novelsmap Chapter 56
Chapter 56
The first person to react was the civilian named Jiang Zun. He put on a kind smile, rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward:
"The world is just a clever word—I didn't expect to meet Brother Cui here. It's really delightful."
Cui Song really didn't see that Jiang Zun and the two were happy.Especially He Wei, his eyes tended to be dull, and he looked stimulated, so he couldn't take Jiang Zun's polite words seriously.
After closing the door, Cui Song turned sideways to block the cold wind from the gap in the door for Xi Zhicai, and returned Jiang Zun with an equally "kind" smile: "It is indeed a coincidence. The two of you came from a long way, and you have been exposed to wind and rain. Go upstairs to change and wash earlier to prevent the cold from entering your body."
Uninvited guests came one after another, and his talent alone was enough to give him a headache.Cui Song didn't want to deal with Jiang Zun and He Wei at all, he just wanted to talk about the scene and send the two Buddhas away early.
Listening to the exchange of pleasantries against the will of both parties, Da Ma Jindao, who was sitting drinking wine, smiled sarcastically. The undisguised sneer seemed a bit harsh in the quiet lobby.
Jiang Zun lowered his eyes slightly, his expression normal.Cui Song still remembered the other party's rudeness to Xi Zhicai when he entered the door, so he simply pretended not to hear him.Hearing Xi Zhicai's suppressed and uncontrollable cough, and thinking of the few records in the history books, which ended in "early death", Cui Song couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. Pass."
Cui Song helped Xi Zhicai go upstairs and placed him on his couch.
"I, Guan Zhi, am not in good health. Have you sought medical attention?"
Another illness that I have never mentioned about Xi Zhicai, presumably this illness must be a recent symptom.
Xi Zhicai waved his hand, drank the hot water from Cui Song, waited for the cough to be relieved, and said: "A little wind and cold, it's not a problem."
Cui Song hesitated to speak.Although shy of history, he has doubts about Xi Zhicai's physical condition, but he and Zhicai have only met for the first time, and he is afraid of being suspected. After all, he can't say much. In order to pay attention to the abnormality of the body as soon as possible, and avoid the regret of "died before the ambition is fulfilled".
When old friends meet again, it is inevitable to talk at night by candlelight.
Even though Cui Song's heart was beating wildly, he had to fight this tough battle.
The two first recounted the past, and then poured out their current situation to each other.Including the matter of Zhong Yao and Xun You.
Cui Song just knew that Xi Zhicai's journey was not smooth.
The mountains are high and the waters are far away, the rebellious army looted, and the thieves were rampant.One person and one child rushed from Yingchuan to Chang'an, and the dangers encountered on the way cannot be described in a few words.
Speaking of Dong Zhuo, Cui Song unexpectedly discovered that Xi Zhicai's perception of Dong Zhuo was not as bad as other scholars.
"The world is chaotic and the situation is uncertain. If there is a powerful person who can help the declining Han Dynasty and turn the tide, it may not be able to stabilize the government and save the people from the fire and water." Xi Zhicai looked resolutely, "Dong Zhongying acts as a man He is criticized, but if he can gather power, get rid of the chaotic army, and secure the world, even if his personal morality is damaged, he might as well be a hero and a hero through the ages."
Xi Zhicai's point of view is completely different from the current mainstream, and it can even be said to be deviant.
From his speech, Cui Song read the admiration for "centralization" and the contempt for "monarch and ministers". While secretly surprised, he also understood the "sarcasm of vulgarity" recorded in historical books.
Such remarks, in the Han Dynasty where Confucianism was the mainstream, were bound to be ridiculed.
Since Xi Zhicai had brought up this topic, there was no taboo between his words, so naturally it was impossible for Cui Song to remain silent.
He tried hard to recall the teachings of another self in the past two months, tried to take another Cui Song's position, and continued this topic.
