A thousand-year-old family that began with the Battle of Makino

Chapter 247 Bai conspired with Wang

After getting Wang Feng's autographed letter, Wang Mang immediately set off for Chaoge. Since his family didn't have much money, he and the son of an old servant were the only ones traveling.

Two people and two horses, traveling very fast, they arrived at Chaoge in just seven days.

Looking at the prosperous big city in front of him, Wang Mang's running around seemed to have disappeared.

Wang Mang is not that kind of playboy, so he also has a patriotic heart. His childhood experience made him the head of the family very early, so he matured earlier than his peers.

When he was sixteen years old, he decided to go out to study and find his ambition. Chen Shen was his mentor when he traveled to Pei County and worshiped. It was also in Chen Shen's teaching that he found his ambition to save the world. .

Because when he was studying abroad, due to the chaos in the government, chaos among the people was frequent. Although many officials tried their best to cover up, they still could not hide the truth that the people at the bottom did not have enough to eat. After seeing those tragic things, he always had questions in his heart, until he met Chen Shen and asked him if there was anything he could do.

Chen Shen replied: "Yes."

"any solution?"

"Etiquette!"

"Etiquette?"

"However, in today's world, it is not that there is a shortage of food, but that the people are unbearable, the government is in chaos, eunuchs and relatives are disrupting the government, changing policies at will, officials are using their hands, and corruption is common.

It was clear that there was only 30% tax, but corrupt officials interpreted it at will and set up some miscellaneous tax names, which actually made the people unable to eat and had to sell their fields to rich households and powerful people.

As a result, local annexations continued and the people had no place to stand. This was all due to the lack of etiquette.

If everyone followed the etiquette and performed their duties, the people followed the people's way, the officials followed the official's way, the people did not promote officials, and the officials did not disturb the people, and the world was peaceful, how could there be such chaos in government? Therefore, if we want to save the world, we can only make everyone in the world follow the rules. "

Wang Mang asked another question at the beginning: "But what if the emperor takes the lead in not following etiquette? Then according to the etiquette system, ministers must be loyal to the emperor, wouldn't it be a conflict?"

Chen Shen smiled and said: "Idiot, the sage Mencius has already made a conclusion. He said in "Bai Zhuan·Meng Zhu": The people are the most important, the country is the second, and the king is the least. So you should pay attention to it."

So from then on, Wang Mang began to learn etiquette from Chen Shen.

Now that he sees Chaoge prospering and people coming and going without worries, is this what Wang Mang is pursuing? Looks like I need to ask someone. But the letter must be delivered first.

After handing over the famous assassin, Wang Mang met Baigongdu under the leadership of his attendants.

Bai Du is now over eighty years old, and his life has entered a countdown. He has a head full of silver hair and a face with ridges and grooves, but those eyes are something he has never seen before.

What kind of eyes were those? Their depth seemed to be looking up at the stars, and their turbidity seemed to be full of mist. He seemed to have seen through himself, and through time and space.

Wang Mang felt his heart pounding. Oh my god, how could this be more uncomfortable than meeting His Majesty?

Fortunately, this situation did not last long. When Bai Du finished reading Wang Feng's letter, he smiled at Wang Mang and said: "According to our seniority, Wang Feng and I are of the same generation. We were officials in the same dynasty at the beginning, but I was too often. , he was a servant, and I was tricked by Shi Xian. When I returned to the Bai Kingdom, he also kept his head low and kept a low profile.

After that, my son Bai Ke and he fought with Wang Shang at the same time. In the end, he was the winner and I, Bai, lost. We admit that the means are insufficient, but we must also admit that Wang Feng does not have the ability to change the chaos in the world.

Without Yihuo's ability, if he occupies Yihuo's position, he may suffer backlash, and he will not be good to the people. "

Wang Mang swallowed his saliva and said: "What Mr. Bai said is wrong. Although the clan father is not as capable as Yihuo, it can still prevent treacherous ministers such as Shi Xian and Lu Lu from occupying high positions and giving random orders, causing the world to fall into turmoil.

