Chapter 406: Lord, He Lied to You
"Greetings, my Lord!"
Three layers inside and four layers outside, a total of seventy-four peasants, all shouted in unison. One person's voice was not very loud, but the seventy-four small voices added together were louder than the thunderous voice of the God of Wealth riding a black tiger.
Liu Ji's mouth was filled with saliva, and he swallowed hard, his throat trembling.
Okay, no need to doubt it now.
The Chang'an Jun in front of him, who looks even more noble than the stunning Xinling Jun who appeared at a glance back then, is the mastermind behind the seven layers of blockade outside.
Liu Ji's legs and feet were shaking, and he was at a loss when faced with the hand extended by his true brother.
Ordinary people all behave like this when they see a big shot. They are not really afraid of the person in front of them, but they are afraid that the person in front of them can take away everything they have at any time.
Xiao He, the third in command of Pei County's civil affairs and the chief clerk, dared not say a word. He wanted to rescue Liu San.
When the nest is overturned, no eggs can remain intact.
Although he was forced to come by Liu Sanqiang, it was an indisputable fact that the two of them were traveling together. If Liu San was in trouble, would Xiao He be fine?
Lord Xiao, who loves reading the most, knows very well that this is impossible.
The bamboo slips about meeting etiquette that he had read in the past unfolded in Xiao He's mind again.
The first book is "The Book of Zhou Rites", which talks about the six types of bows - natural bows, occasional bows, local bows, long bows, special bows, and travel bows.
The second book is called "The Analects of Confucius", which talks about bowing - when entering a government office, one must bow.
There is no title for the books that come after that. They are all scattered and idle pieces, containing the corrupt etiquette that is worthless in troubled times - bowing, nodding, waving arms, etc.
But Xiao He stared wide-eyed and watched from beginning to end, but he did not see any greeting gift in the form of extending a hand.
Not turning it over, Xiao He dared not move rashly for fear of death.
If etiquette is wrong, the consequences will be serious.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zheng and Song were at war.
The general leading the army of Zheng was Prince Guisheng, and the general leading the army of Song was Hua Yuan. Before the battle, Hua Yuan killed sheep to reward his soldiers, but his coachman Yang Zhen did not get to eat the sheep soup.
As soon as the battle between the two armies began, Yang Zhen drove his chariot into the enemy Zheng army and said:
"The day before yesterday, you were in charge of the sheep, but today, I am in charge of the car."
As Hua Yuan entered the Zheng army alone, he became a prisoner of the Zheng State. Without a commander, the Song army was defeated by the Zheng State.
Deputy commander Le Lu was killed in the battle, more than 200 people were taken prisoner, more than 100 of the dead had their ears cut off, and the State of Song also lost 460 chariots.
It was not until the Warring States Period, with constant attacks, that these complicated rituals were trampled down by horses and chariots and crushed into the dust.
Now that the world is unified, these dead rituals have made a comeback.
People in Guanzhong don't value etiquette, so why is there an additional gesture of extending the hand?
Just as Xiao He was complaining in pain and not knowing what to do, a loud "thump" sound was heard beside him.
Liu Ji knelt on the ground with a look of panic on his face, and slapped his right face with his right hand. His right face turned red, and blood immediately appeared at the right corner of his mouth!
"I am such a jerk! I am such a jerk! Lord Chang'an, please be magnanimous and just ignore me!"
Before he finished speaking, he swung his left hand again and headed for the left side of his face.
Ying Chengjiao grabbed Liu Ji's left wrist and pulled Liu Ji up from the ground with force.
"I'll treat you to a meal. Look how scared you are."
Liu Ji's face turned pale and he kept shaking his head.
"How can a villain like me eat at the same table with you, my Lord?"
Ying Chengjiao chuckled and let go of Liu Ji's wrist.
"If you don't want to eat here with me, then I'll go with you to Old Lady Liu's house to eat."
