God of War through the ages: Han Xin

Chapter 47
Han Xin was not sure that Liu Bang called him into Chen to attack him, maybe he was sensitive and suspicious, but it would be great for Han Xin if he could dispel Liu Bang's suspicion of him.As for how to do this, someone gave Han Xin a clever plan: "Your Highness, don't worry, there is someone who can solve your problem." Han Xin asked who it was.The man laughed: "Don't you know that the King of Han always hates Zhongli Mo? The Han knows that Mo is hiding in Chu, and it is very urgent to ask for it. Your Majesty can behead the head of Momo and offer it to the King of Han. If this is the case, the Han will not doubt Chu, and the King will be safe." "

The only counselors Yu Shi saw who once advised Han Xin were Li Zuoche and Kuai Che, and it was not these two who offered the "plan to cut ignorance".There are two disadvantages to this strategy:
[-]. The person who offered the advice did not see through that Liu Bang's suspicion of Han Xin did not come from Zhongli's hiding in Chu, but the strong psychological pressure that Han Xin's military genius brought to the entire Han Dynasty ruling group.It wasn't just Liu Bang who wanted to get rid of Han Xin, but the huge Peiren cronies standing behind Liu Bang.

[-]. Selling out a friend in order to protect himself was despised under the background of social morality at that time, which valued righteousness over death.Even if Liu Bang doesn't dispose of Han Xin, what face will Han Xin have in the world?

Regrettably, Han Xin actually agreed to this person's suggestion to kill Zhong Limei and present his head to Han.In order to protect himself, Han Xin has been so insane, he exchanged his friend's head for a life-saving talisman.Han Xin should have considered the above two issues, especially the second one.Han Xin knew exactly what it meant to kill Zhongli and protect himself.But let Han Xin give up the fame and wealth that he has fought for for the sake of Zhong Limei. I am afraid that few people can do it, and Xiang Yu can't do it either.

Han Xin is certainly an unborn genius in military history, but in political struggles, his naive thinking in dealing with people directly ruined his bright future.Liu Bang forced him to hand over Zhongli Mo because the drunkard didn't care about drinking. If there is any Zhongli Mo incident, Liu Bang will take Han Xin as a knife.

"Historical Records" and "Hanshu" said in unison that Han Xin rebelled. If Han Xin really had a rebellious heart, then he had no need to kill Zhongli Mei to flatter Liu Bang, but continued to protect Zhongli Mei for his own use.On the one hand, the Second Book described Han Xin as an ambitious man with endless desires, and on the other hand, he used a large number of historical materials to prove Han Xin's innocence.As mature historians, Sima Qian and Ban Gu would never make such naive mistakes. They can only have a reasonable explanation: they believed that Han Xin was innocent, but they were frightened by the "excessive power" of the Han Dynasty and dared not write directly about Han Xin. injustice.

Han Xin is often stupid on political issues, but he is also cutely stupid. Han Xin is so stupid that he invites Zhong Limo out, and asks Zhong Limo cheekily: "Brother Zhongli, can I borrow your head and dedicate it to the King of Han, so as to use it as a gift?" Solve my misfortune?” Han Xin shouldn’t come forward in person for this kind of thing, but just find a reason to kill Zhongli Mei, and then weep bitterly while holding Zhongli Mei’s body, at least at that time, he doesn’t have to carry the notoriety of being a traitor.

Facing Han Xin's "sincerity", Zhongli was speechless.

Zhong Limo regretted going to Han Xin back then, he never thought that this place was not his paradise, but his hell.In Zhong Limei's view, his personal relationship with Han Xin is just a joke now, just as ridiculous as Zhang Er and Chen Yu's so-called "friends who cut the neck".

In fact, if Zhong Limei regards Han Xin as a friend, he should not go to Han Xin. This is harming Han Xin, which makes Han Xin very embarrassed now.Zhong Limo seems to be unconvinced by Liu Bang's destruction of Xiang Yu. Maybe Zhong Limo subconsciously believes that Xiang Yu's failure was because he did not reuse him. He went to Han Xin not to take refuge, but to persuade Han Xin to turn against Han to prove his worth. .It is selfish for Han Xin to betray Zhong Limo, and Zhong Limo harms Han Xin with his own selfishness, isn't it also selfish?

From the dialogue between Zhongliwei and Han Xin, we can clearly see Zhonglimo's arrogance: "Because I am in Chu State, the King of Han dare not attack Chu State. If you kill me, you will sacrifice your head to the King of Han." , then I die today, and you die tomorrow.”

