Meng Jiakun, Bai Fei, and Xishu all looked righteous and inviolable, as if they were talking about something extremely sacred.
The slight commotion behind them slowly died down as the three men spoke passionately.
It's not that these noble families were persuaded by the three men's words, but that although their remarks were extremely ridiculous, they themselves probably didn't even believe what they said.
But its core is very clear, struggle, and the three people show that the three companies will fight to the end.
Ying Chengjiao wanted to wipe out the Qin aristocratic families. The three major aristocratic families of Meng, Xi and Bai stood up and fought for the Qin aristocratic families and sought benefits for all the aristocratic families.
No matter what the true thoughts of these family heads are, if they dare to turn against the Qin family at this moment, they will inevitably be ostracized and despised by the Qin family.
Cai Ze, who originally wanted to laugh out loud at the pretentious appearance of the three people, lost all desire to laugh after seeing the reactions of the people behind them.
Now that things have come to this, there is no need to argue any further.
"Listening to your words is better than going through a hundred years of study." The old man clapped his hands together, his expression excited, "Ze also wants to be such a person."
"Then please ask Lord Gangcheng to visit our nephew Gan on our behalf." Meng Jiakun stepped forward, grabbed the old man's hand and shook it hard, "Only Lord Gangcheng can do this!"
When Cai Ze was imprisoned in Xianyang Prison, he was exposed to Ying Chengjiao, which was tantamount to an active provocation.
If Ying Chengjiao wants to strike at the aristocratic families again, the first thing he will do is to strike at Cai Ze.
To kill a snake, strike at its most vulnerable part; to capture a thief, capture the leader first. This is the same principle as when Ying Chengjiao first arrested Gan Luo and put him in prison in Xianyang some time ago.
The old man wanted to shirk responsibility. He didn't want to get involved in this mess. He had smelled danger since the moment Gan Luo was arrested and thrown into Xianyang Prison.
But Meng Jiakun did not use much force, but held his hand tightly to let the old man know.
The Meng family represented by Meng Jiakun in front of him, and the respective families represented by the family residences behind Meng Jiakun, will not let him go.
If Meng Ao, who was an official at the same time as Cai Ze, was in this position, he would curse at the group of birdmen, then pull out the Qin sword from his waist and say, "Nai Gong, kill you bunch of birdmen."
If Lü Buwei, who had served as prime minister with Cai Ze, was in this position, he would look at the noble families with a smile. How about comparing yourselves to the royal family of Zhao? I was able to risk my life to lead the former king out of Handan, but today I am being coerced by you?
The Qin State has a magical charm.
No matter where they come from or what their status is, as long as they become officials in the Qin State, whether they are civil officials or military generals, their personalities will be full of bloodthirsty and strong sides.
This was due to the national conditions of Qin State. Shang Yang invented the twenty levels of military merit titles in Qin State, and the promotion system was open and transparent.
This is much better than most other countries where the monarch decides what title to promote, which is enough to inspire everyone to strive for the first place.
For example, Meng Ao, a wealthy and lazy man from Qi, entered Qin and began to call himself Nai Gong and cursed him as a bird man.
For example, Lu Buwei, a businessman who puts profit first and makes money through harmony, entered Qin and monopolized power, sidelining the First Emperor.
"Can."
The old man agreed wholeheartedly.
Over the years, the only one who could remain calm in the boiling and bubbling magma of Qin State was Gangcheng Jun Cai Ze.
All the heads of the noble families laughed, as the old man's choice was in their best interests.
Outside the house, the stars in the sky became dimmer and dimmer, until the warm orange sun rose at dawn.
Outside the Xianyang Prison, dozens of horse-drawn carriages appeared early in the morning, which made the jailers guarding the Xianyang Prison much more energetic.
They had been a little sleepy early in the morning, but all of a sudden they were no longer sleepy, fearing that something might have happened.
They did not approach to check, because carriages meant status, and common people did not have the money to maintain a carriage. Those who could ride in carriages in Xianyang City were mostly important figures with high titles.
These carriages were filled with heads of aristocratic families. In order to prevent the situation where the old man promised to be nice at the banquet and then went home and pretended to be dead from happening again, they personally escorted the old man to the outside of Xianyang Prison.
A group of heads of aristocratic families were sitting in the carriage. They watched the old man walk into the Xianyang Prison with their own eyes, but they were not satisfied and wanted to wait for him to come out.