"However, Dong Zhuo has no ability to govern the country. Although he has the heart to promote famous people, he prefers to exclude dissidents. It is inhumane to kill the common people; it is unrighteous to copy everywhere, dig up the emperor's land, and mint coins widely; except Zhang Boshen (Zhang Wen) ), killing Yuan Ciyang (Yuan Kai), this is ungrateful; cooking ministers, destroying Yuan's family, this is a loss of conscience and loss of heart. Compared with the violence of Qin, it is still too much. From the officials to the common people, mention Dong Zhuo's ears were always numb, he was afraid and hated, he dared to be angry but did not dare to speak. Xunzi said, "The four emperors and two kings all marched in the world as soldiers of benevolence and righteousness. Therefore, those who are near are close to their kindness, and those who are far away admire their virtue. Soldiers do not have blood and swords, they are conquered from far and near, virtue is flourishing here, and applied to the four poles[1]'. It is far beyond Dong Zhuo's reach. Dong Zhuo's actions, in my opinion, will surely bring chaos to the sky, and it will not last long."
Xi Zhicai said: "What's wrong with getting rid of the enemy's troubles and gathering funds to retreat? The only thing is that Dong Zhongying's methods are too rough, and he doesn't know how to restrain his own soldiers, which made everyone angry. If laws and regulations are made, change the course and set an example , 'A strong follower of the law will make the country strong[2]', why worry about not being able to stabilize the country and secure the country, and a dead tree has a spring?"
Cui Song couldn't help asking: "How about Zemin?"
Dong Zhuo's rule was so cruel, officials and scholars could not protect themselves, what should ordinary people do?It is recorded in the epic: Dong Zhuo's army killed innocent people indiscriminately, and used their heads as military merits to beg for thieves-in order to show his own strength, he could even do such things as torturing and killing innocent and weak people. How can he be expected to love and benefit the people?
No matter what era, there is a balance between the ruler and the ruled.The pinnacle of oppression is resistance, and once the balance is broken, rebellion follows.
"If there is no unification and the war is chaotic and displaced, how many people will die? Life can't be preserved, so how can we talk about 'how are the people'?"
Cui Song was dumbfounded.Indeed, according to the data of later generations, in any period of great division, the value of population decline is frightening.According to the analysis of later generations, the population of the Eastern Han Dynasty was about 5000 million. When the Wei State was established, the population was only a few hundred thousand!Only one out of a hundred survived, and even Cao Cao couldn't help but write the poem "There are more than one out of a hundred people, and the thought of it breaks the heart".Throughout the various dynasties, whether it was a prosperous age or a tyrannical regime, as long as the great unity was maintained and there were not too many natural and man-made disasters, no matter how the people lived, the total population could at least maintain a relatively stable value. "Prosperity, the people suffer; death, the people suffer. [3]" No one can determine whether "prosperity" is more bitter or "death" is more bitter.In terms of the degree of tragedy alone, the damage caused by the war is much deeper than that of a faint regime.
Thinking of what he has seen and heard along the way, Cui Song has a deep dislike for Dong Zhuo.Not to mention Boss Cao, Sun Biyan, Uncle Liu Huang, even Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Liu Zhang, no matter which regent, in his opinion, they are countless times better than Dong Zhuo.
"Today, there are many heroes in the world, and those who help the country, why is Dong Zhuo alone?"
What's more, Dong Zhuo is about to be killed by Wang Yun's design, and no one can be optimistic about Dong Zhuo.Because of emotion and reason, Cui Song didn't want Xi Zhicai to take this muddy water.
Who knows, if Cui Song doesn't mention it, it's fine if he doesn't mention it. When he mentions "Heroes of the World" and brings the topic to Yuan Shao and others, it will cause Xi Zhicai to sneer.
Long before Dong Zhuo moved his capital, the state shepherds of the ten counties had raised their flags against Dong.
"Now that the rebel army is occupying the old capital and raising the flag of Dong Zhongying, and the emperor is weak, not to mention that the rebel army is weak and stagnant, he only knows how to feast. Even if Dong Zhongying is wiped out, what should we do?"
"At best, it's nothing more than repeating the mistakes of the Spring and Autumn Period."
