Great Han Empire

Chapter 270 The situation changes suddenly
On the third day, Xu You came to the Xiangyushan military camp again.

Li Hong was very happy to hear that Xu You had sent dozens of carts of grain and winter clothes, and went out to meet him in person.

"Why are there no armor and weapons?" Li Hong asked with a smile, "Does Master Wang want his soldiers to go to the battlefield with bare hands?"

Xu You smiled and said, "The Jizhou arsenal has already been emptied by your lord, have you forgotten?"

Li Hong looked at him in surprise.

"Your Excellency led a [-]-strong army to Xiliang last year and emptied the Jizhou arsenal. Why did you forget?" Xu You said, "Now we can only allocate weapons from the arsenals in Luoyang and neighboring states and counties. It may be difficult to equip them in the short term. tidy."

Li Hong smiled and said: "Remember, I did take a lot of weapons with me when I went to Xiliang last time. Didn't the Jizhou arsenal buy any more weapons?"

"The quantity is very small, not enough." Xu You said, "If you want to purchase in large quantities, the government does not have enough money, so this matter has been dragging on and has not been resolved yet."

"When do you plan to solve it?" Li Hong asked.

Xu You bowed his hands to Li Hong, and said earnestly: "My lord, you must understand our difficulties. The Jizhou government has long been unable to make ends meet for His Majesty's return home to worship the ancestors. There is no spare money to buy weapons, so please grown ups……"

"I understand what you mean." Li Hong interrupted Xu You and said with a smile, "The military funds allocated to you by His Majesty are in the camp. When the time is right, you can send someone to get them."

Xu You was overjoyed, and bowed to salute, "Thank you so much, sir."

He wanted to ask again when was the right time, but he saw Li Hong abandoning him and striding towards the soldiers surrounding the convoy.Li Hong and the soldiers walked into the camp surrounded by the grain convoy, talking and laughing loudly.

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That afternoon, Xiang Kai came to visit Li Hong alone, riding a little donkey.

Li Hong took Li Wei and Xie Ming out of the gate to meet them.

"How much did Xu You give you?" Li Hong asked as he walked.

"2000 million yuan." Li Wei smiled, "Would you like to give me some as a congratulatory gift?"

Li Hong glanced at him and said, "You don't marry Xiao Lan now, why should I send a congratulatory gift?"

"Brother Zhong Yuan, are you in a hurry?" Xie Ming, who was walking on the right side of Li Hong, joked, "Brother Zhong Yuan can sleep at night in front of beautiful women who are as beautiful as flowers and jade every day?"

Xie Ming is less than 20 years old, handsome, fair and elegant, speaks slowly, always with a smile on the corner of his mouth.He is a disciple of Zhao Qi's family, and he is famous for his superb chess skills.He and Li Wei met because of a game of chess and became good friends.Li Wei believed that he was resourceful, decisive, and chivalrous, so he strongly recommended him to Li Hong, but Xie Ming was not willing to serve under Li Hong's tent. The brutal and bloody methods adopted in the process of fighting corruption are extremely disgusting.When his teacher Zhao Qi heard about it, he scolded him. Zhao Qi said, what are you doing studying literature and scriptures?Isn't it just to serve the country? If you don't serve before the army, don't you still have to spend time in Luoyang?Xie Ming didn't dare not to listen, and ran over obediently.

"Haha..." Li Wei laughed loudly and said, "Lianzhi, I see Xiao Lan every day now, and I sleep better than ever, so don't worry about it."

"Xiao Lan promised to marry you?" Xie Ming asked, "Didn't she say that she won't marry you without her parents' orders?"

Li Wei's smile faded, and he shook his hand dejectedly: "Don't talk, don't talk." Then he said to Li Hong, "In the morning, Xu Ziyuan told me that as long as they can get the military funds in these two days, they will give me 2000 million dollars. This guy doesn't even blink his eyelids when he talks, as if the money belongs to him."

"Xu Ziyuan knows that your life is not long, Li Zhongyuan, so even if you ask him for [-] million yuan, he won't blink." Xie Ming smiled, "Didn't he ask your lord when to leave?"

"I asked, but I pushed it away. I said that I am a humble person, and I don't know what adults are thinking. Let him guess."

"I think that Wang Fen doesn't even show his face, he's very calm." Li Hong glanced at the two of them, and said with a smile, "Song Wen blocked the way and exposed his bad deeds, but he seemed to be fine. We have to Don't push him again?"

