01, Xia Jie absurdly refused to advise, Yi Yin went to the official into Yin
Xia Jie built a large wine pool, which was large enough to sail; the lees were piled up like a mountain, and it could be climbed to see seven or eight miles away. At the sound of a drum, three thousand people drank like cattle drinking water at the edge of the pool.
When Yi Yin saw that Xia Jie was so absurd, he tried his best to advise Xia Jie, saying, "If the king does not listen to his subjects, the day of his demise will not be far away." “
Xia Jie said, "What nonsense are you talking about?" I own the world, just as the sky has the sun. Will the sun perish? If the sun perishes, I perish. ”
Yi Yin was helpless and gave up his official position in the Xia Dynasty and submitted to Yin Shang, who worshiped Yi Yin as his prime minister. Later, the Xia Dynasty was finally replaced by the Shang Dynasty. (This article is excerpted from The Tale of Han Poetry, Volume II, And New Preface, Volume VI)
02, Shi Chongdoufu, Wang Kai Zhenghao
The western Jin dynasty class was very luxurious, when Emperor Wu of Jin's uncle Wang Kai and the rich Man Shi Chongchang competed with each other to get rich, and the two used the most gorgeous things to decorate cars and horses and make crown clothes. After Wang Kai's family finished cooking, they scrubbed the pot with malt candy, and Shi Chong burned the ash as firewood; Wang Kai made a forty-mile-long step barrier (screen) with purple silk cloth, and Shi Chong made it with brocade, and it was fifty miles long.
Once, Emperor Wu of Jin wanted to help his uncle win, so he gave Wang Kai a coral tree, which was more than two feet tall and had lush branches, which was rare in the world. Wang Kai was very proud of this and showed it to Shi Chong, so as to show off his wealth.
Shi Chong took a look at it and casually smashed the coral tree with Iron Ruyi. Wang Kai was angry and annoyed, and felt very sorry, thinking that Shi Chong was jealous of him for having such a rare treasure, so he blamed Shi Chong.
Shi Chong, however, said to Wang Kai casually, "What is so rare about this, I will return you now." So he asked the servant to take out all the coral trees in the house and let Wang Kai choose them at will.
Among Shi Chong's coral trees, which are three or four feet high, the branches are rare in the world, and there are six or seven dazzling trees, and there are even more like Wang Kai. Wang Kai looked at it and was afraid to lose it, so he had to bow to the wind. (This article is excerpted from the Taiping Imperial Records, vol. 7O3, The New Language of the World, and the Book of Jin, vol. 33)
03, Wang Ji human milk feeding pigs, fat and different from the usual taste
Sima Yan, the Emperor of Jinwu, once went to Wang Ji's house, and Wang Ji invited him to dinner, and the meal was very rich, using all utensils made of glass. More than a hundred maids in the family, without exception, wore silk and satin and held up food in their hands. Steamed piglets are especially tender and delicious, and the taste is different from that of ordinary pigs.
Emperor Wu of Jin felt very strange and asked Wang Ji about his tricks, and Wang Ji replied, "This is a piglet fed with human milk." Emperor Wu was greatly surprised when he heard this, felt that it was too luxurious, and left without finishing eating.
Wang Ji did something that even Wang Kai and Shi Chong, who were famous luxury figures at that time, had never heard of it. (This article is excerpted from "The New Language of the World", Book of Jin, vol. 42)
04. Corrupt officials exploit and compete for gifts, and the emperor is extravagant and indiscriminate
After Yang Guang became emperor, he tore off his disguise and was extremely extravagant. On the way to travel, all those who received exquisite food and playthings were promoted out of the ordinary, and those who made simple offerings were suspended from their posts and dismissed from office.
Once, Yang Guang passed through Yanmen County, and the Food Offered by Yanmen Taishouqiu was very exquisite, and when passing through Mayi County, Mayi Taishou Yang Kuo did not offer anything. Yang Guang then transferred Qiu He from the remote Yanmen County to the inland Boling Commandery as Taishou to show preferential treatment, but asked Yang Kuo to go to Boling Hill and fu to "study".
Since then, wherever the Sui Dynasty Emperor went, local officials competed to offer rich and luxurious goods, stirring up the people in the surrounding hundreds of miles.
Yang Guang inspected Jiangdu, and Wang Shichong of Jiangdu County presented a bronze mirror screen and was immediately promoted to Taishou; Zhao Yuankai of Liyang County, who offered foreign food, was immediately promoted to Jiangdu County. Wang Shichong also chose Jianghuai folk beauties to present, and has been more favored since then. (This article is excerpted from Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 180)