Even if the world cannot be saved, it can still be maintained. When there are capable and virtuous people, won't the world be saved? Besides, you already think you are incapable of saving the world, so why do you want to stop us? Aren't you afraid that the Wang family will fall and the Lu family will come? "

Bai Du smiled and said: "It seems that the Wang family still has talents like you. Anyway, judging from Wang Feng's governance over the years, it cannot be said that the methods are high, but they can barely maintain it.

His chosen successor, Wang Yin, can also make some achievements. Now that the Shentu Sheng Rebellion has been besieged in Runan, it will not be long before it can be put down.

Then let your Wang family take over the power of the Liu family first, but you must be clear, if the Wang family doesn't know the person in the future, and the person who comes up is a person who is disorderly and monopolistic, don't blame me, the Bai family, for not giving face. "

Wang Mang bowed respectfully and waited for Bai Du to write a reply.

Bai Du handed the reply letter to Wang Mang and said, "Wang Feng said in the letter that you want to study at Taibai Academy for how many months?"

"Exactly, please allow Mr. Bai."

Bai Du praised: "You belong to a high-ranking family, but you are not ashamed to learn. It seems that you will be a great sage and talent in the future. If you become the person in charge of the Wang family in the future, this man will probably be saved. It's a pity." It’s not me, Bai Shizi.

Now that you want to study, how can I disagree?
Xuan'er, it just so happens that you haven't graduated from the academy yet, haven't you? These few months, Jujun will be left to you. You must be treated well and must not be rude. "

Then he pointed at Bai Xuan and said to Wang Mang: "This is Bai Guan's son, my great-grandson Bai Xuan. Let him receive you in these few months!"

Wang Mang immediately saluted Bai Du, and then saluted Bai Xuan. Bai Xuan returned the salute and led him out of the hall. Wait for Bai Xuan, Wang Mang and others to leave.

Bai Ke, who had been silent for a long time, couldn't help but said: "Are we really not going to compete with Wang Feng anymore?"

Bai Du took a sip of tea: "What are you fighting for?"

Bai Ke said urgently: "If we don't fight, doesn't it mean that my Bai family is weaker than the Wang family? This will damage the reputation of my Bai family!"

"Bang!" Bai Du threw the tea bowl away, and the tea spilled out, spreading a few pieces.

Bai Du looked at Bai Ke and said: "I think you are not even as good as Wang Mang just now. Are you fighting for fame? Do I, the Bai family, need to fight for fame? You have stayed in Chang'an for a long time and have forgotten my original intention, right?"

This time, in order to compete with Wang Feng, how much of the Bai family's power did you lose, and how much of the Bai family's local strength did you expose? We even made a petition signed by six counties. Why do you think it’s so impressive? More majestic than the emperor?"

Seeing that Bai Ke was unconvinced and his face was red, Bai Du said, "Do you think that as long as you get the emperor's endorsement, the Bai family will be stable? The Bai family will be rich forever?"

Let me tell you, you are just a pawn of the emperor, you know? Are you still using my Bai family's power to help the Liu family fight against the Wang family? Well, now let me ask you, what compensation did the emperor give you?

Well, now that I, the Bai family, have been able to defeat the power that I have managed in the central government for hundreds of years, have you forgotten that the emperor pushed you out as a scapegoat? You even made a joint petition?
Let me tell you, not only will you not be able to bring down the Wang family, it will actually make the emperor fear me, the Bai family. There are only a few counties in Hebei, and you have created six counties. It is simply stupid.

Well, now, I, the Bai family, have emerged from the darkness and become a target on the bright side. Fortunately, the Wang family is standing in front of us. Wang Feng still has some sense. If anyone else blows into the emperor's ear, I, the Bai family, don’t even want to leave the country of Bai.

During the Zhou Dynasty, wasn't it enough that I, the Bai family, learned a lesson from being trapped in the Taihang Mountains by several big powers? Is our reputation stronger now than it was then? Is the army more elite than before? Are you more harmonious with the surrounding forces than before?
"..."

Bai Ke was lectured by Bai Du for a whole hour, pointing out some of his mistakes over the years, and finally decided to let him have some self-awareness. After becoming the head of the family in the future, he should not interfere with Bai Guan's affairs, and just need to be a good head of the family. Well, everything is decided by Bai Guan.