In the eyes of outsiders, this was a demonstration. Cai Ze was leading these aristocratic families to demonstrate against Ying Chengjiao, and these aristocratic families were standing up for Cai Ze.
And this is exactly the result that the aristocratic families want to achieve.
…
"Changan Jun, Ze Ke has absolutely no intention of being your enemy. Ze Ke was forced to do this."
When the old man was put into Xianyang Prison, he did not go to look for Gan Luo at all, but went straight to the cell where Ying Chengjiao was.
When he met Ying Chengjiao for the first time, he immediately bowed 90 degrees as a gesture of respect, expressing his willingness to be his enemy and being extremely courteous.
Ying Chengjiao looked at the old man with a smile and helped him up.
"If it weren't for what you said, the sky would have changed a long time ago, and the king would have made the decision long ago. Grandfather would not have destroyed the Zhou emperor. Those who are good at fighting do not have great achievements, and you are good at planning, so you don't have many achievements.
"My grandfather said that you are a genius and that you played a big role in the unification of the Qin State. How dare Cheng Jiao accept your gift? It really makes me feel embarrassed."
Cai Ze looked sincere.
"Chang'an Jun is willing to fight against the world for the sake of the world. Chang'an Jun is a genius. Ze is just following the will of heaven and going with the flow, while Chang'an Jun is going against the will of heaven and blazing the wind. In terms of strategy and courage, Ze is not even one tenth as good as Chang'an Jun."
"For the sake of the world, I will fight against the world." Ying Chengjiao repeated, and helped Cai Ze sit on the unusually soft bed covered with three layers of animal skins. "Sir, do you know what Chengjiao wants to do?"
"Chang'an Jun is as wise as the sea, while Ze only knows the wind and waves on the sea. However, it is these wind and waves that have beaten Ze to his knees. Chang'an Jun is truly the reincarnation of a saint. Confucius and Li Er are just frauds who are not worthy of the title of saint. Chang'an Jun is the real saint."
Although Ying Chengjiao knew that the old man was flattering him, he looked at the old man's serious expression and listened to his sincere words.
For a moment, I had the illusion that the old man was not complimenting me, but speaking from his heart.
Although both are praises, a genius recognized by King Zhaoxiang of Qin and an unknown person, it is obvious that the former is more useful.
Ying Chengjiao chuckled and said, "Mr. Gangcheng, I know your character. I know that you will not take the initiative to join the game and be the first to take action. I don't need to say polite words to you. I want to know what Mr. Gangcheng thinks of what I did."
"People who can do what ordinary people cannot do are extraordinary people. The world is painted by extraordinary people. Chang'an Jun can do what ordinary people cannot do, just like Fuxi created the world with one stroke. He did not paint between the heaven and the earth, but recreated the world. It is a great honor for Ze to meet him..."
“Ahem.”
Ying Chengjiao coughed twice and looked unkindly at the old man who looked excited and seemed proud to have experienced such a big event.
"Gang Chengjun is so good at talking, why don't you stay here and chat with Cheng Jiao?"
The old man's voice suddenly stopped, and his high spirits were instantly interrupted. He lowered his head and looked at Ying Chengjiao with a very resentful look, as if to say, "Chang'an Jun, you are so unromantic."
Ying Chengjiao resisted the urge to slap him, as he felt a chill in his throat from the look in Cai Ze's eyes.
Ying Chengjiao was very familiar with this look. The beauties who had not visited the palace for a long time, and the maids in Chang'an Jun's mansion who always wanted to climb through the windows always looked at him like this.
"If Gang Chengjun continues to look at me like this, I will have no choice but to send Gang Chengjun to the cell where Bao Bailingzhi lived."
He does not like flattery, nor does he use violence because of his feelings, but he can have a few words with this boy.
The old man nodded secretly, and said while sitting on the bed: "The former King Zhaoxiang once said that Lord Chang'an was leisurely and not like a Qin person. Seeing him today, I know that this is true. Since this is the case, Ze will speak freely."
Ying Chengjiao knelt down, facing Cai Ze, and said in a deep voice, "Please teach me, sir."
Ying Chengjiao never underestimated the wisdom of the ancients, and never thought that his intelligence was unmatched.
What made him surpass the ancients was only the superior vision gained by two thousand years.
In the practical implementation of things, he is lucky enough not to be at a disadvantage compared with these historical figures who have left their names in history.
"Ze, may I ask Lord Chang'an, do you consider yourself a king or a minister?"
