Text: Illness (Reading History Columnist)
The brothers who were designated by Liu Bangqin as the three masters of the han dynasty really had their own strengths. Xiao Hechang was in government affairs, Zhang Liangchang was in strategy, and Han Nobunaga was in the military.
Xiao He's strengths in government affairs were inseparable from what he had done under the imperial history of the Qin Dynasty when he was young. Once, when he was a pawn in Surabaya, he ranked first in the official examination, and almost let this imperial history of the Qin Dynasty transfer him away. However, Xiao He resolutely refused, which led to Xiao Xiangguo, who later established the state of Anbang.
After following Liu Bang, he wholeheartedly assisted Liu Bang. But it was xiao He who was like this, but he almost cried out for his life in Liu Bang's round after round of suspicion.
And this, in turn, is inseparable from his somewhat dull political nerves.
01
When Liu Bang and Xiang Yu were competing for the world, Xiao He was appointed by Liu Bang to sit in the rear. Xiao He did not live up to Liu Bang's expectations, and when Liu Bang led his troops to the east, he pacified the people in the rear, issued edicts, formulated decrees and regulations, established a temple, and managed the household registration population, replenishing soldiers when Liu Bang was repeatedly defeated, and continuously grain and grass.
The reason why Liu Bang was able to compete with Xiang Yu for five years was closely related to Xiao He sitting in Guanzhong and Bashu stabilizing the basic disk for Liu Bang. It can even be said that without Xiao He, there would be no Liu Bang's Han Dynasty.
However, Liu Bang had been leading troops outside for a long time, and he began to worry about his old lair. After all, people's hearts are separated by belly, and no one can see what is inside.
So Liu Bang, while worried, constantly sent emissaries to "visit" Xiao He. The name is to visit, but in fact, it is to monitor Xiao He, afraid that Xiao He will end his old nest.
Don't look at Xiao He as a fellow countryman, the two of them had a good relationship before. But Zhang Er and Chen Yu were still friends before, didn't they part ways because of a little interest?
People are vulnerable in the face of interests, not to mention the vast and rich territory of Guanzhong and Bashu.
However, Xiao He did not move in the face of Liu Bang's condolences again and again, and only cared about burying his head in handling political affairs. This could upset the strategist Bao Sheng next to him.
Bao Sheng said to Xiao He, "If you think about it, the King of Han is sleeping outside, and in the case of such a glue in the war, he also draws out emissaries to come to see you. Xiao He heard Bao Sheng's words with a confused face: "What does it explain?" ”
Bao Sheng said, "It shows that the King of Han is not worried about you now, and he is a little suspicious of you." For your own good, I suggest that you send all the sons of your clan who can fight to the front. In this way, the King of Han will be at ease with you. ”
Although Xiao He did not know much about the deep meaning of Liu Bang's behavior, he was still very politically conscious, and without saying a word, he sent more than twenty strong boys in the family to join the army.
In this way, Xiao He escaped the disaster for the first time.
02
But the matter is not over, after Liu Bang pacified the world, various princes with different surnames rebelled one after another, and Liu Bang had to personally do it himself and take command of the expedition.
Xiao He, on the other hand, was once again sitting in the rear. The difference is that this time it is the DPRK and China that have Lu Lu, a hardline fighter.
When Liu Bang attacked Chen Feng, Han Xin, who had been demoted to the Marquis of Huaiyin, was ready to play a trick in Chang'an City, but was informed by his subordinates to Lü Yan.
Lü Yan listened to this, Han Xin wanted to oppose, who could stop it? After thinking about it for half a day, Lü Yan thought of Xiao He, and as a person of Han Xin, even if he started a soldier, he would not do anything to Xiao He, after all, Xiao He had once known him.
So Lü Yan called Xiao He, one was to be a hostage, and the other was to let Xiao He help come up with ideas to see how to deal with Han Xin. The two of them combined, relying on Xiao He's influence in Han's confidence, to trick Han Xin into the palace and kill him.
Liu Bang listened to this, and although he was still leading the troops, he still took the time to give Xiao He a promotion to a knight, and also gave a private guard of five hundred people and a lieutenant.
Xiao He was naturally very happy, and the civil and military officials also came to celebrate, and Xiao He also had the pleasure of "spring breeze triumphant horseshoe disease", and happily accepted everyone's congratulations.
But this time came a man who was bothering with the scenery. This man used to be called ZhaoPing, formerly the Marquis of Dongling in the Qin Dynasty, and now selling melons in Chang'an City. After seeing Xiao He, he did not congratulate him, and said that he had come to mourn.
