Chapter 599 Giving Gifts
The mansion, which occupies a large area, is full of things.
Obviously, the family is having a funeral.
There were a bunch of carriages parked outside the gate. Countless "filial sons and grandsons" were wise and wanted to come to the door to cry and offer sacrifices, but they were all stopped by servants.
In the back house of the Zhu Mansion, Zhu Shuo, the chief secretary of the Jun Mansion, looked at the several artifacts placed on the table and was slightly absent-minded.
For no other reason than jade is rare.
At the time of Wang Mang, Yanqi killed the Han envoys and cut off the road between the Central Plains and the Western Regions.
In the Later Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties, although there were tributes to white jade from Khotan, the number was sparse, and there were many small countries in the Western Regions, so business travel was greatly reduced compared with the former Han Dynasty.
In the past twenty years or so, there has been a long period of war in Kansai, bandits are rampant, and trade routes have become unsustainable, so Khotan jade has become increasingly rare.
But what Zhu Shuo sees now is all Khotan white jade, and even Jiaozhou white jade, Japanese green jade, Fuyu red jade - of course, Nanyang white jade has the most.
Zhu Shuo picked up a jade pig, looked at it for a long time, and sighed: "This is the jade of five colors in the Yushan Mountain. It is said that the black one is the winner, and it is used by all the immortals."
The jade pig is a funeral ritual vessel. The pig is in a crouching shape, which represents prosperity of wealth. It is usually made into a jade hand and held in the hands of the dead, which means that the person must still hold on to the wealth after death.
After putting down the jade pig, Zhu Shuo picked up a huge grain-patterned jade.
This is a jade ornament hanging in the tomb. It is white in texture and delicately polished. It must have been made by a famous artist. I couldn’t put it down immediately, and I didn’t want to be buried with me.
Lu Shen and Xu Shi looked at each other and saw the smile in each other's eyes.
It’s good to be greedy for money, but I’m afraid you’re not greedy for money.
Xu Shi opened a box. Inside were two agate seals, which had been engraved with Zhu Shuo's name.
“In Emperor Wei Wen’s “Manaule Fu”, he said that agate jade belongs to the genus of agate, which is a kind of strange and brilliant, with golden virtues and spiritual gifts. It is ‘the one who believes in the gentleman’.’” Xu Shi gently pushed the brocade box in front of Zhu Shuo and smiled. He said: "Zhu Gong is good at calligraphy and painting. After appreciating it, he can engrave his private seal on it and play with it often." When talking about Xuan, Zhu Gong should keep talking with witty words, as if there is divine help."
After introducing this, Xu Shi took out the jade Ruyi and said: "This is used by Situ Wang Junchong (Wang Rong). The jade is as good as you want.”
Zhu Shuo picked them up one by one and played with them for a while, feeling happy.
After a long time, he withdrew his eyes, looked at Xu Shi and asked, "Yizu has given me the treasure, so I must have something to ask for."
Xu Shi did not answer directly, only said: " I wonder what Mr. Zhu thinks of the general situation in Hebei."
When Zhu Shuo heard this, he had an idea.
He was just greedy for money, but he was a shrewd man. Hearing this, he narrowed his eyes and said, "Are you two from Yecheng?"
Xu Shi and Lu Shen smiled and said nothing. , obviously the default.
Zhu Shuo stood up suddenly and wanted to say something, but stopped when he caught sight of the treasures from the corner of his eye.
He was walking up and down the table with his hands behind his back, obviously not at peace in his heart.
Xu Shi and Lu Shen waited patiently without saying anything. When dealing with smart people, it is most taboo to act smart, because it is likely to arouse others' resentment.
“Yizu.” Zhu Shuo suddenly stopped and asked, “You’re not just looking for me, right?”
"The Duke's name is Manbeizhou, so naturally I should go to Duke Zhu first," Xu Shi said.