Ying Chengjiao was silent for a moment.
Cai Ze put this question at the very beginning, which means that this question is the basis for the following conversation, and all subsequent words are derived from this question.
His answer will lead today's conversation in two directions.
The old man looked at Ying Chengjiao who didn't answer. The two old legs under his buttocks were shaking a little, and his hands flat on his knees began to tremble.
Is there any need to think about this question?
This must be me!
What are you seriously considering?
Ying Chengjiao sighed softly at the old man's slightly panicked look and said, "Just treat me as your subject."
Many of the things that Ying Chengjiao did were things that only a king could do, but from beginning to end Ying Chengjiao never thought of becoming a king.
After much thought, Ying Chengjiao gave the answer.
As a minister, he did not like working and had never thought of becoming an emperor. Moreover, he had no confidence that he could do better than the First Emperor if he sat on that throne.
The First Emperor was able to dominate the world with his own power, but Ying Chengjiao believed that he could not do the same.
What does it mean to just be a subject?
The old man's lips trembled as he said, "If Chang'an Jun says so, Ze will not bother you any more."
The old man smelled an extremely dangerous scent and wanted to escape.
"It's just a joke, it's just a joke, I'm just joking with you, don't take it seriously."
Cai Ze really wanted to just leave, but he felt that if he said so, he would most likely be drowned in Xianyang Prison like Bao Bailingzhi.
You didn't seem to be joking at all, so I quickly finished talking to you and left.
"If I were a minister, no matter whether Chang'an Jun's thoughts and wishes could be realized, I would eventually die."
Ying Chengjiao raised his eyebrows and gestured to Cai Ze to continue.
Cai Ze saw that Ying Chengjiao's eyes were clear and slightly curious, without a trace of anger.
Combining the previous tests on Ying Chengjiao and the understanding of what Ying Chengjiao has done over the years, it can be judged that Ying Chengjiao will not do anything to harm him because of his words.
Putting his heart at ease, he continued, "A wise monarch and capable ministers are a great blessing for the world. A wise monarch and upright ministers are a blessing for a country. A loving father, a filial son, an honest husband, and a loyal wife are a blessing for a family.
"However, although Zixu was loyal and resourceful, he could not save Wu. Shensheng was filial, but Jin was in chaos. They were loyal ministers and filial sons, but their countries were destroyed and in chaos. May I ask Chang'an Jun why this is so?"
Ying Chengjiao said without hesitation, "Because the king of Wu that Wu Zixu served was incompetent, and Shen Sheng's father was not virtuous. The advice given by Wu Zixu and Shen Sheng was not listened to, and the voices they made did not reach the ears of their king and their father."
Blinking his eyes, Ying Chengjiao said thoughtfully, "Sir, are you comparing me to Wu Zixu and Shen Sheng, and the King of Wu and Duke Xian of Jin to your Majesty?"
Although Cai Ze was an old minister, he had actually never had any dealings with Ying Chengjiao.
Because he is too secretive, he feels that the more he knows, the more dangerous it is, so he avoids secrets.
However, Cai Ze was still very clear about major public events such as "two kings were established because of one son".
So it was no surprise that Ying Chengjiao, who was labeled as uneducated, could answer so quickly and accurately, and guess what he was going to say next.
Cai Ze, who had served as prime minister to King Zhaoxiang of Qin, knew very well that King Zhaoxiang of Qin, who had been able to seize power from his own mother, Mi Bazi, was a wise ruler with a sharp vision.
The future king favored by such a wise ruler cannot be a person who does not read books.
"That's right." Cai Ze affirmed: "Everyone in the world thinks that such a monarch and father are shameful, and they pity and sympathize with their ministers and sons. Chang'an Jun is trying to centralize power and what he wants is your majesty, but will your majesty do as Chang'an Jun wishes?"
Ying Chengjiao patted the thick animal skin under his body and pointed at Cai Ze.
"I can be free and at ease here, and you can sit in front of me and talk to me about this. What do you think His Majesty thinks of me?"
Cai Ze shook his head and said, "Water has no fixed shape, and people have no fixed nature. King Fuchai of Wu defeated the Kingdom of Yue and demanded that King Gou Jian of Yue be his slave. He pulled their carts and tasted their feces to avenge his father's shame. He valued and trusted Wu Zixu. At that time, could you say that Fuchai was not a good king? Who could have foreseen that he would force Wu Zixu to commit suicide and dig out his eyes in a few years?