A flash of fear flashed across Liu Ji's eyes, and he smiled bitterly, rubbing his swollen right cheek.
"If I had known this, I wouldn't have hit you so hard."
Ying Chengjiao called seventy-four peasants and sneaked in, telling the trembling shopkeeper in the store not to be afraid and just serve the food and wine.
The shopkeeper's smile was uglier than crying. He tremblingly took out a piece of gold from his waist which was not even warm yet, and insisted on returning it to Ying Chengjiao no matter what.
This is not just money for food, it's money for life!
Ying Chengjiao laughed and praised Lieyan as a good wine while accepting it.
If you don't take back the gold, seeing that the shopkeeper and the waiter can't even serve the dishes, you can just leave it for later when you leave.
The originally empty restaurant was instantly full. Four people were sitting on a bench that normally accommodated two people. Even then, some people had no place to sit and had to eat while standing.
The owner left the restaurant and hung up the closing sign. He was extremely frightened, but he did not run away or call the police.
If the government could take care of this matter, Lord Xiao would not be in the restaurant.
Originally, there were only Ying Chengjiao and Zhao Gongming at the table, but with the addition of eight people, the total number suddenly became ten.
But with more people, the atmosphere became less lively, and it was not as lively as when he and Zhao Gongming were eating, drinking and chatting.
Except for Ying Chengjiao, Guiguzi Wang Xu, and the God of Wealth Zhao Gongming, no one at the table dared to breathe and was as silent as a cicada.
Not just them.
None of the seventy-four people sitting in the restaurant spoke. They drank and ate meat in silence, as if they were in a silent movie.
Ying Chengjiao seemed unaware and nudged Guiguzi who was sitting next to him with his elbow.
"Where's your apprentice? Why didn't he come?"
Guiguzi laughed and said:
"I sent him away because he was useless."
Ying Chengjiao did not ask any further questions. He picked up the jar of wine and poured a bowl of Lieyan for everyone at the table.
When Ying Chengjiao picked up the wine jar, Xiao He, the chief clerk, said in panic:
"How can you, Lord, do such a thing?"
When he met Ying Chengjiao's half-smiling eyes, he lost his voice and sat down with an apologetic smile on his face.
Fan Kuai, Lu Wan, Cao Shen, Xiahou Ying and others dared not say a word when they saw Lord Xiao acting like this. They all sat very still, like wooden men.
Ying Chengjiao raised the wine bowl with both hands, held it in the air and made a circle towards everyone.
"I respectfully ask you all to drink this bowl to the full!"
Without waiting for others to react, he drank it all in one gulp.
Guiguzi, Zhao Gongming was the first to take action, raising the bowl with both hands and drinking directly.
Liu Ji and Xiao He looked at each other and stood up together.
The former said;
"Thank you, Chang'an Jun, for the wine."
Drink it all in one gulp.
The latter said:
"How can I offer you a toast? Why do I offer you this bowl?"
Drink it all in one gulp.
The butcher Fan Kuai, the gangster Lu Wan, and the gangster Zhou Bo stood up and imitated Liu Ji's words and drank all the wine.
Cao Shen, a prison official who held official positions in Pei County, and Xiahou Ying, the stable keeper, drank all the wine after hearing what Xiao He said.
After drinking a bowl of flames, everyone was fine except Xiao He who covered his mouth and coughed repeatedly.
Ying Chengjiao raised his hand and pressed it forward. Everyone thanked him and sat down only after Ying Chengjiao did.
Ying Chengjiao swept his eyes across everyone's faces and said with a faint smile:
"Let me introduce myself to you again. My name is Ying Chengjiao, and I was given the title of Lord Chang'an. The Emperor of Qin is my brother, absolutely. Except for the prince and Mr. Zhao, no one here is familiar with me.
"It doesn't matter. I came to Pei County today to make friends with all of you heroes. We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other later. Gentlemen, are you willing to be my retainers?
