Riding and cutting the imperial pirates of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 682 Liu Zhang
Chengdu City on the other side, inside Yizhou Mufu.

The side room was still brightly lit, because the debate was over, the atmosphere in the hall was no longer the tension it was at first, Lu Su'an sat in the banquet and drank tea, talking about poetry and painting with a few scholars from Central Shu, and it was quite a lively chat.

At this time, there was a sound of small footsteps, everyone stopped talking, turned their heads to look, but the person who came was not Wang Lei who had left earlier, but a maid who swept her eyebrows lightly.

Entering the room, the maid greeted everyone with blessings, and immediately asked softly: "Which one is the distinguished guest from Yangzhou?"

Lu Su got up quickly when he heard the words, "The honored guest dare not, I'm going to Lu Su in Yangzhou."

"Your envoy is being polite." The maid said: "My lord, please, your envoy, please come with your servant."

"It's work."

Because the night was getting dark, Liu Zhang did not meet Lu Su in the main hall, but met in a private room, where the red candles were burning brightly like daytime.

Lu Su entered the front hall, glanced around, and saw a young man in brocade clothes sitting behind the case, Wang Lei was by his side, knowing that the man was Liu Zhang, he immediately bowed and saluted: "Yangzhou Zuo Li Lu Su, meet Liu Yizhou."

A soft and pleasant voice sounded from the front: "Your envoy is exempt."

Hearing this, Lu Su got up and looked up, just in time to meet Liu Zhang's scrutinizing eyes.

But this Yizhou shepherd is about [-] years old, with a fair complexion, delicate features, and a gentle temperament. At first sight, people can tell that he must be from a good family of a wealthy family, but it is a pity that his face is a bit thin, and his eyes are not bright enough. , then looked a little dim.

He was sizing up Liu Zhang, and Liu Zhang was also looking at him. Seeing that Lu Su's figure and expression were completely different from those of ordinary Confucian scholars, Liu Zhang's eyes lit up, a gentle smile appeared on the corner of his lips, and he said softly: "I have heard about Li Yang for a long time. There are a lot of talents under the tent, and seeing the demeanor of the envoy of Lu today, you know that the rumors are true."

"I heard that he has a letter for me? Please bring it to the envoy and let me read it."

"Yes."

Lu Su took out the letter from his bosom, handed it to Wang Lei who was at the side, and he forwarded it to Liu Zhang.

Just seeing the handwriting on the letter, Liu Zhang blurted out praise: "Good handwriting! Looking at this handwriting, you can know that Wang Zhoumu is a great talent. No wonder he was able to rise from the wild in the body of a commoner and hide his foundation today."

Good word?

Lu Su looked at Liu Zhang in surprise when he heard the words. Wang Zheng's calligraphy is worth mentioning because of its majesty. The handwriting itself is actually very ordinary, let alone a good handwriting, let alone what can be seen through the calligraphy. great talent
He didn't know that Liu Zhang's words were actually not flattery. Although he came from the clan, but because he was Liu Yan's youngest son, Liu Zhang was favored since he was a child. Whether the calligraphy is good or bad, you can casually praise it if you look pleasing to the eye.

After admiring it for a while, I continued to read it. There were not many words on it, and it was roughly said: "Liu Cong of Jingzhou trapped me in Yuzhang, and was good at provoking border disputes. This is no way. Now I accept the invitation of the King of Fuling There are millions of powerful soldiers and thousands of generals, and they want to attack Jingxiang and punish them for disobedience." Yun Yun.

If these few words are considered to be high-sounding, and they are raising the banner of Liu She to invite Liu Zhang to join the war, then at the end of the letter, there is a sentence that directly refers to the self-interest of Yangzhou and Yizhou, or in other words In short, it is the benefits Wang Zheng promised Liu Zhang.

"Liu Cong has no way. If he can conquer Jingxiang, he can cut down the rebellious officials and repay the emperor's favor, and he can save the common people and help the people out of the fire and water. I am willing to share the Han Dynasty with Liu Yizhou, and we will be a good alliance forever. .Fortunately, don’t wait and see, and reply quickly.”

Seeing this, Liu Zhang's eyelids twitched. What is it about sharing the Han Dynasty and the whole country, is it to separate the country?
He glanced at Lu Su calmly, folded the letter again, and put it on the case, but instead of talking about the letter, he changed the conversation, and said slowly: "Listen to the words of the prince, and then I respect you." The envoy has compared himself to Su Qin and Zhang Yi in the outer hall, does this really make sense?"

Lu Su smiled slightly when he heard the words: "Su Qin and Zhang Yi are also vertical and horizontal scholars. They are not the ones who Su wished to follow. Although Su is not talented, he would rather learn from Zi Gong."

"Zigong?" Liu Zhang was startled when he heard the words, "Who is this?"

Hearing this, Wang Lei felt embarrassed, and Lu Su immediately came to a conclusion in his heart
It seems that although this Yizhou shepherd comes from a noble family, he is an ignorant person!
While complaining in secret, Lu Su kept his expression on his face, still respectfully said: "Zigong is Duanmuci, the 72 sages of Confucianism, one of the ten philosophers of Confucianism."

