Chapter 54: True Colors and Peace
On April 11th, Xu Xingzhi came to Kuaiji County.
On a hill, Xu Xingzhi, who had arrived in the county to observe for several days, was greeted and invited to a small pavilion on the top.
Ten soldiers stood respectfully, and a maid came forward, brought tea, and served snacks. Xu Xingzhi was not worried, but just sat leisurely. In the south, at this time, on the hills, the grass was green and covered with a few wild flowers, which was truly a bright purple and red spring flower.
After taking a sip of tea, a bitter smile appeared on his gaunt face. He was already thirty years old and considered himself knowledgeable and strategic, but he had nowhere to go. Until now, he was still a minor official. When he thought of his family hatred, he was speechless.
Looking down, one can see endless plains with crisscrossing rivers and numerous lakes, forming a dense water network. The two lakes are displayed in the picture of a water town, like a natural painting, with no trace of artificial chiseling.
In the near distance, the green lake water under the hills is deep blue and misty. Just as described in the poem by Wang Ji of the Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties: "The emperor is floating, the sky and the water are both vast. The dark clouds are born in the distant mountains, and the sun follows the return flow."
At this time, hundreds of people came with ten cavalrymen. When they reached the foot of the mountain, hundreds of people immediately guarded the surroundings. Ten more people followed the two young men and came forward. When they reached the outside of the pavilion, they saw the young man bowing and greeting, "Mr. Xu is here. We are so late to welcome you. Please forgive us, Mr. Xu."
Xu Xingzhi stood up quickly, bowed deeply, his eyes gleaming, "In Kuaiji, the general manager is the king, how dare I, the general manager, come to greet you in person."
The man spoke in a calm and graceful manner. Everyone looked up and saw that he was about thirty years old. Judging from his demeanor, he had a considerable foundation in martial arts. He had straight eyes and a straight nose, and had five long wisps of beard. With his handsome features, he looked quite romantic, and everyone had a good impression of him.
Xu Xingzhi also looked at this young man intently. He was wearing casual clothes and was spotless. He had a dim gaze and looked gentle on the outside, but as soon as he spoke, he revealed an indescribable demeanor, a temperament that was a combination of grace, wisdom, calmness, and an unpredictable heart. It made people feel that this boy had a deep understanding of the world.
I immediately praised him in my heart. This boy was only eighteen years old, but he started from scratch and built such a foundation. He was indeed an unpredictable person. In this way, he was almost like Li Shimin.
The young man beside him was even younger, looking only fifteen or sixteen years old. Not only was he handsome, but his blue robe couldn't conceal his calmness. He was as graceful as a startled swan and as elegant as a flying dragon. He also bowed but smiled without saying anything. He was truly a modest gentleman, gentle as jade.
As soon as he saw these two people, the confidence that Xu Xingzhi had originally had in his heart was immediately reduced.
These two guys are both rare talents in the world that are hard to come by in a century, not to mention they are still so young!
"Mr. Xu, you are a true patriot of the time. I was born in this world. If a man does not create great achievements and do great things, wouldn't it be a failure of the knowledge in my heart? That's why I come to learn from you. How dare I be proud of my achievements and look down on the heroes and wise men in the world?" Zhang Xuanning said calmly, personally holding up the pot to pour tea for him, with an extremely sincere look: "As soon as I saw you, I was inexplicably happy. You are so talented, I don't need to ask too much to get it. Please don't look down on my shallow foundation and come to help me."
He didn't even ask, but showed his respect as soon as he saw him. Xu Xingzhi immediately bowed his hands, took the teacup, and drank it all. Although tea is not wine, his face actually showed a bit of rosy after drinking it. He said generously: "The general manager attaches so much importance to me that he sent an envoy from hundreds of miles away to invite a mere commoner like me. How dare I refuse? My lord, please accept my greeting."
This was a great ceremony between the emperor and his subjects, so Zhang Xuanning certainly did not give in. He just sat upright and let him bow down, kneeling three times and kowtow nine times. Then he stepped forward, helped him up, and said happily: "With you here, I can accomplish great things."
After the status of the monarch and his subjects was determined, Zhang Xuanning smiled and said, "This is Li Chunfeng, the son of Li Bo, the left assistant of the Political Affairs Hall."