Zhong Limo is very ridiculous. Doesn't he know how Han Xin transformed from a coward who was scolded by everyone to a god of war who everyone feared?Liu Bang is afraid of Han Xin's military genius, what's the matter with Guan Zhongliwei?Zhong Liwei is really capable, so how could he be hunted down by Liu Bang all over the world, and he was so desperate that he thought of going to Han Xin to make a living.

Han Xin kept him for so long, and he had exhausted his benevolence, yet he had the nerve to scold Han Xin for not being a benevolent elder. He ate and drank at Han Xin's place, and Han Xin hadn't asked him for food yet.Zhong Limei blindly accused Han Xin of betraying his friends, but forgot that what he did was betraying his friends. If Han Xin had an accident, Zhong Limei would inevitably bear part of the responsibility.

Zhong Limo got angry, drew his sword and killed himself, and fell in front of Han Xin. Before he died, he was still chattering and scolding Han Xin until he couldn't lift his head.

Strictly speaking, Zhong Limei was not forced to death by Han Xin, he just came to Zhongli Mei to "discuss" the matter.Han Xin didn't directly attack Zhong Limo, nor did he persuade Zhong Limo to commit suicide, just like the evil young man didn't force Han Xin to get into his crotch, that was Han Xin's own choice.

In Han Xin's subconscious mind, he regarded Liu Bang as the incarnation of his father. His persecution of Liu Bang to become king was just a child acting like a baby in front of his father, which could not prove Han Xin's dislike for Liu Bang at all.Han Xin lived in a social environment lacking affection since he was a child, which made Han Xin cherish his hard-won feelings even more, although this feeling was just his wishful thinking.

Han Xin is a person who has no principles in small things and is principled in big things. In the face of big right and wrong, he can stick to his bottom line without wavering.The most commendable thing about Han Xin's human nature is that he does not forget his roots. He knows that Liu Bang gave him his fame and wealth, so no matter how much temptation others use to lure Han Xin into making mistakes, he chooses to refuse directly.

Although Zhongli Mo and Han Xin have a good personal relationship, Liu Bang is ranked first in Han Xinxin's ranking. After all, he once shared weal and woe with Liu Bang.Zhongli Mo's death made Han Xin see the possibility of reconciliation between him and Liu Bang. Han Xin cut off Zhong Limo's head very naively, then took him into the car and rushed to Chen Guo. He wanted to explain everything to Liu Bang face to face. .

It is not very far from Xiapi to Chenjun, it takes a few hundred miles to get there in a few days.

Liu Bang should have met Han Xin in Chen Jun's palace, and someone rushed in ecstasy and told Liu Bang: Your Majesty, the big fish has bitten the hook!Liu Bang laughed loudly, and a stone in his heart fell to the ground. This silly boy really fell into Chen Ping's trick.

What Liu Bang was most worried about did not appear, but this also added a little moral pressure to Liu Bangping.With Liu Bang's IQ, he should know that Han Xin dared to come to see him, which shows that there is no ghost in Han Xin's confidence, otherwise no one would dare to come to die.

At this time, Liu Bang had no intention of killing Han Xin, he just wanted to give Han Xin a disarm, or cut off Han Xin's power in Chu.Liu Bang's keeping Han Xin is more in Liu Bang's interest than killing Han Xin. The reason is that although the world is initially determined, Han Xin is still very useful compared to Yingbo, Peng Yue, and even the more distant Huns.

Liu Bang is good at controlling people. For him, the most ideal is to beat Han Xin back to the state of existence when he first worshiped the general, that is, the Song Dynasty Xin Qiji wrote in "Qinyuanchun·Abstaining from Drinking Cups to Keep You Close". Urgent retreat, I can still drink your cup with all my strength", warning Han Xin to be serious.If Han Xin can be like that wine glass, "worship the cup again, and go away as soon as you wave it, and the trick must come", and bow your head and heart to be used by Liu Bang, Liu Bang would be reluctant to kill Han Xin.

Based on these considerations, Liu Bang did not make the choice to kill Han Xin, but instead ambushed a group of warriors in advance, just like the Romance Novel wrote, "The knife and axe listen to me throwing a cup as a sign", and waited for Han Xin to hold Zhonglimei's hand in fear. When the head walked into the emperor's big tent, before Han Xin saluted Liu Bang, the warriors swarmed out and surrounded Han Xin...

The time is December in the sixth year of the Han Dynasty (201 BC).

Liu Bang gave a wink, and the warriors took a few steps forward and turned Han Xin's arm backwards. Then someone took out a bundle of ropes and wrapped them neatly around Han Xin's body. Suddenly looked up to the sky and laughed.However, "Historical Records Fan Kuai Biography" records that Fan Kui followed Liu Bang to Chen County and "won the trust". The person who bound Han Xin may also be Fan Kui himself.