Different from the ten sages of Wu Temple, the ten sages of Confucianism have their own sayings in the Han Dynasty, which originated from "The Analects of Confucius Advanced". In terms of virtue, there are four: Yan Hui, Min Ziqian, Ran Boniu, and Zhonggong; in terms of language, they are Zaiwo and Zigong. ; in politics, Ran You and Ji Lu, and finally Ziyou and Zixia in literature.

"Oh? I don't know what is so good about this person that he can be included in the top ten philosophers of Confucianism, and his father would like to emulate his aspirations?"

"Zigong is eloquent, the ancestor of political strategists, this is one of them. "Ke Yuyan "Poetry"" is outstanding in literature, this is the second. "Ci Ye Da", Zi Gong is reasonable and has extraordinary political talents. The third is also. 'If you want to grow goods, you will win repeatedly', in financial management and business, he also has outstanding talent, this is the fourth."

Lu Su said: "Everyone thinks that the ten sages are the first to promote Yan Hui, but Su thinks that Zi Gong is the well-deserved head of the 'ten sages'!"

Liu Zhang became interested, "Why?"

"When the Spring and Autumn Period was in turmoil, there were disputes among the countries. Yan Hui's virtuous person did not benefit the people, but Zigong's virtuous person was in line with the time. If he used it, the country would prosper and the people would be rich, but if he didn't use it, the country would perish and the people would be poor," Lu Su said solemnly:' If you can't manage the world and help the people, how can you be worthy of the reputation of a sage? "

Liu Zhang couldn't help being slightly moved, thought for a moment, then nodded slowly: "What the envoy said is not unreasonable."

Since even courtiers like Xu Jing and Wang Lei had done some understanding beforehand, Lu Su would not be unprepared for Liu Zhang, the shepherd of Yizhou.

In Lu Su's view, Liu Zhang is a truly benevolent monarch who loves the people. Unlike Liu Biao's preferential treatment of scholars for reputation, Liu Zhang not only treats the nobles and courtiers well, but also loves the common people.This is also why Liu Zhang was able to win the loyalty of many people despite his obvious cowardly character, his weapon was not a hero, and his talent was not a hero.

Why did his brother Zhang Su take the initiative to report on Zhang Song after he found out that he had secretly communicated with Liu Bei and conspired against the seller, and why did he not get much stigma for such behavior in the Han Dynasty who valued blood relatives?
Because Liu Zhang is indeed a kind person, and what Zhang Song did was too dishonest!
Even when Liu Bei's army was pressing down on the border, soldiers approached the city, and besieged Chengdu for dozens of days, Liu Zhang's officials and people were willing to defend Chengdu for him. (Historical records: officials and people want to fight to the death)
Therefore, by virtue of Liu Zhang's question, Lu Su was ostensibly talking about his aspirations, but in fact he was tactfully following Liu Zhang's favor.

The first premise of going to another country as an envoy is not to let the lords of other countries hate you. Like in the original history, when Zhang Song went to Xudu later, Cao Cao hated him the first time he saw him (see Zhang Song's wretched character , I don't like it very much), I don't want to look straight, and I don't like to talk too much, so what good results can this mission have?
Sure enough, because of "hearing the collision of words", Cao Cao jumped up and turned into the back hall. So far, needless to say, Zhang Song's task must not be completed, and he just ran for nothing.

Of course Lu Su would not make such low-level mistakes. Although he is not as handsome as Zhou Yu and Xun Yu, he is still an ordinary handsome guy. suffer.

In terms of words, he is deliberately flattering, no matter whether his mission can be completed or not, at least one thing can be guaranteed now. This time when he met Liu Zhang for the first time, he has already won the other party's favor to a certain extent, so in the following conversation , At least you can get a chance to "all ears".

Sure enough, I saw Liu Zhang becoming more polite: "The envoy arrived in Chengdu a few days ago, but I was busy with business, so I delayed meeting tonight. It's really rude. Please don't take responsibility for the envoy."

"Liu Yizhou is serious." Lu Su laughed and said, "Su came this time not only for my lord, but also for the common people in the world.Waiting a few more days is nothing. '

"For the sake of the common people in the world?" Liu Zhang asked in surprise, "How do you say that?"

"Since Huan and Ling, the Yellow Turbans have advocated chaos, and the world has been fighting for dominance. When it fell to the age of Chuping and Jian'an, Dong Zhuo rebelled, and Jue and Si continued to abuse. The thieves and thieves swarmed, the treacherous eagles swarmed, and the country was in danger of laying eggs. There is an emergency."

Lu Su said righteously and sternly: "Fortunately, my lord was born in Xuzhou, fought in all directions, and cleared Liuhe. Today, all surnames have fallen in love with each other, and all directions have looked up to virtue. Therefore, it is truly God's will for Su to come to see Zhou Mu. , to respond to the hearts of the people."

"So coming to Chengdu this time is not only at the command of my lord, but also for the common people of the world!"