The two of them greeted each other again.
Then Zhang Xuanning said, "Sir, you have been in Kuaiji for a few days and have seen the political affairs. Do you have anything to teach me?"
"My lord, I have been in Kuaiji for several days and have seen that you are working hard to govern the country and are preparing the army. Ships are being manufactured, weapons are being prepared, and soldiers are being trained. But I see that the people are still unfriendly. This is because you are just beginning to establish your foundation and your reputation is not yet established. Only by ruling the people with the military can you have authority in your hands and everything will go smoothly. However, this cannot last long. My lord must be lenient in ruling the people, be benevolent and use more civil officials." Xu Xingzhi thought for a moment and said it directly.
These words immediately struck Zhang Xuanning's mind. Li Bo was definitely a talented person, but not only was his time limited, but most importantly, the military reorganization had not yet been completed, and it was even more difficult to arrange various political systems one by one.
He didn't want to act rashly, otherwise he was afraid that the counties would employ the wrong people and it would be difficult to accomplish anything in the future.
Therefore, a good cook cannot cook without rice. One must wait until one's foundation has been established for a long time, one's authority is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and one has talented people filling the counties before one can implement a tolerant policy.
At that moment, I was thinking, when will Yu Chuo arrive? If he arrives, it is hard to say whether he can be of any use to the country, but he is an extremely good and suitable talent for the administration of a county.
He smiled and said, "Sir, you are right. It's just a matter of time and talent. I don't have the right method or the right person at the moment. I can only do it slowly. I want to build the Jinyiwei and the Changwei. I would like to invite Mr. Xu and Li Chunfeng to jointly take charge."
"The Imperial Guards and the Factory Guards? Please tell me clearly, my lord." It sounded like a kind of royal guards. Xu Xingzhi was surprised. It seemed that he was not suitable for such an organization.
"You know, our army is newly established and is not conspicuous yet. As it grows in the future, it will cause trouble both inside and outside. In order to prevent defection, enemy assassination, and to obtain more intelligence, we have established these two guards."
Seeing that the two had realized something, Zhang Xuanning said, "Sun Tzu said: Those who do not know the enemy's feelings are the most unkind, not a general for the lord, not an assistant to the lord, and not the master of victory. Therefore, the reason why wise kings and wise generals can act and defeat others and achieve success beyond others is because they know the future. Knowing the future cannot be obtained from ghosts and gods, cannot be symbolized by things, cannot be verified by measurements, but must be obtained from people. Knowing the enemy's feelings is the key to military operations, and it is what the three armies rely on to act!"
This is a special chapter in Sun Tzu's Art of War. Both of them had read it and immediately gained enlightenment.
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard investigates external affairs, and all the enemy's intelligence is obtained through spies. The Factory Guard investigates internal affairs, and all our intelligence is obtained through spies. No matter inside or outside the country, they all control the movements of people and use them for their own purposes. As for placing spies, it only depends on two words: human feelings!" Zhang Xuanning said coldly.
Although everyone hates spies, in fact, the reason why Zhang Xuanning's court in his previous life was able to win every battle was at least 30% due to the underground spy system, which specialized in taking advantage of complex social relationships and adopting the method of breaking in and pulling out to establish a spy network.
"Please explain the human feelings, my lord."
"Although the clans are close, the clans are large, with hundreds or thousands of people. There will always be differences in closeness and distance, and there will definitely be greedy people. You can win over the clansmen who are close to you and use them as spies. There is no need to assassinate or poison them, and there is no need to spy on their secrets. Just by knowing their daily affairs, you can judge their intentions."
"For example, when we first established our foundation, talented people came to us one after another, and we must make use of them. At this time, we can place people there. They don't need to hold great power. As long as they are small officers, they can know the movements of the army and can strike back at the critical moment to achieve victory."
After hearing this, both of them broke out in a cold sweat. They knew that the Jinyiwei and the Changwei were divided into two levels, the inner and outer levels, and it was also a principle of mutual balance. When they looked at each other, they should say, "Yes!"
