Wisdom advised Tang Taizong

During the Zhenguan period, there was a man named Zheng Renji in Chang'an, Kyoto. Zheng Renji has a daughter, named Zhu'er, who looks smart and well-behaved, and Zheng Renji regards her as a pearl in the palm of his hand, loves her in every way, and from an early age, he asked a famous teacher to teach her to read and learn to read. This year, Jewel was sixteen years old, and she actually became a stunning beauty, and she was even more proficient in chess and painting. Suddenly, Jewel's fame spread throughout the capital.

This year's First Month Lantern Festival, Emperor Taizong was happy for a while and also went to play. At this lantern meeting, Emperor Taizong happened to see Zheng Zhu'er and couldn't help but be moved. After returning to the palace, he could never forget the pearl again.

Empress Wende saw that Emperor Taizong was in a trance all day, and she often read Zheng Zhu'er's name in her mouth, and she guessed a few points in her heart. Therefore, she said to Tang Taizong: "The concubines have heard that Zheng Renji's daughter Zheng Zhu'er is both talented and beautiful, and that there is such a beautiful woman, and the emperor should summon her into the palace, so that you can show that you have the heart to respect and love talents." Upon hearing this, Emperor Taizong was in keeping with his own wishes and hurriedly said, "Since the Empress has this meaning, she will immediately surrender her will." Therefore, he immediately sent down a holy decree and ordered the eunuch to go to Zheng Renji's house to pass on the will.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Zhu'er had already promised her to others when she was a child, and when she saw that the emperor wanted to summon her to the palace, she would rather die than obey, and several times she was at home to hang herself. Zheng Renji was reluctant to give up his daughter, but he did not dare to disobey the holy will, and he was really embarrassed.

When the news spread, the capital immediately boiled over, and the Manchu Dynasty Minister of Culture and Military Affairs was even more talking about it.

On this day, when Emperor Taizong of Tang ascended to the throne, Xuan Ling, the Duke of Liang, came out of the class and said: "The minister heard that the emperor was going to summon Zheng Zhu'er to the palace, and the minister thought that the emperor still had little consideration for this matter. The Emperor is the Ninth Five-Year Dignity, and the people of the world take the words and deeds of the Emperor as their example. Today, you forced a woman who had promised a marriage into the palace with Long Wei, which is not a proper custom and a civilized act, and I hope that the emperor will think twice. ”

Tang Taizong had originally rushed to the ground in excitement, but when Fang Xuanling said these words, he couldn't help but be furious and said indignantly: "Since Tang Is the Ninth Five-Year Emperor, then, how can you call a people's daughter into the palace, how can you care about customs and indoctrination?" It's alarmist. No more officials may discuss this matter, otherwise, it will be regarded as a crime of resistance. One by one, the wen and wu officials were silent, and they no longer dared to make a sound, but they all used their eyes to glance at Wei Zheng. Why? Because Wei Zheng was a counselor, in charge of giving advice to the emperor, and Wei Zheng always dared to speak out impartially. But today, when everyone saw him standing in the middle of the class, his face was calm, his eyes were slightly closed, as if he was closing his eyes to recuperate, and the hundred officials could not help but be greatly disappointed.

After the dispersal of the dynasty, the emperor returned to the harem and told the empress about the hundred officials Qi ZhiZheng Zhu'er. When the empress heard this, she did not see Wei Zheng's opinion and felt a little strange, so she asked Tang Taizong, and Tang Taizong also felt strange and could not guess Wei Zheng's thoughts.

At this moment, the eunuch came to deliver a message: "Counselor Wei Zheng asked to see him." When Emperor Taizong heard this, his heart said: "Really say Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrived." Well, I'll see what medicine you sell in your gourd. So he ordered the West Study to wait.

When Tang Taizong came to the West Study, he asked, "Wei Aiqing came here, but what happened?"

Wei Zheng replied, "The minister has been hanging out at home recently and has learned a set of chess techniques. The day before yesterday, I had already made a meeting with the ministers of the DPRK and China, and none of them could win. ”

Tang Taizong had always liked to play chess, and his chess skills were superb, and in the Manchu Dynasty, no one except Fang Xuanling could beat him. However, Wei Zheng rarely played chess on weekdays, and occasionally played one or two games with people, and most of them ended in failure. When Tang Taizong heard that he had a set of chess techniques, he was deeply incredulous and asked him, "Really?"

Wei Zheng said, "Really."

Tang Taizong asked again, "Even if Fang Aiqing is included, he can't win?"

Wei Zheng said: "After three games with Liang Guogong, Liang Guogong lost all three sets."

Emperor Taizong was taken aback, and immediately ordered: "Quickly swing the chess game, and wait for a few games between Shuo and Wei Aiqing." However, we have never played white chess with people, so we may as well make a bet. I wonder what AiQing can bring?"