"I think we have to force him again." Xie Ming said, "Your Excellency can give each soldier a month's military salary temporarily. If he is still sitting in the government office as stable as Mount Tai, we will pay another month's military salary until he Make the dog jump over the wall in a hurry."

"Bad move, bad move." Li Wei waved his hand again and again, "If you do this, you will be bitten by the dog instead of beating the dog. That's not good." He pointed in the direction of the gate and continued, "Let's find out what Master Xiangkai said first. What exactly did he talk about. I once heard from the teacher that Master Xiangkai's theory of governing the country has quite merits, let's listen to it today."

"Brother Zhong Yuan, do you suspect that Master Xiangkai is involved in Wang Fen's scheme?" Xie Ming asked, "You want to infer Wang Fen's scheme from his theory of governing the country, don't you?"

Li Wei nodded, and said solemnly: "What is Wang Fen's real intention to hijack the emperor? Is it really to eradicate traitors? Does he have the power? Why did the Yellow Turban Army participate in this matter? I thought about it and thought Master Xiangkai and his Dazhitang appear in Jizhou at this time, so there is something wrong."

"If Master Xiangkai and Dazhitang also participated in Wang Fen's scheme, Zhong Yuan's answer will come out." Xie Ming said, "Xiangkai and Zhang Jiao were both famous masters in Jizhou in the past, and they all believed in Huang. Old Zhishu, it is said that the two have a deep friendship. We can be sure that the people of the Yellow Turban Army trust Xiang Kai, so only Xiang Kai can persuade the Yellow Turban Army to join Wang Fen's trick. So, what does Xiang Kai want to do?" He looked at Li Hong , smiled slightly, and whispered, "Change the world."

"Is this why you deliberately invited Master Xiangkai here?" Li Hong smiled, "Do you have any grounds for suspecting Master Xiangkai's participation in this matter?"

"The disciples of Dazhitang are now setting up altars in various counties and counties in Jizhou to teach the Fa. What do they want to do? Just think about Zhang Jiao of the Yellow Turban Army. They are demagogic. Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, this kind of altar teaching It has been explicitly banned by the imperial court, but Wang Fen openly disobeyed the laws of the Great Han Dynasty and allowed the alchemists in Dazhitang to do whatever they want, what does Wang Fen want to do?" Li Wei waved his hand forcefully, and said, "His ambition is clearly revealed."

Li Hong was silent while walking.

"A alchemist, a Taoist, why meddle in state affairs?" After a while, Li Hong asked Li Wei, "They are practicing the art of gods, don't they know that it is a sin to lay waste to life?"

"Your Excellency, then you are wrong." Li Wei smiled, "Participating in state affairs, saying that when you grow up, you are serving the country and the people. You are loyal and righteous, and you can cultivate righteous results. People like Xiangkai, in the eyes of the people They are similar to gods in their eyes. Their reputation is extremely high, and there are countless people who worship them. Look at Zhang Jiao, the great virtuous teacher. He rises up and calls out, and millions of people respond. This is their strength. Your lord, Don't underestimate it, this Xiangkai is not an ordinary alchemist."

"Xiangkai has a very good relationship with party members." Xie Ming also said aside, "Back then, because Emperor Xiaohuan of this dynasty had no heirs, he was invited to enter the palace to refine a panacea that could give birth to children. This Xiangkai pill is not Lian, but told the emperor to eradicate traitors and eunuchs, to govern the country with inaction, and said that the party members were innocent, and asked the emperor to pardon the party members. As a result, he was sentenced to prison and almost died. I heard from the teacher that his Dazhitang He once rescued and hid hundreds of party members and their relatives. Even He Yong, a well-known party member, hid in his Dazhitang for a while. Therefore, in the eyes of party members and many scholars, Master Xiangkai is He is a living god, if he invites these people to help, sir, you can imagine how much his strength will increase."

Li Hong looked at the two of them suspiciously, and asked, "How powerful is Master Xiangkai?"

"Compared to Zhang Jiao, he is only a little bit less courageous than arrogant." Li Wei laughed.

Li Hong suddenly stopped and said loudly: "Kill him."

Li Wei and Xie Ming were startled.

"Whether your suspicions are right or wrong, kill him first today to avoid future troubles." Li Hong added murderously.

"No way." Xie Ming shouted excitedly.

