"Lü Shi Chunqiu" is a miscellaneous masterpiece compiled by Lü Buwei, the chancellor of the Qin Dynasty, in the last year of the Warring States. Divided into twelve ages, eight books, and six treatises, with Taoist thought as the main body, it also adopts the teachings of yin and yang, Confucianism, fame and law, and soldiers and peasants.
01
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"Second day: A soldier is a man, and he should not avoid his troubles, forget his interests in the face of troubles, and act righteously in his life, and regard death as a return. If there is such a thing, the king shall not be a friend, and the Son of Heaven shall not be a subject. The great one determines the world, and the second one determines a country, and it will be made by such a person. The lord of the deceased desires to make a great meritorious name, and he must not fail to ask this person to do the same. The wise lords work hard to ask for others, but to govern.
Qi has, knotted (1) reckless, bundled reeds (2), weaved (3), in order to support their mother is not enough, heel door (4) see Yan Zi said: May you beg for your adoptive mother. The servant of Yan Zi is Yan Zi Yue: "The sage of this state of Qi is also righteous and does not obey the Son of Heaven, nor does he friend the princes, nor does he take what is profitable (5), and he is not spared from harm." To beg for the adoptive mother now means that the righteousness of the master will also be with him." Yan Zi made people divide the warehouse and divide the house of gold and bequeathed (6), and resigned the gold and received the millet. At one point, Yan Zi saw that Qi Jun was suspicious, ran out, and passed through the gate of Northern Guo Sao. Beiguo Sao bathed and came out to see Yan Ziyue: "Master will be suitable (7)?" Yan Ziyi said, "If you see Qi Jun, you will run." Beiguo Zi said, "Master Mian (8)'s sake." Yan Zi got into the car, sighed too quietly, and said, "Isn't it appropriate for the death of a baby?" I don't know what the hell is going on." Yan Zi line. Beiguozi summoned his friend and told him, "Speak of the righteousness of Yanzi, and be a beggar so that he adopts his mother." I have heard that "those who raise relatives are difficult to raise (9)." Now that Yanzi is suspicious, I will die in vain." Dressed in a crown, he ordered his friend to wield a sword and serve the sword (10) and follow it, and it was created in the court of kings, and those who asked for restoration (11) said: "Yan Zi, the sage of the world, will also go and the kingdom of Qi will invade." He will see the invasion of the kingdom, but he will not die first. Please put your head on Bai Yanzi also." Because his friend said: "Sheng Wu's head is in the middle of the singing, and he is entrusted with it." Retreat to self-destruction. His friends are entrusted with it. His friend said to the viewer: "Beiguozi died for the sake of the country, and I will die for Beiguozi." He retreated and killed himself. Qi Jun heard it, was horrified, and chased after himself by the horse (12), and the outskirts of the country, please do the opposite. Yan Zi had no choice but to do the opposite, and Wen Beiguo Saozhi killed Bai Jiye, saying, "Isn't it appropriate for the death of a baby!" The more ignorant he became." ”
(1) Fu [fú]: Rabbit net. Generally refers to hunting nets.
(2) 葦: Reed.
(3) Fèi[fèi]: Hemp.
(4) Heel door [zhǒng mén]: Personally visit the door.
(5) Gou: Covetousness.
(6) 遺: Give, give.
(7) Suitable: to, to
(8) Mian: Pass "exemption".
(9) Kàng:Against the enemy, resist.
(10) 笥 [sì]: A bamboo vessel for food or clothing.
(11) Repeat: return, return.
(12) 馹 [rì]: also known as the zhuàn car. The car used by the ancient caravanserai to deliver letters.
02
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Scholars are very principled people, and their standards for dealing with people are morality and integrity. As long as it is in line with morality, even if it is known that there is a calamity, it will not avoid it; even if a great calamity comes, it will not consider its own selfishness. For the sake of morality, you can die, and you can see death as a homecoming, without the slightest fear.
Such a person naturally does not tend to be inflamed, even if the king of a country wants to be friends with him, it is also encounterable and unattainable, even if you are the son of heaven, you cannot let him bow down to him.
To govern the world, or to govern the princes of one side, must be inseparable from such a person. Monarchs who aspire to make meritorious achievements have to recruit such magi. Therefore, the true magi often go to great lengths to recruit the magi without interfering in specific matters.
The story of the Northern Guo Ofe of the State of Qi repaying Yan Bao reflects this truth.
Speaking of Yan Bao (historically known as Yan Zi), it is estimated that many people know that the more famous story is "Yan Zi Makes Chu", which was learned in primary school texts. With his superior intelligence, Yan Zi cleverly defused the mockery of the Chu monarch's height, and defended the national character and national prestige of the State of Qi through the example of "".
