate into people's historical cognition with perfect incarnations. Guan Yu is like this, Guo Ziyi is like this, and so is Li Guang. It is impossible not to admire the reconstruction of history. powerful force.

This can be understood as the function of history reshaping characters or events.

This point is very prominent in the re-evaluation of people in later generations.

Therefore, most of the emperors who massacred heroes and scholar-bureaucrats on a large scale were lightly let go by later generations, and even tried every means to downplay or justify them.

This can not but make people amazed at the complexity of history!
In Li Guang's body, we can also see this scene of historical figures being reshaped.

With the help of the charm of Sima Qian's "Historical Records", Li Guang became a symbol of wronged historical figures.

Over time, based on sympathy, people made Li Guang a famous general of the Chinese nation and even a totem of the Great Wall of China.

In other words, in later generations, especially since the Tang Dynasty, the image of Li Guang has been transformed into a spiritual sustenance for people to pursue the rebirth of heroes when they fight against foreign aggression.

Wang Changling's poem "Out of the Fortress" in the Tang Dynasty is a clear example of this symbolic significance: "In the Qin Dynasty, the moon was bright and the Han Dynasty was closed, and the people who marched for thousands of miles have not yet returned. But let the dragon city flying generals stay, and don't teach Huma to go to the Yinshan Mountains!"

Gao Shi's "Yan Ge Xing" turned Li Guang into criticizing the shortcomings of the army construction at that time, and entrusting people's hope to call and find the soul of the army and the soul of the country.

The smoke and dust of the Han family is in the northeast, and the Han will resign from the family and be broken.

The man is self-respectful, and the emperor is very gifted.

Go down to Yuguan with the golden beating drum, and the Jingjing meanders between the stones.

Xiao Weiyu's book flies across the vast sea, Shan Yu hunts fire and illuminates Langshan.

The mountains and rivers are extremely borderline, and Hu Qiping is mixed with wind and rain.

The first half of the warrior army is dead and alive, and the beauties are still singing and dancing under the tent!
The desert is poor in autumn, and there are few soldiers in the lonely city at sunset.

When the body is kind, Yu Heng underestimates the enemy, and does his best to pass the siege without breaking through.

Tieyi Yuanshu worked hard for a long time, and the jade chopsticks should cry goodbye after leaving.

The young woman Chengnan wants to have a heartbroken, and Zheng Ren Ji Beikong looks back.

Floating in the courtyard can be saved, what's more, the boundless territory is boundless!
Murderous intent made a cloud at three o'clock, and the cold sound spread over the night.

Seeing white swords and blood pouring out, how can Gu Xun never die?

You don’t see the hardships on the battlefield, I still remember General Li!

One of the lines, "If you don't see the bitterness of the battle on the battlefield, I still remember General Li", expresses the infinite expectations and endless admiration in people's minds!
Li Guang was unlucky. He fought all his life and didn't even get a marquis.

However, Li Guang was lucky. He has been around for thousands of years, and his glory has surpassed many emperors and generals who were once brilliant!
…………

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

"How to evaluate Li Guang is not a problem."

"In our opinion, Li Guang is indeed like this."

"I don't understand how to judge the situation."

Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang smiled.

"Everyone feels sad for Li Guang, but..."

"It can be said that Li Guang was unlucky and the emperor treated Li Guang badly, but is this really the case?"

"In my old Zhu's opinion, whether it's Liu Che or Emperor Han Jing, they've done their best to Li Guang's family."

"As far as Li Guang's matter is concerned, we can kill him."

What Zhu Yuanzhang said was right.

During the period of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, Li Guang dared to accept the rewards of the princes and kings privately. If it was an intolerant monarch or Zhu Yuanzhang, Li Guang would definitely be slaughtered.

But Emperor Han Jing didn't care about it, so Li Guang was fine.

Later, in the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, a large-scale counterattack against the Huns was originally a great opportunity for generals to make meritorious deeds and promotions. Emperor Wu also gave Li Guang many opportunities.

Let him lead the army out.

