In 338 BC, Shang Martingale, a famous statesman and prime minister in Chinese history, was tragically tortured to death.
According to the laws of the time, King Qin Huiwen personally ordered the cruel punishment of Shang Martin's body - five horses to divide the corpse. This legal provision was actually formulated by Shang Martingale himself.
Does such a plot feel ridiculous?
As a figure of outstanding intelligence, Shang Martingale can become the prime minister, which can be described as an outstanding politician.
He laid a solid foundation for the Qin State to annex the Six Kingdoms, but why did it end up so tragically? This is truly food for thought.
Shang Martingale was born in an aristocratic family of Weiguo, originally named Gongsun Martingale, and was later sealed in Shangdi, hence the name Shang Martingale. Then why should a patriotic nobleman choose to serve in another country?
This starts with the situation of defending the country. As one of the vassal states of the Great Zhou, Wei Guo was very strong during the reign of King Ping of Zhou and became one of the leaders among the vassal states. However, the good times did not last long, and during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, due to Wei Yigong's excessive extravagance and indulgence, the national strength gradually weakened, and finally Wei Yigong was killed by the Di people, and Wei Guo perished.
Although Wei Guo later restored the country with the help of the State of Qi, Wei Guo was already in danger and became a small country that wandered between various vassal states. In the late Spring and Autumn period, Wei Guo had exhausted hundreds of years of accumulation because Wei Zhuanggong and Wei Chugong's father and son competed for the country. It can be said that under such circumstances, it is difficult for Shang Martingale to have a chance to make achievements in Weiguo.
However, Shang Martingale is not satisfied with being an aristocrat whose goal is to enjoy food and entertainment, he is an ambitious and ambitious person, how can he tolerate being bound?
However, Shang Martin did not immediately go to the State of Qin to serve after leaving the State of Wei, but chose the State of Wei as his first destination. Although Wei and Wei have the same pronunciation, their status is very different. The State of Wei was one of the first countries to become strong during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, and only the State of Qi could match it, and its national strength can be imagined. Shang Martingale first chose such a power, showing his ambition and ambition.
Unfortunately, however, Wei did not value Shang Martingale, and although he was ambitious, he was unable to display his talents. At this time, only an uncle Xiangguo who had the ability to read people saw Shang Martingale's talent. When Gong Shu was seriously ill, he recommended Shang Martin to the Wei monarch King Hui of Wei, hoping that King Hui of Wei would reuse him.
If it cannot be reused, it must be removed as soon as possible so as not to become a weapon for other countries. As a courtier, after proposing to the monarch, Gong Shu told Shang Martingale as a teacher to flee quickly. However, Shang Martin was very calm, and he said, "Since King Wei Hui did not follow your advice to reuse me, then he will definitely not follow your advice and kill me. ”
Sure enough, King Wei Hui did not take Gongsun Xuan's warning to heart. Although Shang Martin's life was not in danger in the Wei Kingdom, he had no intention of staying there any longer.
Subsequently, Qin Xiaogong issued an order to seek merit, and Shang Martin felt that this was an opportunity, but due to his experience in the Wei Kingdom, he did not immediately agree, but after three trials, he finally came to the Qin Kingdom.
Duke Xiaogong of Qin was an outstanding and courageous monarch in the history of the State of Qin, and under his rule, the State of Qin achieved leaps and bounds. In just a few years, the Qin state transformed from a mediocre vassal state into a powerful and wealthy state. His outstanding contributions made him one of the "Four Heroes of the State of Qin" along with the other three Qin monarchs, King Huiwen of Qin, King Zhaoxiang of Qin and Shi Huang of Qin. Qin Xiaogong made remarkable achievements in economic and military expansion.
The Qin state was located on the western border, and although it made several attempts to advance into the Central Plains during the Spring and Autumn period, they all ended in failure, resulting in serious damage to the national strength. It was not until the reign of Duke Xiao of Qin that the State of Qin appointed Shang Martin as prime minister and carried out a series of measures to change the law, which led to the rise of the State of Qin.
However, in order to thank Shang Martin for his contribution to the Qin state, Duke Xiao of Qin even announced that he would pass the throne to Shang Martin. So what is Qin Xiaogong's real purpose? I think he is trying to force Martingale to death.
Even if Shang Martin sat on the throne of the Qin Kingdom, could he hold this position? Unless he wiped out everyone in the Huan clan, it would be difficult for him to maintain this position.