Wei Zheng thought about it for a moment and said, "Lao Chen recently got a rare bird, and he made a joke and talked about it, and he was very fond of it. Since the emperor wanted a bet, the old minister asked the house slave to go back and get it. ”

When Emperor Taizong heard it, he felt even more strange. I think Wei Zheng is a rigid old man in his daily life, when he saw him play with cats and birds, but this time he got a bird that he loved deeply, which must be a rare and expensive thing. Taizong didn't feel strangely itchy in his heart, and he hated not being able to see what it was right away. So Lian said, "We're going to win or lose a game, how about that?" Wei Zheng also promised one after another: "This is better."

At the moment, Wei Zheng insisted on black first. Only to see him roll up his sleeves, and with a snap, a chess piece landed on the chessboard. Emperor Taizong looked at it, only to see that he had landed the chess piece in the center of the board, and he couldn't help but be puzzled. Since the ancient chess hand chess, always from the side, the horn of the son, called gold edge, silver horn, pig belly, but never see the first chess piece in the center. Emperor Taizong thought to himself: Isn't this old man really a killer? Beware.

In fact, where is this Wei Zheng, there is nothing absolute, let alone realized what chess path, it is still a stinky chess basket. Three times five to two, Tang Taizong tested the depth of Wei Zheng, so he fought and robbed several times in a row, and ended the game.

Tang Taizong looked at the white chess game and laughed, and sneered, saying, "The chess path that Ai Qing deeply understands is really smelly."

Wei Zheng said: "The saint is superb in chess, and the old minister is willing to bow to the wind."

"That rare bird that Ai Qing loves so much, it's time for yuan to see it." Tang Taizong said urgently. Only to see Wei Zheng's face look embarrassed, he snorted: "This..." Tang Taizong was displeased: "Does Ai Qing also want to admit it?" Wei Zheng hurriedly said, "Wei Chen doesn't dare." Saying that, he waved outside the door and shouted, "Send in." ”

Outside the door came a scribe, holding a birdcage covered in black cloth. A eunuch had already taken over and handed it to Emperor Taizong.

Emperor Taizong held the bird cage and said happily, "And let you come and see what kind of rare bird Aiqing loves so much." Say, uncover the black cloth. Only to see two exquisite birds in the cage, colorful feathers, dazzling; Red-billed and yellow-clawed, fire is cute. When Emperor Taizong saw it, he couldn't help but rejoice: "It is indeed a good bird!" He whistled to tease the bird. How could the birds in the cage not listen to the teasing, but instead flapped their wings in the cage, pecked at each other, and pecked at the beautiful feather pieces to fly down.

Emperor Taizong was shocked and asked, "Why is this bird so aggressive?"

Wei Zheng hurriedly replied, "This bird is not aggressive by nature, but it is only because of love."

When Emperor Taizong heard this, he felt strange. Wei Zhenghuan said, "When the subject received this bird, it was originally two pairs, and their respective spouses had already been decided. It is the courtiers who make up their own minds and swap their spouses with each other. Who knew that this bird only recognized the original match, and did not like the new joy, so it pecked in the cage. ”

Emperor Taizong listened and reproached, "Ai Qing is so cruel. Knowing that this bird only recognizes the original match and does not like the new love, why should we break them up? If this continues, don't you peck out the dead and wounded? ”

Wei Zheng hurriedly knelt down and said, "The holy lord is merciful, it can really touch the heavens and the earth, but the saint still has a kind and compassionate heart for a bird, so why should he ruthlessly break up the people of Li?"

At this time, Emperor Taizong had long forgotten about the advice of his courtiers, and when he heard Wei Zheng say these words, he did not understand it for a while, so he asked, "When did Emperor Taizong break up with his heart and tear up the people?"

Wei Zheng said: "Zheng Renji's daughter Zheng Zhu'er has already promised someone else, although she has not passed through the door, but the marriage contract has been booked. However, Shengshang wanted to summon her to the palace, so that Zheng Renji's family was panicked, and Zheng Zhu'er sought death several times and hanged herself. Dare to ask the Holy Lord, is this an act of mercy on your part?"

Tang Taizong listened and was stunned for a moment. Only to know that Wei Zheng came this time, in fact, it was still for Zheng Zhu'er, playing chess and giving birds were nothing more than an excuse. Tang Taizong was deeply touched by Wei Zheng's good intentions at the moment.

Only to hear Wei Zheng say again: "As the king of the world, the holy lord is like the parents of the people, and should think of the people everywhere." You live in a magnificent palace, and the people must have a house to live in; You eat exquisite and delicious food, and the people should also have a full meal; You have your own three thousand concubines, so the people should also have their own wives! The courtier thought that it was not wise for you to enter the palace with Zheng Zhu'er. Therefore, he risked his life and prayed to the saint to take back his life. ”

Tang Taizong looked at Wei Zheng in front of him, and then at the bird in the cage, and a feeling of remorse rose to his heart, and he lifted up Wei Zheng and said sincerely: "It was Wei Zheng who was confused for a while, and almost did that stupid thing that hurt the customs and customs, and he immediately sent a message to the Zheng family to reassure them." Tang Taizong then pointed to the birds in the cage and said, "The Qing family should also quickly carry the birds away, and let them each find their original match."