"After Jin Xian Gong Gui Zhu ascended the throne, he adopted Shi Ju's plan to wipe out the descendants of Quwo Huan Shu and Quwo Zhuang Bo, thus consolidating his position. He pursued a policy of respecting the king and improved his reputation. He attacked and destroyed Li Rong, Geng State, Huo State, Wei State, and defeated Di Rong. He adopted Xun Xi's plan to attack Guo through a pretext, and wiped out the powerful enemies Yu State and Guo State. He annexed 17 states and conquered 38 states.
"His achievements were so outstanding. Who could say that Duke Xian of Jin was not a lord who expanded his territory? Who could have thought that such a king would favor Li Ji in his old age and force the virtuous Crown Prince Shen Sheng to death because of a woman's words? People are not the same person when they are young and old. Your Majesty will also grow old."
Ying Chengjiao remained silent.
According to the original history, the First Emperor unified the six kingdoms, drove the Huns in the north, and conquered the Baiyue in the south.
In his old age, he pursued immortality and no longer called himself "Zhen", but instead called himself "Zhenren".
He sent Xu Fu to the East China Sea to visit immortals, and alchemists who made elixirs became his guests of honor. His behavior was very different from that when he was in his prime.
What Cai Ze said cannot be said to be exactly the same, but it is almost the same.
Ying Chengjiao looked at Cai Ze who was sitting in front of him, and became serious.
He didn't think that with him around, the First Emperor would still go down the old path. But without him, what Cai Ze said was right.
His foresight comes from history books, while Cai Ze's foresight is entirely based on his own inferences.
"Others say that you are good at preserving yourself in troubled times. Cheng Jiao has been influenced by what others say and has a deep misunderstanding of you. If I had spoken to you earlier, I would not have let my grandfather let you resign twenty years ago."
Cai Ze didn't take it seriously. Twenty years ago, you were only five or six years old, still a child. How could you understand what Cai Ze said to you?
But he said: "Chang'an Jun is too kind, Ze is just timid. Since Chang'an Jun said so, he should know how to act..."
"No." Ying Chengjiao said firmly, "My brother would not do what you said. You don't know. My brother once said in the Xianyang Palace, 'If the meritorious officials cannot escape unscathed, how can Ying Zheng stand in the world?'"
Ying Chengjiao could not say that he would control the First Emperor and prevent him from going astray, because if he did that, Cai Ze would definitely think he was bragging.
He could only refute Cai Ze by using what the First Emperor had said, which was somewhat credible.
Ying Chengjiao did not want Cai Ze to misunderstand the First Emperor, so he wanted to let Gang Chengjun, who had great foresight and was good at preserving himself in troubled times, enter the world.
To achieve his ideal world, the more talented people there are, the easier it will be to succeed and the more free time he will have.
Ying Chengjiao, who was looking for retainers all over the world, did not expect that he would make a mistake that was not obvious under the lamp. He tried to win over the famous ministers and generals of the six countries and forgot about his base camp Qin.
Cai Ze sighed inwardly.
How could I not know this? But what Your Majesty said is just for tacit consent and should not be taken seriously. Who in the world does not break his word?
This boy dared to address His Majesty by name, and it was quite natural. It seemed that he had a very close relationship with His Majesty.
But this is how you die.
Well, considering that this boy is the king appointed by the late King Zhaoxiang, I will say a few more words to you.
"Your Majesty said this? This is the first time Ze has heard of it. Then Chang'an Jun has passed one of his three death calamities."
"Huh? Three death calamities?" Ying Chengjiao laughed and said, "Please tell me about the remaining two calamities, sir."
"May I ask Lord Chang'an if you are prepared to die after achieving success?"
"No." Ying Chengjiao shook his head without even thinking, and said, "I don't know if it will succeed, but I definitely can't die."
Is this kid afraid of death too?
Cai Ze's eyes lit up, and he tilted his head slightly to confirm again: "Chang'an Jun really didn't have it?"
Ying Chengjiao made some wild statements at the wax festival, such as "As long as I am alive, the Qin State will have no rule", "Eliminate all the nobles in the world", and "Talk to the world".
These words made Cai Ze regard Ying Chengjiao as a madman who was not afraid of death in order to achieve his ideals.
In the eyes of most people, what Ying Chengjiao did was just courting death. Cai Ze didn't expect that Ying Chengjiao would actually say that he was afraid of death.