Yan Zi, who had been through three generations of monarchs of the State of Qi, was not only a diplomat, but also a virtuous ruler of high moral character, and Sima Qian commented in the "Records of History":
If Yan Zi was there, Yu was whipped for it, and he admired it.
At that time, there was a man named Beiguo Kui in the State of Qi who made a living by weaving fishing nets, tying reeds, and weaving straw shoes to support his mother, but his income was so meagre that it was difficult to make a living.
Because he admired Yanzi's benevolence and righteousness, he went to the door to see Yanzi and said: "Because the little man cannot bear the old mother's hunger and suffering, and admires mr. Benevolence, he has come to beg for it, hoping to get some living things from Mr. Yanzi here to support his elderly mother."
Yan Zi's servants recognized Northern Guo Qi and knew that this was also a filial piety sage, so they asked Yan Zi: "This Northern Guo Qi is a sage of the State of Qi, who not only has a lot of filial piety, but also abides by morality, does not attach himself to the magnates, and even if the Son of Heaven summons him, he will not bow down to his subjects, even if he is invited by the princes of the kingdoms, he is not willing to bend to his friend." But this man does things according to morality, does not covet his own selfish interests, and does not fear evil and flee from greed. Now when I come to see him, I ask Mr. Yu, not only to raise relatives and fulfill filial piety, but also because I admire Mr. Yu's benevolence and morality, please sir must help him."
Yan Zi was originally a person who was sympathetic to the people and was willing to help him, and he heard that this was a very moral sage, so he ordered someone to take the grain in the warehouse and the money in the treasury to him, but Beiguo Mu did not take a penny of money, but only accepted the grain.
Soon after, Yan Zi was jealous of the Monarch of the State of Qi, so he fled. When passing by Beiguo's house, he went to the door to say goodbye.
Beiguo Mu knew that Yanzi had come to his house, so he quickly bathed and changed clothes, and only after freshening up did he come out to see Yanzi, and seeing that Yanzi was in a hurry, he asked, "Where is the master going?" ”
Yan Zi replied, "I was jealous of the monarch and wanted to escape the disaster, passing by here, and I came to bid farewell." ”
Beiguo Said, "Then Sir, let's take care of ourselves." ”
After Yan Zi said goodbye, he hurriedly got into the car and went out of the city. Yan Zi sat on the car, groaned for a long time, and then sighed: "Shouldn't I have escaped from the disaster?" When I gave him grain, I didn't know him, and I blamed me for not understanding the so-called righteous soldiers! ”
Watching Yan Zi's car go far, Beiguo Mu found his friend and entrusted: "Because I admire Yan Zi's benevolence and righteousness, I only came to the door to ask for grain to support my elderly mother." I've heard people say, 'If someone else supports your parents, they can die for them.' Now that Yanzi is jealous of the king and has to flee, I intend to use my own death to defend Yanzi."
So he dressed up, asked his friend to take a sword and carry a bamboo basket, and came with him to the king's court, begged the monarch to let Yanzi come back, and said: "Yanzi is a wise man recognized by the world." If Yan Zi left, the other princely states would definitely send troops to invade when they saw that the State of Qi had no virtuous subjects, and instead of waiting for other countries to invade and die under the rebel army, it was better to die now, hoping to use my head to wash away Yan Zi's injustice."
Then he turned to his friend and asked, "When I die, put my head in a bamboo basket and present it to the monarch." After saying this, he took a step back and killed himself.
According to his instructions, Beiguo's friend handed over the bamboo basket containing Beiguo's head. Then he said to the onlookers: "Beiguo Mu is dying for the country, I want to die for Bei Guo Mu." So he also took a step back and killed himself.
When the monarch of the state of Qi learned of this incident, he was very surprised, and quickly took the express train to chase Yanzi himself, and chased him near the border of the state of Qi, and finally caught up, pleading with Yanzi to go back with him. Yan Zi had no choice but to return with the monarch.
When he learned that Beiguo Mu had committed suicide in order to wash away his grievances, he sighed and blamed himself: "I really shouldn't have escaped from the disaster!" Beiguo Mu was able to even save my life for me, blaming me for not really understanding these righteous men at the beginning."
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In order to fulfill his filial piety, this Northern Guo Qi went to the door to ask for Yanzi, and for the sake of kindness, he repaid Yanzi with his life.
It's coming and going!
Similar to Yan Zi's "unknown soldier", in fact, in real life, we give and help people, more or less hope to have something in return in the future, even if it is a "thank you". Even if you don't get the reward in time, you may accuse the other party of being a white-eyed wolf.
Sometimes we really have to calm down and think about what is the original intention and purpose of our work.
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