But what about Li Guang?

Li Guang was defeated many times, lost his way many times, and his entire army was wiped out, and he himself was captured.

If the Han Dynasty did not have a policy of using money to redeem sins, Li Guang would have grown ten heads and would not be able to chop him off.

There is also Ba Lingwei, who is really innocent, and he was also killed for impartially enforcing the law.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty knew that Li Guang killed innocent people indiscriminately and tolerated him. Even after Li Guang was defeated many times, he gave him the opportunity to lead the army again and again.

You must know that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was not a benevolent king. There were only a handful of high-ranking officials in the Emperor Wu Dynasty who started well and ended well.

Later, in the decisive battle in Mobei, Wei Qing asked Li Guang to lead a flanking army alone to encircle the Huns army. He caused serious casualties to the Han army and released Shan Yu.

Such a crime, in any era, is a capital crime.

The difference is whether to kill the Nine Clans or not.

but?Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty did not pursue Li Guang's failure to let Shan Yu go. Li Gan's son actually had the face to go to trouble Wei Qing. Wei Qing would be fine if he didn't trouble the Li family.

Li Gan's assassination of the general, this act, in later generations, must have been shot dead on the spot.

In ancient times, the Yi tribes were all normal. Wei Qing and Liu Che didn't pursue it, but Huo Qubing couldn't resist killing Li Gan. Li Gan and the Li family really don't have the right to complain.

A military general has fought for decades, almost always lost, without a decent victory, lost his way, and even annihilated his entire army. I was captured without death or disability, and lived to more than 60 years old. To be able to carry a sword to the battlefield at a young age is not good luck, what is good luck?
As a courtier, he stood in a wrong position in the political struggle, and the emperor tolerated him.

He committed suicide privately to a foreign captive who surrendered to the country, but the emperor still tolerated him.

He was defeated many times, got lost, captured, and missed the opportunity of the war. The emperor tolerated him, allowed him to take money to redeem his sins, and repeatedly used him again.

He used public tools for private purposes, avenged private revenge and killed officials who performed official duties according to the law, and the emperor still tolerated him.

May I ask how many courtiers in the history of China could be tolerated by two monarchs like this?
If the emperor's doing this is not considered as loving Li Guang, then what is?
It's not that Li Guang was unlucky, but that his good luck was lost by his arrogance, incompetence, lack of virtue, and reckless disregard for human life.

…………

"I, Li Guang, will not be named Marquis?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Seeing Li Guang taking inventory of himself, he felt extremely uncomfortable.

How to take stock of what famous generals and generals others are, but when it comes to me, I am a tragic figure.

"Sadness?"

"I, Li Guang, don't need any sadness!"

"I want to make contributions!"

Up to now, Li Guang still hasn't found his problem.

…………

"Li Guang is sad?"

"There is such a thing, I can't figure it out."

When Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty saw this, he almost cursed.

"Sadness?"

"What is there to be sad about a man who has lost many battles?"

"If it was in my hands, he would have lost many battles and dared to disobey the military order, his head would have been cut off long ago."

"Do you really think you are a big shot?"

"With the most opportunities, how many times have things been done neatly?"

"Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty also had a good temper."

"Old Feng Tangyi, Li Guang is difficult to seal?"

"Li Guang is not difficult to seal, but impossible to seal."

"If Li Guang can become a Marquis, then the rules will be messed up."

…………

Li Guang is sad.

Li Guang was not sad either.

To evaluate Li Guang, one should look at it objectively.

In fact, conclusions can already be drawn from the original text of Sima Qian's "Historical Records".

As we all know, Tai Shigong has his own likes and dislikes to a considerable extent in his writing.

It can be said that writing what he likes and what he approves is a matter of exaggeration.

Typical examples include the eloquent and colorful "Benji of Xiang Yu" and this "Biography of General Li".

Sima Qian wrote Xiang Yu and Li Guang very hard.

It is written in official history, but even judging by the standards of romance novels, it is quite excellent.