"I, Lord Chang'an, do not have as many retainers as Lord Xinling, but I believe my treatment is much better than Lord Xinling's. As long as you give your approval, I will give you a monthly salary of ten gold coins."
Ten gold!
Except for Liu Ji, everyone immediately began to breathe rapidly, including Xiao He, the highest-ranking official in the field.
In the early days of Shang Yang's reform, in order to make the Qin people believe in the enforcement of the new law, he initially gave them ten gold coins, enough to build a house!
Xiao He, the chief clerk, only had an annual salary of 120 dan, and normally one gold coin could buy 12 dan of grain. Anyone would be tempted to earn a year's salary in one month.
"This is just the salary. Other expenses, such as consultations, food, etc., are not included."
Ying Chengjiao dropped the second bomb with a smile.
Peng~
"Thanks to Lord Chang'an for his high regard for me, Zhou Bo is willing to serve you!"
Zhou Bo, who had lived in Pei County for more than 20 years, knelt on one knee and clasped his hands in a gesture of loyalty.
"Stand up." Ying Chengjiao said with a smile, "A man's knees are made of gold. You are my retainer. I don't care if you kneel before others and want to humiliate yourself. But you must not kneel before me. It's annoying to watch."
Zhou Bo's dirty long beard twitched and he stood up, without any surprise.
These rich gentlemen always have some messy rules, as long as they can be paid a salary.
"only!"
Ying Chengjiao took out a cloth bag from his arms and threw it over.
"Change your tone sooner. I like to hear 'no'."
Zhou Bo took it in his hand, opened it and saw that there were more than a dozen dark yellow gold pieces inside!
He looked very happy and held his head high.
"promise!"
He took out ten gold coins from it, held the cloth bag in both hands and handed it to Ying Chengjiao. The onlookers were all jealous, and Lu Wan, who loved gambling, had the most enthusiastic look.
Ying Chengjiao looked surprised.
"What does this mean?"
Zhou Bo said respectfully:
"Bo has taken ten gold coins, and this is what is left."
Ying Chengjiao pushed it back and waved his hand.
"This is not a salary. You are the first to be my retainer, so you have a reward."
Zhou Bo was stunned on the spot. The surprise came so quickly that he was at a loss.
"Why, you don't want to accept it?"
"Thank you, Changan-kun!"
This time, Zhou Bo just clasped his fists and was overjoyed. He felt that his lord was the best lord in the world, and his idea of not wanting to kneel was also extraordinary.
Ying Chengjiao was also very happy.
Zhou Bo, the fourth founding hero of the Han Empire, was granted a fief of 10,000 households, the highest position among all the ministers.
He got a great bargain by receiving a bounty of dozens of gold and recruiting him as his subordinate with a monthly salary of ten gold.
He turned around and looked at the people sitting at the table, and he became even happier.
Xiao He, the first meritorious minister of the founding of the Han Dynasty, and Cao Shen, the second meritorious minister, as well as Fan Kuai, the fifth meritorious minister, and Xiahou Ying, the eighth meritorious minister, who ranked before Zhou Bo, will soon become his retainers.
These powerful men who founded the Han Empire will all become his followers!
"What are you still hesitating about?"
Xiao He looked solemn and bowed.
There was really nothing to hesitate about. He was just a chief clerk and a well-known figure in Pei County. But what was he in the eyes of Chang'an Jun?
He is a man in officialdom and the one who knows best among all the people present the significance of the three words "Chang'an Jun".
Being noticed by Chang'an Jun and accepted as his retainer is a great opportunity that he never dared to dream of, and he must seize it!
"I am willing to serve the Lord of Chang'an as a dog and a horse."
Xiao He stood up, and the prison official Cao Shen and the stable master Xiahou Ying, unwilling to be outdone, said in unison:
"I am willing to serve the Lord of Chang'an as a dog and a horse!"
Lord Xiao has given up his high official position, so why would the two lowly officials be reluctant to give it up?
Ying Chengjiao laughed out loud.