"Mr. Xu, I will first appoint you as the commander of the factory guards to supervise the military and civilians in the country. Internal affairs should not be publicized, but should be prevented. If there are people among the subjects who intend to instigate, spy on important information, or protect against external assassinations, it will be your responsibility. I will give you thirty people as a base and three thousand taels of gold. You can start with this. You should know how to do specific things." Zhang Xuanning smiled faintly, and then turned to the ten people who accompanied him and said, "You will follow Mr. Xu in the future. If there is anything in the future, do more for him."
There had been instructions in advance, and immediately, three people came out and knelt before Xu Xing: "Your subordinates greet Commander Xu."
These three people are all squad leaders, and most of their subordinates are at the lower levels.
Then he said to Li Chunfeng: "I appoint you as the commander of the Jinyiwei. Your task is to prepare for the rainy day early, place people in the hostile forces, or bribe the inner circle. You can bribe the outer circle first. In the future, most of the military and national intelligence matters will be entrusted to you. My dear brother, you can do more for me."
He turned around and gave the same order. Three more squad leaders came out and knelt before Li Chunfeng, saying, "This subordinate greets Commander Li."
Both of them stepped forward and knelt down: "Yes, I accept your order."
They were all secretly shocked. Although Zhang Xuanning's work might not be flawless, it was close to the Tao. Appointing two guards and supervising officials and foreign affairs was a matter of course. All successful people in all dynasties did the same.
Moreover, the sooner such an organization is established, the better. After all, the struggle for the world will not last for several years, and it will be meaningless if it is too late. There are too few talented people now, so we have to appoint two people early. They may not be the most appropriate candidates, but they are the most appropriate candidates at present.
Xu Xing came from outside and has no roots or connections in the system, so sending him to supervise the subjects is a great thing. At least for now, there is no need to worry about him abusing his power for personal gain.
Li Chunfeng is from an aristocratic family, and Li Bo, the left assistant of the Political Affairs Hall, is his father. What is the Political Affairs Hall? It is now the power of the prime minister. If he is allowed to monitor the internal affairs, that would be too much. Once the two of them join forces, they can play with Zhang Xuanning in the palm of their hands. So this is not a question of trust or distrust, but a question of the balance of the system.
Ordering him to monitor the outside world is a perfect match, because he comes from a noble family and has connections and people outside, so it will be much easier for him to get started and more likely to be effective, especially for some recent problems.
As for sending thirty people as his subordinates, it was a stroke of genius, because no matter what, if the two of them created it from scratch, I am afraid that these two systems in the future will be an iron empire, a private kingdom belonging to these two people, and outsiders will not be able to get in. Even if there are checks and balances, it will be very dangerous. Sending these thirty people now means that the middle and high levels of the two systems in the future will still be controlled by Zhang Xuanning, and if necessary, he can deprive the two of their power with a single order.
"You two guards are my personal guards and report directly to me. Outsiders have no right to ask questions. Well, because of the need to keep it secret, you two will be appointed as counselors of my General Office, with the rank of eighth grade." The counselors of the General Office are actually the staff and future advisors, but they all have formal official titles. "However, let me say one more thing. You two guards only have the power of supervision, not the power of private punishment. You must report to me on how to deal with it. If there is an emergency, you must report to me afterwards and cannot act on your own."
"Yes, thank you, my lord. I will obey your command!" When the two of them arrived here, they truly had their own official positions.
Xu Xingzhi was promoted from a low . His status and position suddenly became as different as heaven and earth. But this was nothing. Both of them were smart people. They knew that the power possessed by the Jinyiwei and the Changwei was the real power close to heaven. Although it was only the power of supervision, they could secretly compete with the Zhengshitang. This was not a matter of rank, but a real matter of power.
At this moment, both of them secretly warned themselves to stay calm and peaceful. They both felt their hearts tighten. The image of the handsome young master in front of them suddenly became blurred. The saying, "A king is unfathomable, and accompanying a king is like accompanying a tiger" popped up in their minds.
At this time, spring rain fell lightly, like flower needles and fine silk threads, densely weaving diagonally. The rain threads formed an incomparably large net, hanging from the clouds to the ground.
The tiny raindrops hit the pavilion, making a "drip, drip" sound, and when they fell into the lake below, they drew circles.
Like silk, like satin, like fog, like smoke. It falls on the face and feels cool, making people feel intoxicated, dreamy, crazy, and drunk.