Hearing this, Liu Zhang was stunned at first, and then burst out laughing. He also said in the letter that Kuang helped the Han Dynasty, and he said that "destiny belongs to him"?

"The honorable envoy speaks very well." Liu Zhang paused and said, "The honorable envoy traveled thousands of miles to come to our land of Sichuan and worked hard on the road. Speaking of which, I went to Xuzhou once many years ago, when the yellow scarves were rampant and bones were everywhere. I don't know how the climate will be after Li Yang came to power?"

"Since the self-government came to power, the corvee has been light and the tax has been light, and the people are happy to obey."

"What about the people in Xuzhou?"

"The Overlord's hometown, of course, is a place where people love martial arts, no less than the northern land, and my lord was born in Qilu, and after some education and persuasion, he has also become a state of etiquette, which is as far as the Central Plains.

Liu Zhang smiled slightly, noncommittal, and asked, "How many of Marquis Li Yang's subordinates are as talented as Lu envoys?"

"Under my lord's tent, there are hundreds of heroes, such as shining stars, and such incompetent people as Su, they can be said to be innumerable."

"If, as the envoy said, Li Yanghou's subordinates come out in large numbers, then I think you will be the only one."

Liu Zhang laughed and said, "Why don't you just stay in Chengdu? I and Marquis Li Yang are both officials of the Han Dynasty, and you don't count as a different lord. Besides, Marquis Li Yang measures Yada, and it is expected that he will have the beauty of an adult. What does Zijing think?" What?" But he saw Lu Su's glamorous appearance, and suddenly he fell in love with talent.

But when Liu Zhang asked this question suddenly, it was beyond Lu Su's expectation. He couldn't help being stunned for a moment, but he didn't know how to answer. After a while, he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you Liu Yizhou for your kindness first. But Su has already made an appointment with my lord Fame, where morality lies, even though you are wrongly loved by nobles, you dare not agree."

This answer was not wise, but Liu Zhang could hear it coming from his heart from his earnest words, and he couldn't help sighing: "How fortunate is it that the Marquis of Li Yang has a man here?"

The night was dark, it was almost five o'clock, except for the sound of rain, the hall was silent.

The rain fell on the courtyard, and the wind was as cool as water.Because it is gradually falling, the sound of the rain is no longer a little bit, but a sound, as if coming from a far away place, but also as if it is close at hand.

The tea on the table in the room was already cold, Wang Lei signaled the maid to pour it away and replace it with new tea.Celadon tea bowl, red lacquer case.The tea leaves in the tea bowl stand upright, floating in the water, steaming hot, and mixing with the candlelight.

But Lu Su said again: "My lord wants to destroy the thieves and ministers, and bring order out of chaos. Therefore, all the people respect the virtues and the people fall in love. This is actually the same reason that Liu Yizhou won the hearts of the talents of Shu because of his benevolence, righteousness and love for the people."

This sentence is much more appropriate. It not only praised Wang Zheng, but at the same time flattered Liu Zhang, and brought the topic back to his original intention of being an envoy. Liu Zhang smiled, but still refused to turn to the topic : "To destroy the thieves and set things right? To be honest, I have been famous for Li Yanghou for a long time, but it is a pity that I have not had the opportunity to meet him so far. May I ask how he is? What is his ambition?"

"I preside over the land of three states and manage the people of the nine counties. Every move is like the movement of the sun and the moon. I am looked up to by all. Every decision will be related to the misfortune and fortune of countless people. Therefore, he is magnanimous and always With the common people in mind, as for the ambition, it is natural to want to be worthy of the position, not to be ashamed of the people, and to lose the importance of the court, so every small mistake must be corrected."

This answer is more appropriate.On the one hand, it points out Wang Zheng's character and ambition, and wants to be a competent person; on the other hand, he also frankly states that no one is perfect, and Wang Zheng will make small mistakes, but he will soon "correct" Of".

This is easier to accept and believe than pure praise. Not only does it not damage the image of Wang Zheng, but it actually endows humanity, and it gives a certain degree of beautification while maintaining authenticity.

"The envoy wants to emulate Zi Gong's ambition, and he really has the talent of Zi Gong."

Liu Zhang and Wang Lei looked at each other, admired each other, and immediately sat upright: "I don't know what to teach me when I come to Chengdu?"

Having been in the state shepherd position for many years, although there are some flaws in character, it does not mean that Liu Zhang is useless.

From meeting Lu Su, he first tested Lu Su's real talent, then inquired about the people and customs of Xuzhou, and finally asked Wang Zheng about his aspirations.After some understanding and foreshadowing, he returned to the topic. From this insinuation, it can be seen that Liu Zhang's city is not too shallow.

Lu Su was immediately refreshed, flicked his robe sleeves, and bowed slightly, Fang said amazingly, "Zhou Mu sits in the land of abundance, this is the land where the emperor and the dragon prosper!"

The sound of wind and rain, the starlight at night, and the dialogue between the two countries have just entered the topic.

(End of this chapter)