Xiao He is very strange, I am now a saint, although there are soldiers in the world, but peace is in the middle of the night, what is there to mourn? Zhao Ping said to Xiao He, "You, you still haven't figured it out?" You're in trouble now! The emperor's leading troops are outside, you sit in Chang'an without wind and sun, you still add officials to the knighthood, send guards, you don't want to think about why? ”
Xiao He still looked confused: "Why?" ”
Zhao Ping said, "This is because Hou Huaiyin has just been killed for rebellion, so how does he know if it will be you who will rebel next?" Nor are the guards sent to you to protect you. ”
Xiao He was struck by lightning: Yes, give me the guard one to prevent me, and the other is to test me, who knows if I accepted these five hundred people, and next time I will not think of five thousand people. The Emperor is really suspicious of me!
So he hurriedly called Zhao Ping and asked, "Please sir teach me." Zhao Ping said: "Easy to do, return these rewards, and then use all your family wealth to offset the military expenses, but the security is unharmed." ”
Xiao He heeded Zhao Ping's advice and resolutely gave up everything. Liu Bang was also very happy because of this.
In this way, with the help of Zhao Ping, Xiao He luckily escaped the second disaster.
03
Not a year had passed since Chen Feng's rebellion, and Wang Yingbu of Huainan had rebelled again. Liu Bang, who had just rested for a short time, dragged his old and sickly body to suppress the rebellion.
Xiao He once again guarded Chang'an. This plot is the same as the previous two times, and the difference is that Liu Bang's body has deteriorated. Seeing that the previous heroes had turned against each other one by one, they were naturally worried about whether Xiao He, who was sitting in Chang'an, would rebel.
The older people get, the more timid they become. When Liu Bang was fighting on the front line, he still did not forget to send emissaries back to inquire about what Xiao He was doing.
Xiao He learned to be obedient this time and fully absorbed the lessons of the previous two times.
The Emperor sent emissaries to suspect me, I know. The emperor's dispatch of troops this time was to suppress the rebellion, and the situation was the same as that of Chen Feng, which I also knew.
Well, just use the second one. The emperor now has many generals, and The Yingbu jumps beams and clowns. If you send Xiao's sons to join the army, maybe you will be defeated before you reach the battlefield, so I will donate all my family property for military expenses.
At this time, a doorman couldn't look at it anymore: "Oh, feed my Xiangguo, I beg you not to do this, in this way you are really going to be exterminated." ”
Xiao He was still confused. I have obviously learned the lessons of the previous two times, the method is copied, how can it be wrong? Then he asked the doorman, "What do you mean?" ”
The doorman said, "If you think about it, you are now Xiangguo, the largest official in the country, and at the beginning of the founding of the country, you were the first among the meritorious men, and you made meritorious contributions to make the emperor promote you." Moreover, you have been diligent in government affairs when you first arrived in Guanzhong, and now you still do this for more than ten years, and the people are very close to you. The reason why the emperor has come to ask you three or four times is that he is afraid that your prestige among the people will become higher and higher, and then shake the whole Guanzhong! ”
Xiao He was horrified and hurriedly said, "Why did sir teach me?" ”
The doorman said: "Simple, from now on you will buy more land and use the method of using profits and credits to discredit yourself." Your reputation has been corrupted among the people, and the emperor is relieved. ”
When Xiao He heard this, he suddenly realized that he had rushed to act according to the plan. When Liu Bang heard about this on the front line, he was relieved to fight, but he laughed and said that this Xiao He was also too greedy, and He Du rewarded him so much, and he also fought with the people for profit.
When Liu Bang returned from the rebellion, he directly tied up Xiao He, who was "a scourge to the people." Then Liu Bang and Wang Weiwei sang a double reed in front of Xiao He, knocked xiao He, and also gave Liu Bang a step by the way, and let Xiao He go on the same day.
04
Xiao He spent his life working hard for Liu Bang and the Han Dynasty, but he could not avoid Liu Bang's suspicion of him. Perhaps because all his energy was focused on the handling of government affairs, Xiao He always seemed very slow to political issues, which also put him in danger repeatedly. If it is not for the help of high people, it is difficult to die.
If Xiao He was a shrewd politician like Chen Ping, who could handle it in all kinds of sinister environments with ease, perhaps the Han Dynasty might have lost a Xiangguo that laid a solid foundation for future generations.