Zhang Xuanning stood up happily, and saw the drizzle . The sky and the earth were connected, and the spring breeze was blowing gently, bringing drizzle. A hint of chill fell on the skin, and his heart was quiet. For a moment, he didn't know where he was.
It was April, and the peach trees near the pavilion on the hill were in full bloom. Raindrops fell, and a few colorful flowers appeared. I immediately chanted aloud: "A good rain knows when to fall. It comes in spring, sneaking into the night with the wind, moistening everything silently!"
The two were immediately moved. Since ancient times, the couplets between the emperor and his subjects have deep meanings that need to be secretly understood. Although these four sentences are simple and do not use allusions, they are a masterpiece that describes the rainy scene on a spring night and expresses joy. At the beginning, the word "good" is used to praise "rain", and what is good about it is that it "knows the season", which fully shows that Zhang Xuanning is happy about the two people, just like thirsty rain in spring, and also praises the two people for being able to "know the season".
Sometimes, rain is accompanied by strong winds and falls violently. This rain will only damage things instead of "moistening things", so it will naturally not make people "happy" and it is impossible to get "good" comments.
As for "sneak into the night with the wind, moistening things silently", it is even more meaningful. Both of them understand that "sneak into the night" and "silently" are the supreme methods of using spies. Only by "sneak into the night" and "silently" can one penetrate into the enemy and ourselves without making any sound, and make no distinction between one and the other. The lord can be in charge of all the important affairs of the world with one mind. This is why a good warrior has no glorious name, but can win the victory.
Of course, "sneaking into the night" and "silently" are just means, and the word "moisturizing things" is the goal.
This kind of rain is called rain without any intention to please others. If it is called rain with any intention to please others, it will be a storm that can be seen and heard by people. This is not the way of spies. Only when it is called rain without any intention to please others will it fall silently and gently at night when people are sleeping soundly.
These four short sentences point out the supreme method of using spies, which can be called divine and close to the Tao. Moreover, both kindness and severity are used towards the two people, with expectations and guidance, as well as warnings. It happens to be exactly in line with the current scene, which can be said to be in perfect harmony and speaks to the situation. If these four sentences of poetry alone are called famous sentences, and if they are written based on such human scenes and events, it is truly a supreme divine work.
For the first time, they both felt awe-inspiring and unfathomable sense in Zhang Xuanning.
"My lord's poetic talent has been famous all over the world before. After hearing it today, it can be said to be unparalleled in the world." Xu Xingzhi praised sincerely. Although the poem "Jin Jiu Shen" might be slightly better in terms of poetry quality, it certainly did not shock him as much as the poem in front of him.
"Mr. Xu, you are too kind. I just heard what he said occasionally and I can't take it seriously. Well, sir, you have come from a long way, so go and rest first and bring your family with you. An eighth-rank official can be granted 200 acres according to my system. It won't be too late for you to settle down first and come back to work later." Zhang Xuanning said with a smile.
"Yes, then we will take our leave." Although it was still drizzling outside, as a minister, he certainly didn't care about that and took his leave. The thirty people immediately followed him, walked down the hill, and held a red umbrella for him.
The rain fell continuously, and no one was visible, but from above the pavilion, there was a lingering sound of a flute, which merged with the raindrops, as if in harmony with the vast world, and made people feel deeply moved.
Walking on the hills, I didn't look back, but was fascinated by the scenery. There was a stream on the hills. I could hear the sound of the stream flowing quietly, and I could see the bright red peach blossoms blooming on the water, flowing down along the water.
"A dragon can be big or small, can rise or hide; when big it can create clouds and mist, when small it can hide its shape; when rising it can soar into the universe, when hiding it can lurk in the waves. Now is the deep spring, and the dragons are changing with the times, just like people who are successful and can travel across the world. The dragon is like a hero in the world, and the poem is like the person, the dragon is there, but its head can be seen but its tail cannot, or a claw or a scale may be seen in the clouds. My lord, you are truly a hero in the world!"
He raised his hand and plucked a peach blossom nearby, inhaled the subtle fragrance, then turned back to the pavilion, bowed deeply, then jumped on his horse and headed towards the city.
The meeting between the king and his subjects is like a dragon entering the water, a gathering of wind and clouds. This is a great song and should be sung!