Li Wei was shocked, and hurriedly dissuaded him: "Your Excellency, absolutely not. This person belongs to a different sect from Zhang Jiao and Zhang Niu Jiao. Although his Dazhitang also respects Huang Lao, he respects Mohism even more. His disciples are all over the world, there are many chivalrous men wielding swords, and those with high martial arts skills can be found everywhere. Once you kill him, you will not only lose the hearts of the people in Jizhou, but you will also be hated by the party members, especially the disciples of Dazhitang. They will lurk around adults like ghosts and assassinate adults for the rest of their lives."

Li Hong smiled coldly, pointed at the two of them and said, "If he really participated in Wang Fen's scheme, can't I kill him too? Do you two mean that?"

"Exactly." Xie Ming looked at him without fear, and said seriously, "That's what I mean."

The murderous look in Li Hong's eyes shot up, and the corners of his mouth twitched unconsciously.

"We can kill Xiangkai, but we can't kill all the disciples of Dazhitang, just like we can't kill the remnants of the Yellow Turban Army now. Are you going to kill all the alchemists in the world?" Xie Ming said calmly. Said, "Your Excellency killed Xiangkai purely to quench his thirst by drinking doves and bring about his own destruction. Your Excellency should think that there is a better way besides killing."

"For hundreds of years, Dazhitang has been a very secret sect. I don't know how big their foundation is, but I know that when Emperor Guangwu rejuvenated the Han Dynasty, Dazhitang has been following Emperor Guangwu. Conquering the north and the south made great contributions to the rejuvenation of the Han Dynasty, so it can be seen that Dazhitang is different from Zhang Jiao's Taiping Dao, and it has its own merits." Xie Ming looked at Li Wei and said, "Brother Zhongyuan, please Master Xiangkai came to the camp, and he should have a more long-term idea."

Li Wei cupped his hands at Xie Ming, and said with a smile: "Lianzhi's speech is like playing chess, showing his sharpness, you have to worry, don't offend the lord, and be chopped down by him."

Xie Ming patted the long sword on his waist and said confidently: "I can block at least three moves from him."

Li Wei laughed.

Li Hong's face softened a little, he looked helplessly at Xie Ming, then at Li Wei, and asked, "You invited Xiang Kai here because you want to make friends with him?"

Li Wei cupped his hands with a smile and said, "It's both, just see the opportunity."

Li Hong suddenly said loudly: "Zhongyuan, Lianzhi, next time you do something, you'd better explain it clearly to me, don't be so vague."

Li Wei and Xie Ming looked at each other and smiled.

Li Wei clasped his hands again and said, "Your Excellency knows better than anyone else that this kind of thing can't be explained clearly. It can only be felt, not expressed in words."

Xie Ming smiled and said: "My lord, everything is constantly changing, just like a stream in a mountain, do you know what it will encounter in the next moment? As long as the stream keeps flowing down the mountain, it will always flow into Rivers, we are the same, as long as we are loyal to the Han Kingdom, we will always find a way to kill the enemy."

Li Hong smiled suddenly, and said in a low voice: "Zhong Yuan, let the master figure out for you when you can marry Xiao Lan."

"Yes." Li Wei's eyes lit up, and he said loudly, "Excellent idea."

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Li Hong warmly received Xiang Kai.

Li Hong was deeply attracted by Xiangkai's erudition and conversation. His contagious and provocative language, and his seductive and impeccable arguments made Li Hong and the officers in the tent feel guilty. Crazy.

Xiang Kai started with Huang-Lao's art. He said: "Generally people say that we are Taoists or Taoists, and they all say to learn the 'Huang-Lao's art'. In fact, there is no special book to test the so-called Yellow Emperor's academics. The sage Sima Qian once said : "The Yellow Emperor is the common art of scholars." The so-called "common art" means that the original origin of our Han culture started from the time of the Yellow Emperor, so it is called the academic of the Yellow Emperor."

Then he talked about the origin of Taoism. Taoism originated from the immortal alchemists in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods. Then he talked about the magic of immortals, the grand events of Wen Jing, the quiet and inaction, and the rule of law.

"In the early years of this dynasty, the people had just experienced three to four hundred years of long-term wars since the Warring States period and the severe punishments of the Great Qin State. What the people of the society eagerly expected was to achieve a peaceful world as soon as possible. Therefore, Emperor Gaozu adopted Huang and Lao The theory of governing by doing nothing, governing the country with gentleness and gentleness, gradually improved the situation of the country. In the period of Emperor Wen of this dynasty, because of the turmoil in the palace, there were strong ministers and generals and brothers and kings outside. It was a time of crisis. But at that time, the people were extremely war-weary, and at this time, no factors, both internal and external, were suitable for adopting a vigorous strategy of governing the country. Therefore, following the advice of his mother and the prime minister, Cao Shen, Emperor Wen adopted inaction to rule, quietly obeying the law, and lightly punished the poor. , rest with the people, and rule the country by law, finally made our great Han country strong."