"Okay! There are rewards for everyone! I don't have that much gold on me, I'll go back and make it up to you!"
Lu Wan saw Zhou Bo, a gangster like him, kneeling down, and then Lord Xiao, a very powerful official in Pei County, also bowing down. Then Cao Shen and Xiahou Ying, who were officials with higher status than him, also stood up.
He was anxious.
By becoming a retainer of the Lord Chang'an, not only can all his gambling debts be paid off, but he can also have a lot of wealth left over!
He was about to stand up when a big hand pressed down on his leg under the table!
Liu Ji, who was sitting next to Lu Wan, smiled flatteringly.
"Lord Xiao has a great reputation in governing Pei County and can help Lord Chang'an with literary affairs.
“Sir Cao, no matter how vicious the thieves or how fierce the bandits, you have never failed in your pursuit, and you can gather information for Lord Chang’an.
"Master Xiahou's driving skills are rare in the entire Qin State, and he is especially good at driving a chariot. He can help Lord Chang'an drive into battle.
"Brother Zhou Bo is a brave warrior. There is no one in Pei County who is better at fighting than him. He can protect the safety of Lord Chang'an."
Xiao He: ...
Cao Shen: ...
Xiahou Ying: ...
Zhou Bo: ...
The four of them felt their faces flushed, this was an outrageous exaggeration.
Xiao He was the chief clerk, and his main responsibility was to manage the promotions of minor officials, not to try cases and adjudicate lawsuits. How could he have such a good reputation?
Cao Shen was a prison official who was in charge of the prison cells. He was only responsible for keeping the thieves from escaping, not for catching them.
Xiahou Ying was indeed a driver with great skills, but he had never touched a chariot and he was not a charioteer.
As for Zhou Bo, he touched the knife wound on his arm left by Liu Ji more than ten years ago, and couldn't understand what this former good brother was going to do. He was no match for Liu Ji.
Ying Chengjiao said seriously :
"You are indeed a hero."
"Of course not!"
Liu Ji nodded heavily and pointed at himself.
"I, Liu Ji, if you ask around, you'll know how bad my reputation is. I broke into a widow's house at night and was chased away by a dog. I was disrespectful to my parents and had a falling out with my family. I'm thirty years old and still idle, eating and drinking for free. This..."
Ying Chengjiao laughed and interrupted.
"It's so bad to be my retainer that you despise me like this? You have to defile yourself and humiliate yourself like this."
Liu Ji was about to cry.
"It's unfair, Lord Chang'an.
"Being a retainer of the Lord of Chang'an is a blessing that I, Liu San, cannot obtain in several lifetimes. How could I not be willing? The reason I said so much is because I am afraid of death. What I said is all true.
"Today, Lord Chang'an doesn't know my true nature. I am lucky to be your retainer. If you find out what kind of person I am tomorrow, you will stab me to death with a sword!"
Liu Ji pulled Lu Wan who was beside him.
"And this one, he's a gangster who has never won a fight. He also loves to gamble, and his gambling behavior is not good. He won't admit his losses, and his fingers were almost chopped off several times. What does Chang'an Jun want to do with such a scumbag?"
He stood up and slapped Fan Kuai on the back, who had been paying attention to his attitude.
"This is even worse. He is a butcher who can only kill dogs and can't even kill a chicken. He has a bad temper and is covered in blood every day. Once he drinks, he impulsively chops anyone he sees. He is a madman. Every time he drinks, I tie him up.
"Who can be associated with Liu Ji? The three of us are willing to be Chang'an Jun's retainers, but in the end, it will definitely ruin Chang'an Jun's reputation! Rather than being stabbed to death by Chang'an Jun later, it is better to tell the truth now."
Ying Chengjiao frowned.
"If that's true, then I really need to consider this carefully."
Guiguzi, who was drinking from the flames and eating dog meat, put down his wine bowl and chopsticks.
"Sir, he lied to you."