"Really not. Everything I do is based on my survival. If I have to die to succeed, then that's unnecessary!"
That’s easy !
Cai Ze leaned forward, thinking that he would be able to convince Ying Chengjiao today, because he had found something in common with Ying Chengjiao.
"I share the same thoughts as Chang'an Jun. Achievements should come after life. However, Shang Yang and Wu Qi were right as ministers. Duke Xiaoxian and King Dao of Chu were wise as their kings and listened to their advice.
"But these two people achieved great things but received no reward. They died after the monarch who trusted them passed away. Ze did not approve of this outcome.
"If one can establish a reputation for loyalty only by dying, then Weizi cannot be called a benevolent man, Confucius cannot be called a saint, and Guan Zhong cannot be called a great man. If people want to achieve great things, don't they hope to live on after they have accomplished their achievements?
“Those who can preserve their lives and reputations are of the highest order; those whose reputations are tarnished but whose lives are preserved are of the middle order; those whose reputations can be emulated by future generations but whose lives cannot be preserved are of the lowest order.”
Pah pah pah
Ying Chengjiao nodded repeatedly and applauded in agreement.
In this era where reputation is generally considered more important than life, it is not easy to hear Cai Ze's remarks.
"What Gangchengjun said is very kind, and it touches my heart!"
Cai Ze also felt the same way. He always believed that it was a good thing that he was good at protecting himself in troubled times, but he had always been criticized.
Today he got the recognition from Ying Chengjiao. Although he couldn't tell whether Ying Chengjiao really believed it or was just agreeing with him lip service, it didn't stop him from feeling a little happy.
He seized the opportunity of Ying Chengjiao's "praise" and said: "Shang Yang and Wu Qi, as ministers, they were loyal and accomplished, which is admirable. Hong Yao served King Wen of Zhou, and Duke Zhou assisted King Cheng of Zhou. Weren't they also loyal and wise? In terms of the relationship between monarch and minister, how do Shang Yang and Wu Qi compare to Hong Yao and Duke Zhou?"
Hong Yao was a founding hero of the Western Zhou Dynasty and one of the four close friends of King Wen of Zhou, Ji Chang.
"Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Yin" states: Xibo's ministers Hongyao and his followers sought beautiful women, rare items and good horses to present to King Zhou, who then pardoned Xibo.
It was all thanks to Hong Yao that Ji Chang was able to return to Xiqi. Ji Chang was always grateful to Hong Yao for saving his life and always responded to his requests.
Duke of Zhou was Duke of Zhou Dan, the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou, Ji Fa, and the uncle of King Cheng of Zhou.
After King Wu of Zhou died, King Cheng of Zhou succeeded to the throne. At that time, King Cheng of Zhou was only twelve years old, and Duke Zhou was entrusted by King Wu of Zhou to govern on his behalf.
During this period, Duke Zhou suppressed the rebellion of Wu Geng and formulated the Zhou rites that Confucianism had always wanted to restore. He had such a great reputation in the Zhou Dynasty that it was easy for him to depose his nephew, King Cheng of Zhou, from the throne.
Cao Cao said in "Short Song": When Duke Zhou spits out food to welcome the guests, the people of the country are at peace.
It means that Duke Zhou's governance of the world was popular, and everyone loved him and was willing to obey his rule.
Under these circumstances, when King Cheng of Zhou turned 20, it was time for him to return power. Duke Zhou had no lingering feelings for power and returned power to his nephew, King Cheng of Zhou.
Therefore, although Duke Xiao of Qin trusted Shang Yang very much, King Dao of Chu also trusted Wu Qi very much.
But compared with the two pairs of monarch and ministers, King Wen of Zhou and Hong Yao, and King Cheng of Zhou and Duke Zhou, they are still far behind.
Ying Chengjiao had read all the books of the time and was well-informed about some of the major events. He immediately said, "Shang Jun, Wu Qi is not as good as Hong Yao and Zhou Gong."
Cai Ze said: "If so, then your Majesty is kind, benevolent, righteous, trustworthy, loyal, honest, and never forgets old friendships. He is deeply loyal and never betrays his meritorious officials. How do you compare with Duke Xiaoxian and King Dao of Chu in these aspects?"
There is a saying that the living can never be better than the dead.
Duke Xiao of Qin and King Dao of Chu never did anything bad to Shang Yang and Wu Qi until their death.