This is because Sima Qian himself is a child of an aristocratic family, so he recognizes and sympathizes with Li Guang who is also from the same aristocratic family.

He has experienced the darkness and frustration in life, so he empathizes with the tragedy of Li Guang Nanfeng.

Therefore, later generations were able to see such a wonderful and legendary "Biography of General Li".

In the chapter of "Historical Records", not only is this Li Guang's separate biography written, but it also ranks ahead of the joint biography of the imperial double guard Huo.

But, on second thought, is this reasonable?

What are the great achievements of Wei Huo?
Wei Qing, what kind of person is Huo Qubing?
That is a figure who shines in China's military history.

Even after [-] years, Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, the imperial pair of giants, still shines on the entire Chinese nation.

This is determined by their record and influence on future generations.

There is no exaggeration.

So what achievements does Li Guang have?

Is his achievement greater than that of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing?

how is this possible.

From this point of view, we must respect Sima Qian.

He is such a person who has likes and dislikes and expresses it in words.

He still maintains the impartial and objective position of historians to the greatest extent.

Reading "Biography of General Li", we can see a legendary warrior who was frustrated all his life.

It writes about Li Guanggao's courage and his extraordinary riding and shooting, but it just doesn't make up any of his achievements as a general in the business level.

On the other hand, Wei Huo Chuan is as smelly and long as an old lady's foot wrap, without any attractive description, boring and boring.

He himself disliked their relatives' backgrounds and how they behaved, even so, he still did not hide any achievements of General Wei and Hussars, and the journal records the professional standards and great achievements of these two people.

He even doubted whether Huo Qubing's astonishing record was real.

Therefore, writing about Wei Qing's achievements is all narrative, while writing about Huo Qubing's achievements is based on the words of Emperor Wu.

Huo Qubing is so powerful and miraculous, he doesn't even admit it.

I won't discuss whether there is water in Huo Qubing's record here, after all, everyone knows how much Liu Che likes this young general.

But from this comparison, the conclusion is ready to come out.

Doesn't Weihuo have any legendary anecdotes similar to those described in General Li's biography?

Of course not, it's just that Sima Qian hates them so he selectively didn't write about them.

Doesn't Li Guang have the great achievements written in Wei Huo's biography?
of course not.

So Sima Qian liked and sympathized with Li Guang so much that he didn't make up any achievements for him.

Well, how would you rate Li Guang?
The son of a noble family, born in a famous family, skilled in bow and horse, full of courage, arrogant, and revenge.

As for Li Guang's odd numbers?bad luck?
That's not true, as a general, it's not that he has no chance, he really can't grasp it, his professional level is really not good, he really can't compare with Wei Huo, he can't be compared at all.

As for why the evaluation of Li Guang is very polarized?
That's because since Sima Qian's time, Li Guang has become a symbol.

A symbol of unrecognized talents and bad luck.

As for Li Guang's image, it was overpackaged by later generations of literati.

Over the past 2000 years, there have been countless people who have experienced similar experiences, so if you don't recognize him, how can you recognize yourself?

…………

"Literati."

"A literati again."

"That's right, they are naturally happy with the children of a family like Li Guang."

"As for Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, who came from the same background, Wei Qing was born as a slave, and his classes are different. Will literati say a lot of good things about them?"

"People are not for themselves, and the saying that heaven and earth will destroy it is not false at all."

"I have to say that Li Guang's ability is there, but Li Guang's ability is good at defense. When Li Guang was the prefect of Longxi, Beidi, Yanmen, Daijun and other places, the border was basically peaceful and he had the merit of defense. Should be a general who is good at defense."

"During the period of Emperor Wen Wen and Emperor Han Jing, more defensive policies were adopted against the Xiongnu, and Li Guang went relatively smoothly."

"During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Li Guang's ability was relatively limited when he switched to an active offensive strategy. This is probably due to the bad luck of this famous general."

"Han Wudi Liu Che's subordinates need a general who can attack, a general like Wei Qinghuo Qubing who can attack, so Li Guang is naturally not suitable."

(End of this chapter)