From then on, Bai Ke's status in the Bai Kingdom was determined by Bai Du. When Bai Du was alive, everything was decided by Bai Du. After Bai Du passed away, Bai Guan was recalled, and everything was decided by the crown prince Bai Guan. Bai Ke only needed to live in seclusion. Just organize your family’s literature.

Bai Ke bowed in shame and agreed to Bai Du.

On the other side, Bai Xuan and Wang Mang walked together.

"Brother Wang, Taibai Academy is not in Chaoge, but in the Taihang Mountains, so if you want to go to the academy, you have to choose a different day. Now, let's stay in Chaoge and finish things. In a few days, my brother and I will go there together. "

Wang Mang cupped his hands at Bai Xuan and said, "Thank you so much, Brother Bai. My name is Jujun. Brother Bai can just call me Jujun."

Bai Xuan smiled and said: "Okay, Brother Jujun, but I have no words. You can call me Bai Xuan, or Brother Bai."

Wang Mang wondered: "Brother Bai, why doesn't he have a word? This seems to be unreasonable?"

Bai Xuan laughed and said, "You don't know something, but I, the Bai family, have only a first name since the ancestor Zhu, and I didn't even have a surname at the beginning. It was only after King Wu confirmed that I, the Bai family, was Xia Yu that I had the surname Si.

In the end, Zu Anzu was granted the title of Bai, and I, the Bai family, have taken Bai as my surname since then. My ancestors said that I, the Bai family, started from a humble beginning and will eventually merge into a very small family. The word is synonymous with a large family. How can ordinary people come to have this word? explain?
Therefore, our Bai family has no characters since ancient times, and we are not allowed to use characters. "

"So that's it, Bai Shi Daren, Wang Mang has learned the lesson."

Bai Xuan smiled helplessly and said: "How can I be taught? This is just wishful thinking of me, the Bai family, and I don't deserve such praise from Jujun."

After hearing this, Wang Mang did not agree, and immediately said seriously: "That's not the case. Wang Mang originally thought that he was already very worried about the people. But since he was a child, the other people he has met only have themselves in their hearts and regard others as their own. My opponent treats the common people as nothing but grass, but now that I see Brother Bai, I know that I am not alone, there is someone who has thought of me together."

As soon as Bai Xuan heard Wang Mang's words, he knew that this man was different from ordinary people and had a vision beyond the times.

He had always had doubts about why the family valued the people so much, and later became angry about why the family didn't take action even though they had the ability to change things. He didn't know until he met an uncle in his nineties at the academy.

The ambitions of my family cannot be matched by the times or the world. Even if everyone in the world says that they are for the people of the world, in fact, they are only for themselves, and no one is for the people.

Even if Chen Sheng and Wu Guang shouted, "Princes, generals and ministers should rather have the right kind", they were motivated by their true intentions, and it was also for wealth, not all for the common people.

So who can tell the difference between how many people are doing it for the people and how many people are doing it for themselves under the banner of the people? The people have no self-awareness, even if the Bai family raises troops under the banner of serving the people of the world, relying on their thousand-year reputation, they will gather followers.

In the end, it was a lucky success, so will this servant agree to Bai's intention? I'm afraid that the fruits of victory will eventually be taken away by others, and the world will become a world of powerful families again, because the world is still governed by powerful families and only by the common people. The final situation may not be as good as relying on powerful families.

"Brother Jujun, I didn't expect that you can think of it to this extent. You said that I am not alone, and I said the same. If there is anything I can do in the future, please speak up."

Wang Mang bowed to Bai Xuan, and Bai Xuan bowed in return. Neither of them spoke anymore, because they both believed that what they were thinking in their hearts was the same and their ambitions were the same.

At this point, Bai Xuan completely succumbed to Wang Mang's personal charm and vision. He wanted to use Wang Mang to complete the great unfinished business of the Bai family for thousands of years and become the person he always wanted to be. And Wang Mang may be the person who can help him .

(End of this chapter)