"Emperor Wu of this dynasty wanted to build meritorious service in the frontier and wash away the humiliation of foreign aggression since Emperor Gaozu. He was very dissatisfied with the strategy of governing the country based on weakness. Therefore, he implemented the national policy of dismissing hundreds of schools and respecting Confucianism alone, thus ending the inaction. In the age of peace and law-abiding, rule of law replaced rule of law with virtue.”

"Ruling the country by virtue is expressed by the imperial court as the principle of virtue and punishment. 'Punishment' (law) is clearly regulated. What is 'morality'? Judging from the 'Spring and Autumn Judgment' advocated by the great Confucian Dong Zhongshu, it is according to the sage of Confucius. The "Spring and Autumn Annals" written by him is used as the basis for judging the case. How can a book be the basis for judging the case? According to Mr. Dong, because this book contains all the content of "virtue". Judging a case based on a book, officials The power of the emperor is great, and he can say whatever he wants, so the officials are corrupt and bend the law, the laws of the Han Dynasty are in vain, and the rules and regulations of governance are all gone. As a result, there is a "request from the emperor", and everything is left to the emperor. There is a group of people who are familiar with classics With the help of the ministers of scriptures, it is too easy for the emperor to find any allusion that suits his own wishes from the history books, so the final result of "removing all schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone" is that the emperor is no longer bound by any Han laws. The will of the emperor is the law of the Han Dynasty."

"In the early days of this dynasty, both the emperor and the people of the Han Dynasty had to abide by the laws of the Han Dynasty, but since Emperor Wu, it is no longer the law of the Han Dynasty. The laws of the Han Dynasty are the laws of the Han people. The emperor can override it and do whatever he wants. The reason why the Han Dynasty has Today’s decline, to find the source, is still a matter of respecting Confucianism’s governance strategy, or a matter of governing the country with virtue. If you want to revive the Han’s national prestige, you must respect Huang Lao and rule the country with the law, there is no doubt about it.”

As soon as Xiang Kai's words fell, Xie Ming jumped out from the military tent. Of course he tried his best to refute Xiang Kai's remarks.Afterwards, Chen Hao, Tang Yun, Yin Si, Yu Peng, Zhao Yun, Jiang Wu, Pang De and others held various viewpoints and started a heated argument with Xiang Kai.

Li Wei gently pushed Li Hong, who was engrossed, and asked in a low voice, "My lord, do you want to kill this Xiangkai?"

"Who said that?" Li Hong said coldly, "You can't kill him, what he said is very reasonable, what do you think?"

Li Wei smiled softly and said, "I don't know, I think it makes sense just like you, but what will be the effect of the actual implementation? Will it be as immediate as it was in the early years of this dynasty?"

"Zhong Yuan, it seems that he must have participated in Wang Fen's conspiracy." Li Hong leaned into Li Wei's ear and whispered, "Look at Master Xiangkai's persistence, he must use this opportunity to hijack the emperor. Intimidate the emperor to implement his strategy of governing the country."

Li Wei nodded.He looked at Xiangkai, and suddenly found that he was no longer a master of immortality, but a stubborn and stubborn doctor (teacher) in Taixue, a doctor who believed in Huang Laoxue, and a doctor who was very good at persuading and debating .

Quarrels and debates continued until the next morning.

Li Hong took his subordinates to send Xiangkai off respectfully.

Xiangkai originally thought that he would have the opportunity to talk to Li Hong about his strategy of governing the country alone, and then took the opportunity to persuade Li Hong, but he never had the opportunity from the beginning to the end.Before he left, he finally found an opportunity.

"My lord, today's traitors are in power, the people are suffering, and the country is declining. Your lord is now deeply favored and trusted by the emperor, and you hold a heavy army. Why don't you want to do something big?"

Li Hong bowed and replied: "Master, look at the northern and western borders today. There are 10,000+ Hu people and Chen Bing on the frontier. They are eyeing, and they may invade our Han country at any time. In this case, what is the big deal? Is it more important to fight against the invasion of the barbarians? The world must not be chaotic. The world is in chaos and the barbarians have invaded, what will the people do? What will the tens of millions of big men do?"

Xiang Kai looked at Li Hong and remained silent. Suddenly, he let out a long sigh, bowed to salute, climbed onto the donkey's back, and walked away.

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(End of this chapter)