Liu Bang had already prepared a prison cart for Han Xin, and the horse pulling the cart was neighing to the sky.Under Liu Bang's instruction, the warriors lifted the cursing Han Xin and stuffed him into the prison car.Because Liu Bang set up an ambush to capture Han Xin on the outskirts of Chenjun, and he had to go to Chenjun to meet the princes, so after Han Xin was arrested, Liu Bang immediately ordered to leave for Chenjun.Liu Bang needs to use Han Xin's arrest to warn other kings with different surnames: how about it, you understand.

The prison car that imprisoned Han Xin was driving slowly behind the emperor's convoy. Han Xin was leaning against the prison fence with his hands tied behind his back, wanting to cry but not crying.Han Xin was so stimulated by Liu Bang's treachery that he trembled all over. He sat in the car and yelled hoarsely: "The world has been settled, so what's the use of keeping me! I will suffer the crime of cooking, but what kind of language!"

Han Xin cursed and cursed, and burst into tears suddenly. This abandoned child thrown by God was once again abandoned by everyone.When he thinks he has received warmth and respect from others, the cold reality tells him: In this world, there is warmth and respect, but it does not belong to him.Many years ago, when he passed under the crotch of the evil young man in Huaiyin, he heard the ridicule of the onlookers; now, he saw Liu Bang's sinister smile as he rode slowly outside the prison car.

Han Xin was still chattering, repeating the words that made Liu Bang very angry: "I often hear people say that when the cunning rabbit is dead, the good dog should be cooked! When the tall birds are gone, the good bow will be hidden; if the enemy's country is destroyed, the counselor will perish." Then there was another burst of stern laughter.

Liu Bang was a little impatient and even more guilty. He pointed at Han Xin with a horsewhip and yelled: "What is it called! The evidence of your rebellion is convincing, don't talk about all the nonsense! You have committed your own crimes, you can't live, you are responsible for me!" , I will live up to you!" Although Liu Bang said stiffly, he did not dare to look at Han Xin at all, because Han Xin lived an open and frank life, and Liu Bang had a ghost in his heart, and he didn't want to lose in front of Han Xin.

However, Liu Bang's attitude towards Han Xin is actually very clear. What he wants to eliminate is Han Xin's military power and ability to rebel, not Han Xin's body.Liu Bang is actually a very nostalgic person. He has worked with Han Xin in the past few years. Although he has no personal relationship with Han Xin, he is still very grateful to Han Xin for helping him dominate the world.Liu Bang knows best whether Han Xin has rebelled or not, but Liu Bang still hopes that Han Xin can continue to quarrel, because he needs Han Xin's "cooperation" to stimulate those princes and kings with different surnames.

Except for Han Xin who was planted in the hole Liu Bang had dug in advance on the way to Chenjun, other Ming Dynasty records that the princes who went to Chenjun to meet him included Liang Wang Pengyue and Huainan Wang Yingbu.Liu Bang's arrest of Han Xin was mainly for these two people to see. Whether the other princes come or not does not affect the overall situation.

Regarding the content of the princes of the Chen County Conference, there is no record in historical materials. Peng Yue and Yingbu are friendly, and the only record is that Liu Bang "determined the land of Chu".In other words, Liu Bang first trapped Han Xin, and then took back Han Xin's fief of Chu.With Liu Bang's style of doing things, he will definitely clean up Chu's military and political system and eradicate Han Xin's power from the root.

Geographically, Chu State is located on the side of Peng Yue’s Liang State and Yingbo’s Huainan State. Once Peng Yue and Yingbo launch a rebellion, the Chu army can contain the Liang Army and Huainan Army from the side, so it must be controlled by Liu Bang’s most trusted people. Chu State.The candidate should have been decided by Liu Bang a long time ago, that is, Liu Bang's younger brother Liu Jiao. As soon as Han Xin was trapped, Liu Jiao was established by Liu Bang as the king of Chu, with Pengcheng as his capital.

However, the territory of Liu Jiao's Chu State is only the northwest of the original Hanxin Chu State, including 36 counties in the three counties of Donghai, Xue, and Pengcheng. The southeastern part of Han Chu was assigned to Liu Bang's cousin Liu Jia. Huaidong.Regardless of Liu Jia's clan status, he was also one of the founding generals in the early Han Dynasty, and Liu Jia and Yingbo had fought side by side for many years, so he knew Yingbo very well.Using Liu Jia to sit in Huaidong is obviously a pawn for Yingbo's rebellion in the future.