Cui Song felt that he could not hold on any longer.But he still tried his best to maintain a calm posture, and took the opportunity to pour water on Xi Zhicai to try to find the corresponding remarks.
Maybe it was because he was silent for a long time, when he was slowly pouring tea, Xi Zhicai's neutral voice came from behind him.
"Why didn't Brother Cui say anything?"
The tea in the cup was almost overflowing, Cui Song put down the teacup, imitated his other self, raised his eyebrows and asked: "You and I have different opinions, just like Yang Zhu and Mo Di[4], Song does not want to waste words, nor does he want to argue with Zhicai. To judge the difference, it is better to keep your mouth shut and be a quiet listener."
Xi Zhi laughed, took off his shoes and got on the couch.
"Brother Cui still sees clearly...it's getting late, let's go to bed earlier"
Cui Song secretly breathed a sigh of relief, only to realize that his back was a little wet.
After the catastrophe, Yu Sheng was lying on the bed, Cui Song was lying on his right side, and he hadn't gotten used to the discomfort of sharing the bed with the "stranger", when suddenly a hand stretched out beside him and grabbed his back.
Cui Song's muscles stiffened instantly.
"Why is your back so wet?"
Cui Song calmed down his frantic heartbeat, and deliberately slowed down his speech: "Perhaps it was accidentally wet by rain when the door was closed earlier."
Xi Zhicai didn't seem to be suspicious, and said with concern: "Did you bring a change of clothes? If you just sleep with wet clothes on, you may have cold evil entering your body, so don't neglect it."
Cui Song responded, and went to the outer room to change clothes.
He didn't notice the thoughtful gaze behind him.
Cui Song originally wanted Qiao Ji to show Xi Zhicai a look at her condition, but she knocked on the door, and it was Gan Ji who opened the door, saying that Qiao Ji hadn't come back yet.He had no choice but to return without success, and at the same time, he had deeper doubts about Qiao Ji.
This night, probably because of being too tired, Cui Song did not dream.
Early the next morning, the sky was dim, and when Cui Song woke up, he found that the bedding next to him was empty.Xi Zhi didn't know when he got up from the bed, leaving only the quilt that had cooled down.
Cui Song first called Xi Zhicai's name, then searched around in the room and outside the corridor, but did not find him.
He couldn't help feeling strange.Xi Zhicai didn't seem like someone who would leave without saying goodbye, so where did he go?
The air in the corridor was a bit stuffy, Cui Song walked to the end of the corridor and pushed open the window drawer.
This one faces the stables in the backyard.With his excellent eyesight, he saw at a glance the horse in the stable, whose hair was as white as snow, Shenjun's very beloved horse, and a man next to him... wearing a snow-blue long coat?
Cui Song opened the window wider, and confirmed that the person who was holding a bundle of fodder and gently stroking the horse's head was Xi Zhicai.
Cui Song went downstairs and came to the stable through the backyard, the horse just finished eating the bunch of hay.
Xi Zhicai turned around, and before Cui Song could ask "Why so early", he said, "I want to ask you for '搦熊' - you have taken care of it for so long, it's time to return it to its original owner."
Cui Song was stunned, watching "搦仙" rubbing its head against Xi Zhicai's palm in various flattering ways, and Xi Zhicai was also stroking its head affectionately, three black question marks crossed his mind.
Is "搦白" the horse of Xi Zhicai?But the other self never said that...
Cui Song looked at Xi Zhicai, met those cloudy eyes, suddenly a flash of inspiration flashed in his mind, and an incredible idea flashed...
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[1] From "Xunzi Yibing"
[2] From "Han Feizi · Youdu": the general idea is that the country can prosper if the law is strict.
[3] Zhang Yanghao "Hillside Sheep·Tong Caring Ancient"
[4] Yang Zhu: Founder of Yang Zhu School in the Warring States Period.Mo Di: Mo Zi.One valued oneself, one fraternity, the two theories contradict each other, and occupy the mainstream of the times at the same time, so there is a "controversy between Yang and Mo".The article refers to the disagreement between the two.