Zhu Shuo didn't believe it and said directly: "Brothers of the You family, one is offering wine to the West Pavilion and the other is a Sima, and the prefect of Zhao County is also a descendant of the You family. Don't try to trick me, Master Yi. Have you found any Come to the door?"
Xu Shi didn't answer, just looked at him with a smile.
Zhu Shuo looked at him for a long time, and finally sighed, returned to the couch, and said: "Mr. Chen and the Huns fought in Jizhou. As long as they are not blind and deaf, they will naturally know about it. I heard that Liu Yao He also came and fought a battle with Chen Gong's general Jin Zheng in Zhongshan, but Li Zhong went north to Zhending with his majestic army. These two troops were as powerful as the mountains, and I had a great chance of winning. The state also pays close attention to it all the time.”
Maybe Governor Wang is just confused and doesn’t know much about the external situation.
Xu Shi looked at Lu Shen again.
Now that the words have been spoken, the next step will be easier. Xu Shi said: "Since Zhu Gong knows the general trend of the world, has he ever considered the future? To put it bluntly, even if Chen Gong is unfavorable in the battle and returns to Yecheng, Liu Yao and Shi Le With so many soldiers and horses gathered, wouldn't they attack Youzhou easily?"
Zhu Shuo was silent for a moment, and finally sighed: "Unexpectedly, Chen Gong has reached this point. The emperor has two states in his hands, and the day of the Zen Dynasty is probably not far away."
"Is Zhu Gong nostalgic for Sima Jin?" Xu Shi asked.
Zhu Shuo shook his head and laughed, and asked: "If you don't miss the Sima family, can't you vote for the Liu family?"
"Yi Di is not worthy of being a king," Xu Shi said.
Zhu Shuo was speechless.
"Yidi and Di are not enough to be kings" is a very popular theory. It was not put forward for a long time, but it became an important theory for maintaining royal rule in the late Jin Dynasty.
Liu Kun once persuaded Shi Le to surrender, and the argument he put forward was: "Since ancient times, there are those who are sincere and unconquerable and become emperors, and there are those who are famous ministers who have made achievements."
It means that it has always been the emperor. No Hu people have ever been emperors, and the Xiongnu Liu family cannot survive. You should stop working for him and make contributions as a minister of the Jin Dynasty. This is not uncommon in history.
Shi Le replied directly: "I am a barbarian, so it is difficult for me to serve." I am a Hu and will not serve the Han Dynasty.
Of course people who were killed in the troubled times of Shile would not believe these things, but it did not prevent him from using them - in history, he was known as "a man who has been sincere to the Hu people since ancient times." This theory paralyzed Wang Jun, who called himself "Xiao Hu" and persuaded Wang Jun to ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor to save the common people. He was willing to serve him as a vassal.
It can be seen that this theory still has a certain market, at least some people believe it.
At this time Xu Shi proposed, and Zhu Shuo didn't know how to answer for a while.
He had spent most of his career in officialdom, and of course he would not easily believe in such theories invented by the imperial court to persuade the barbarian chiefs to surrender, but how should I put it, considering the current situation, he was a little bit confused in his heart.
A few years ago, the Huns were at their peak. They besieged Luoyang several times, looted Henan, and conquered Hebei. No one could stop them. But Shao Xun gradually rose up, and after several years of stalemate, he actually reversed the situation bit by bit.
Is there really a destiny?
I then remembered the prophecy that caused a sensation seven or eight years ago, "when the Luoshui River stops flowing, the real person will emerge", and I became more and more confused.
Three generations of Shao Xun's ancestors were fucking slaves who could not read a word. How come his generation has outstanding martial arts, unparalleled military strategy, and can also engage in politics? Could it be that the Taibai Star Spirit has really come to this world?
The more he thought about it, the more dizzy and confused he became. He even wanted to run out of the house and climb a high mountain to watch the sky at night and tell fortunes.