Liu Bang's distribution of the county system and enfeoffment system is very clear. The kingdoms of Jinji (Guanzhong Qin) were reduced to counties and counties, which were directly controlled by Liu Bang; Yuanji (the land of the six kingdoms of Kanto) was controlled by the clan surnamed Liu.Based on this idea, Liu Bang began to attack the king with a different surname. Han Xin became Liu Bang's first target because of his military genius.Although the newly-appointed King of Yan, Lu Wan, belonged to the clan of the Han Dynasty, because Liu Bang had a deep relationship with him, he could also be counted as the king with the same surname, but Liu Bang did not expect that Lu Wan would betray him later.

As for the kings with different surnames being abolished, they must always be given a way to survive. Although Liu Bang was committed to abolishing the kings with different surnames, he didn't want to kill them easily. He just wanted to demote them to the same political status as the important officials of the Peiren Group.In the Peiren Group, Liu Bang would only give them marquis titles to the ones with the highest titles. Therefore, the titles of kings with different surnames who were abolished should naturally be marquises, of course, provided they were obedient.

How to deal with Han Xin, Liu Bang has already made up his mind.

Peng Yue and Ying Bu glanced at Han Xin who was still squatting in the prison car basking in the sun, and gave Liu Bang a big gift with complicated emotions, then left Chenjun, returned to their respective feudal states, and began to speculate on Liu Bang's true attitude towards him.Will they become the second Han Xin?No one can answer their question.

Han Xin seemed to have gotten used to the life in the prison car. Every day someone brought him food, and when he was tired, he lay down in the prison car and slept, and when he woke up, he would scold Liu Bang for killing the donkey.Liu Bang was like raising a budgerigar. If he had nothing to do, he would stand outside the prison car for a while and grind his lips with Han Xin. It was a very fun game.

Han Xin should be able to perceive that his current situation is safe from Liu Bang's friendly attitude towards him. At least he didn't feel that Liu Bang had the intention of killing him, and he was no longer as nervous as when he was first trapped.Han Xin's current identity is a rebellious criminal, but his treatment is not bad, at least he doesn't have to eat cold corn bread.Some people passing by the prison car did not dare to insult Han Xin, but would smile at each other and obsequiously ask Han Xin if he needed anything, and they would try their best to satisfy it.

Han Xin was too lazy to talk, but just sat in the prison car enjoying the beautiful scenery of Henan, because Liu Bang had already set off from Chenjun to go north, and he was going back to Guanzhong through Luoyang.Because it was very cold, the prison car that Han Xin was riding in should have been protected against the cold. Han Xin was wrapped in thick brocade clothes so that he would not shiver from the cold.

Liu Bang had heard enough of Han Xin's stern scolding, and stopped bickering with Han Xin, but took the front car and left Han Xin at the back of the team.Sometimes Han Xin is in a good mood, humming a ditty, thinking of the days when he was the king of Chu, and the figures of Piaomu and Evil Younger keep running through his mind...

Luoyang arrived soon, and in the main hall of Luoyang Palace, Liu Bang ordered the warriors to untie Han Xin.Han Xin stared at Liu Bang without saying a word, he didn't know what Liu Bang was going to do to him.Liu Bang laughed, and he announced in public that Han Xin, the former king of Chu, was pardoned for the crime of treason.

In the era of the home world, those who commit treason must suffer the disaster of the barbarians. This is the red line for the attitude of the rulers of the past dynasties towards their subjects, and there is no room for negotiation. "Tang Law Shuyi Volume [-]" puts it clearly: "Whoever has a rebellious heart and harms the king's father will be punished." "Conspiracy for rebellion" is annotated as "conspiracy to endanger the country"; the second is "conspiracy for great rebellion", that is, murdering the emperor; the third is "conspiracy for rebellion", that is, treason and surrender to the enemy country.

Liu Bang charged Han Xin with treason, a crime that can be pardoned without reason, but Liu Bang pardoned Han Xin's innocence. Isn't this contradictory?If Han Xin is really guilty of treason, Liu Bang will definitely not spare Han Xin.Of course Liu Bang knew that Han Xin was innocent, but he still played a political trick.He just pardoned Han Xin's "crime of treason", but did not say that Han Xin had not committed the crime of treason.Liu Bang did this mainly to show his magnanimity in front of the world, but Han Xin unfortunately became a buffoon who cooperated with Liu Bang, and he didn't even get a box lunch.

Han Xin was "pardoned", which means that Han Xin no longer needs to wear the political black hat that did not exist, and his "political stain" was "magnanimously" washed away by Liu Bang.But Han Xin didn't mean to thank Liu Bang at all. He was innocent in the first place, and the king of Chu who had a thousand-bell solar eclipse was also killed, and there was no battle to fight in the world. what.

There is no war for the time being, so Liu Bang has no use for Han Xin, so let's raise him first.The king of Chu can't do it anymore. Han Xin's Chu country has long been divided up by Liu Jiao and Liu Jia.
(End of this chapter)