Now the First Emperor is still alive, and although he said, "If the meritorious officials cannot escape unscathed, how can the Emperor Qin Shi Huang stand in the world?", as long as the First Emperor is alive, there is a possibility of killing his officials.
As for trusting his ministers, we cannot say that the First Emperor was better than Duke Xiao of Qin and King Dao of Chu.
Cai Ze seized on this point, causing Ying Chengjiao to roll his eyes and be speechless.
Ying Chengjiao could have argued that His Majesty was much stronger, but that was just cowardly behavior. If you want to win over talented people, you can't rely on jokes.
Seeing that Ying Chengjiao had remained silent, Cai Ze said, "Your Majesty is close to loyal ministers now, and you cannot surpass Qin Xiaogong and Chu Daowang. And your status is different, you are a royal family. Although you have used your talents and worked hard to help your majesty solve the crisis. You have rectified the country, centralized the whole, strengthened the military, eliminated disasters, eliminated disasters, expanded the territory, and increased the planting of grains, making the country prosperous and the people rich.
"Strengthen your power and let your majesty rule the world. Your majesty's power spans the past and present, shakes the country and the four corners, and your achievements are known thousands of miles away. Your reputation is brilliant and will be passed down for thousands of years. In these aspects, even Shang Yang and Wu Qi combined are not as good as you. Your majesty's trust and favor in Chang'an Jun is far greater than that of Xiaoxian Gong to Shang Yang and King Dao of Chu to Wu Qi.
"But this is only temporary. Your Majesty is not as close to loyal ministers as you were to Duke Xiaoxian and King Dao of Chu. You will eventually lose your favor. However, Lord Chang'an's achievements, trust and favor are greater than Shang Yang and Wu Qi. He has been promoted to the position of prime minister in literature and the position of national commander in military affairs. There is no higher position than this.
"Ze heard that Chang'an Jun stayed in the tower for a long time. The wealth of Chang'an Jun's mansion is ten or a hundred times that of Shang Yang and Wu Qi. Chang'an Jun was originally chosen by the former King Zhaoxiang to be the king. Your Majesty will not be afraid? I can become the king, which is a taboo. Chang'an Jun is now second only to the king in power.
"As the saying goes, when the sun reaches the zenith, it gradually tilts; when the moon reaches its fullness, it begins to wane; when things reach their peak, they decline; this is the rule of all things in the world. To advance, retreat, stretch, and adapt to the changes of the times is the common sense that the saints abide by.
"Chang'an Jun, please look at the kingfisher, swan, rhinoceros, and elephant. The first two fly in the sky where humans cannot reach, and the last two fall to the ground but their strength is far greater than that of humans. They should be far away from death, but as long as people set bait, they can still be killed. The reason they die is that they are deceived by the bait. For Chang'an Jun, merit is this poisonous bait.
"It is not impossible for people like Su Qin and Zhi Bo to avoid disgrace and death, but the reason they died was that they were deceived by greed. Therefore, the sages established etiquette and laws to control desires.
"There should be limits to the collection of money and property from the people, and the requisition of money from the people should be done in season and with moderation. Therefore, the mind should not be too demanding, and the actions should not be arrogant and unreasonable. At all times and in all things, the principle of restraining etiquette and desire should be strictly observed, and it should not be lost.
"In the past, Duke Huan of Qi had held nine alliances with the princes to stop the chaos and restore order to the world, but when he met at Kuiqiu, he was arrogant and conceited, and as a result, many countries rebelled against him. King Fuchai of Wu's army was invincible in the world. He relied on his bravery and strength to despise the princes and invaded Qi and Jin, so he was finally killed and his country was destroyed.
"Xia Yu, Taishi Ao was extremely brave, and could scare off an army with just a shout, but in the end he was killed by a mediocre person. These are the consequences of thinking that one can do anything when one is extremely famous and powerful. It is a disaster caused by not being able to be humble and self-disciplined.
"Shang Yang made laws for Duke Xiaoxian to show to the whole country and ban the root of evil. He advocated the system of enfeoffment and rewarded meritorious service and punished crime. He standardized the scale, weight and balance, and regulated the weight of commodities and currency circulation. He removed the crisscrossing ridges and allowed the reclamation of wasteland, so that the people could live in peace and have the same customs. He encouraged the people to cultivate the land and make the land productive, so that no family could have two businesses. He worked hard to grow crops and store food, and practiced military battles in peacetime. Therefore, when the army was mobilized, it could expand the territory, and when the army rested, it could make the country rich. Therefore, the Qin State was invincible in the world, and it gained prestige among the princes, laying the foundation for the Qin State. After completing his mission, he was torn to pieces by a chariot.