"You Tong is the Sima of the shogunate. A few days ago, he recruited thousands of miscellaneous horsemen and stationed them on the north bank of Yishui, southwest of Fanyang. Are you guys..." Zhu Shuo said while looking at The expressions of the two men.
Sorry, I didn’t see anything.
The two people just looked at him, laughing and saying nothing.
"Yizu!" Zhu Shuo lost his composure and raised his voice, saying: "What kind of friendship do you and I have? Why are you still secretive and not telling the truth?"
Xu Shiyi bowed and said with a smile: "Uncle Qiu, why do you need to get to the bottom of it? You might as well ask yourself, is there anyone in the Jun family who is willing to die for Wang Pengzu?"
"Of course there is, otherwise, there is. He couldn't sit still. "Zhu Shuo said, "But there are really not many, only a few."
Some people said something unpleasant, but they were really good for Wang Jun, but it was a pity that they were all killed. , or expelled.
In these matters of "cruelty and loyalty", Zhu Shuo also made great efforts and made a lot of slander.
"Uncle Qiu, why are you still hesitating?" Xu Shi asked: "If no one cares about Youzhou, that's all. Wang Pengzu's shabby house can still be shaky and sustained. But if someone cares about you, maybe Just kick it and the house will collapse. You have accumulated a lot of money in your life and have a family full of children. Do you want to be buried for Wang Pengzu? "
Zhu Shuo frowned, these words touched his heart.
After half a lifetime of flattering others, I have gained so much money. If someone liquidates me, will I be able to keep it?
No matter whether Liu Yao or Shao Xun frees up their hands to attack Youzhou, Wang Pengzu has no chance of winning, and few people will work for him - just because he refuses to give out a grain of food for relief when a flood breaks out, he has already It's over.
As a close confidant of Wang Pengzu, Zhu Qiubo's reputation in Youzhou is not very good. He is about the same as Zao Song, and both are the ones who are stabbed in the back.
If the new arrival kills them, no one will ask for mercy. In that case, the land, house, money, wife and children cannot be saved, and the misery is unspeakable.
The only way is to jump ship in time and work for the new owner. Maybe he can keep his current wealth and status.
"Zao Taichan has been to Yecheng, has he also..." Zhu Shuo already had an inclination in his mind and asked again.
This time Xu Shi did not avoid it, but nodded heavily.
Zhu Shuo seemed to be deflated, speechless for a long time.
After a long time, he smiled bitterly and said: "Chang Shi has rebelled, Sima has rebelled, and Jijiu has rebelled. If I, the chief secretary, rebel again, Wang Pengzu will not only be unable to mobilize troops, and have nowhere to raise food, but he will also be responsible for every move. How can he win if he is known to outsiders? "
"That's all, that's all." Zhu Shuo said in dismay, "I just want to be a rich man. If Mr. Chen agrees, Youzhou can fight without blood. The people will be at ease, and Chen Gong will be able to kill fewer people."
"It will be as Zhu Gong wishes." This time it was Lu Shen who came forward to guarantee it.
Zhu Shuo looked at him blankly, feeling a little uneasy, but in the end he could only sigh.
In fact, he has no choice, right?
It is impossible to die for Wang Jun, so surrender to the Huns? Their battle situation in Hebei was not very good.
Moreover, it is true that there has never been a Hu man who became emperor since ancient times. Shao Xun was born as a Taibai star spirit and was wise and powerful. It seemed like a better choice to vote for him.
Besides, they also gave me gifts.
Accepting gifts without doing anything is not his style, and he will be accused of being dishonest.
"What does Chen Gong plan to do?" After making up his mind, Zhu Shuo went all out and asked directly.
"Come here, Jun." Xu Shi waved his hand and said.
Zhu Shuo stood up and leaned over, listening silently.
After a while, he exclaimed in shock: "It's so calculating and cruel!"
Xu Shi laughed.
Zhu Shuo's face was gloomy and uncertain, he sighed repeatedly in his heart, and strengthened his determination to seek refuge with Mr. Chen.
(End of this chapter)