There is such a passage in the "History": "The sect must not be a subordinate unless it has a theory of military merit." Ming Zun and humble rank rank, each with the difference of the field house, the concubines and clothes to the family. Those who have merit are prosperous, but those who are not meritorious are rich. This shows that in the Qin Kingdom, members of the royal family can only obtain status by virtue of military merit, and Shang Martingale does not have such a background.
At that time, Qin Xiaogong's true mood should be like this: Shang Martin's power in the Qin Kingdom is too great, and if you live, my son will not be able to stabilize the throne at all. However, there seems to be no justification for me to kill you, so I can only let my sons and brothers solve you.
In fact, when Qin Xiaogong made this request, Shang Martingale was already doomed. Duke Xiaogong of Qin was worried that his son would firmly occupy the throne, and killing Shang Martin had long been one of his plans.
Qin Xiaogong's son Huan Si was a very difficult child to discipline when he was a child. He had committed serious crimes many times, and Qin Xiaogong almost killed him and eventually banished him.
However, was Qin Xiaogong really willing to attack his son? This is not the case. At that time, it was at the height of the Shang Martingale reform law, and if Huan Xi committed a crime with impunity, then the law reform could not continue. This is not a matter of Shang Martin, but a matter within the Qin Xiaogong family. First of all, Qin Xiaogong would never cut off his son's nose, let alone kill him.
Therefore, Shang Martingale adopted a compromise approach, allowing Huan Qian to be punished instead of Huan Xi. After this news came out, the nobles of the Qin Kingdom began to feel fear one by one.
Tai Shigong said: Shang Martingale, he was born a mean person. He wanted to seize power by interfering in the imperial way of filial piety and deceived people with false words. This is not in line with his nature.
Moreover, he relied on favored courtiers, he obtained the right to use, and also punished Gongzi Qian, deceived Wei Jianang, and did not follow Zhao Liang's advice, which is enough to show that Shang Martin was less loyal to Xiaogong.
Shang Martingale's "Kaisai Cultivation War Book", his way of acting is similar to his character. In the end, he incurred notoriety in the Qin Kingdom, and rightfully so!
They finally realized that Shang Martingale was really powerful, and he was not joking. However, they didn't know that it was Qin Xiaogong who was really powerful. Without Qin Xiaogong's consent, would Huan Qian voluntarily let Shang Martin cut off his nose? Apparently not. Even if Huan Qian was killed, he would not accept such humiliating treatment.
However, he must live to receive the punishment, and only if he endures the punishment without complaint can he become a typical and convince the nobles of the Qin State.
What they were convinced of was not Shang Martingale, but Qin Xiaogong's new policy. Once the position of the new policy is firmly established, inheritance becomes an issue. Shang Martingale has already done what he should do, so his authority should no longer be so high, and if he maintains such a high authority, then Qin Xiaogong's son will be suppressed by him.
The State of Qin has always been surnamed, and in order to eliminate the obstacles faced by his son, Qin Xiaogong can only take this strategy. He deeply understood the character of his son, and also understood the character of the nobles of the Qin State. As long as he loses the umbrella of Qin Xiaogong, Shang Martingale will be finished.
When Qin Xiaogong was about to die, he actually took a very ingenious way to indirectly kill Shang Martin. He did this undoubtedly for the benefit of his children and grandchildren, after all, without a powerful and prominent old minister, the new monarch would have an easier time ascending the throne. Unlike ordinary people, the Qin Xiaogong family had to inherit the rivers and mountains, and also needed to inherit the male bloodline, which was limited by the times at that time. I think this behavior can be attributed to a persistent mindset.
For Shang Martingale, although he ended up suffering a tragic end, he realized his ambitions. And the Qin State also took the first step in development,
If Shang Martingale has a spirit, will he regret his end?
In fact, as early as when Shang Martingale was learning the way of the Legalists, his mentor had already predicted the fate of the changers. As a smart person, how could he not know that a clear gun is easy to dodge, and a dark arrow is difficult to prevent? However, in order to achieve the goal of changing the law, he was willing to risk his death.
Reform necessarily involves the redistribution of power and interests, benefiting some and victimizing others. The old aristocracy lost its power due to the change of the law, and revenge was inevitable, but the cause of changing the law was irreversible because it conformed to the trend of history.
Shang Martingale died at the expense of his ideals, and this courage and commitment are admirable. He successfully implemented the reform of the law, provided a solid institutional guarantee for the growing prosperity and strength of the Qin state, laid the foundation for the Qin dynasty to rule the world, and eventually helped the Qin state become the first feudal state in Chinese history. This achievement is indelible, and whether Shang Martingale regrets it or not, his merits will always be remembered.