"The territory of Chu State was several thousand miles in radius, and there were more than one million soldiers. Bai Qi, the Marquis of Wu'an, led a force of tens of thousands of people to fight against the Chu army. In the first battle, he conquered Yan and Ying and burned the ancestral tombs of Yiling. Later, he crossed Han and Wei to attack the powerful Zhao State, and killed the army of Zhao Kuo, the son of Zhao She, the Marquis of Mafu, in the north. More than 400,000 people were massacred and buried alive in Changping. The blood flowed like a river, and the blood roared like thunder.
"Then he besieged Handan, and made Qin an emperor. Chu and Zhao were powerful countries in the world, but they were enemies of Qin. From then on, Chu and Zhao surrendered out of fear and dared not attack Qin again. This was Bai Qi's killing power. He personally conquered more than 70 cities and completed his mission, but was given a sword by King Zhaoxiang to commit suicide.
"Wu Qi made laws for King Dao of Chu to reduce and weaken the power of ministers. He dismissed mediocre people, deposed useless people, cut down unnecessary officials, stopped the requests of wealthy nobles, and rectified the customs of Chu.
"He prohibited vagrants from wandering around without jobs, selected and trained peasant soldiers who could both farm and fight, conquered Yang Yue in the south, annexed the two small states of Chen and Cai in the north, exposed the useless arguments of the strategists, and silenced those who lobbied for it.
"He prohibited the formation of cliques for personal gain and encouraged the people to work for the country, which made Chu politically stable, and its military power shocked the world and intimidated the vassal states. His achievements were accomplished, but he was tragically dismembered and died.
"The minister Wen Zhong made foresight for the king of Yue and avoided the danger of being trapped in Kuaiji and the imminent destruction of the country. He adopted the strategy of surrender to seek survival. He sought the glory of restoring the country by taking advantage of the humiliation of the king and his ministers. He reclaimed wasteland, recruited vagrants to fill the cities, opened up farmland, planted grains, and led the people from all over the country.
"He gathered the power of all levels to assist a wise king like Gou Jian, avenged Fu Chai's destruction of Yue, and finally destroyed the powerful Wu State, making Yue the hegemon. His achievements were outstanding and he gained trust and prestige, but Gou Jian finally became ungrateful and killed him.
"These four gentlemen, after achieving their goals, were still not satisfied and wanted to continue, and ended up in such a tragic situation. This is what is meant by being able to stretch but not bend, being able to go forward but not turn back.
"Fan Li understood this principle, so he detached himself from the world and stayed away from worldly affairs, always being a carefree Tao Zhugong. Haven't you seen those gamblers? Sometimes they place big bets, and sometimes they place small bets in batches. These are all things you know clearly.
"Now you are the prime minister of Qin and the lieutenant of the state. You don't have to leave your seat to make plans, and you don't have to leave the court to make plans. Your achievements have reached the peak. What else is there to be dissatisfied about? If you still want to continue working at this time, then you will end up like Shang Yang, Bai Qi, Wu Qi, and the doctor Wen Zhong.
"I have heard such sayings as 'If you use water as a mirror, you can see your own face clearly; if you use others as a reference, you can know the good and bad of things.' The Book of Documents says 'You cannot stay for long after you have achieved success and fame.'
"The backlash of the aristocratic family's interests being damaged will cause the king to suffer the killing disaster that Your Majesty fears. Chang'an Jun cannot escape these two disasters. From Ze's point of view, it is right to leave Xianyang Prison and live in Chang'an Jun's mansion and maintain the status quo."
Ying Chengjiao let Cai Ze talk until he was dry-mouthed and did not say a word.
When Cai Ze finished speaking, he chuckled, and modestly extended his hand to signal him to speak, and smiled gently.
"Cheng Jiao thought you were a noble man, but it turns out you are just vulgar."
Cai Ze's smile froze.
"Sir, after saying so much, aren't you still asking me to stop from the perspective of the aristocratic family?"
Ying Chengjiao leaned closer to Cai Ze, looked at the beads of sweat on Cai Ze's head, and said seriously: "Gang Chengjun, now it's Chengjiao's turn to ask you. Do you want to live in Xianyang Prison or help me and my brother? I will answer your first question in full. Chengjiao is a minister, but I can do the king's work."