Preface
Han Xin, who has made great contributions and his power is thriving day by day, why has he not taken the move to stand on his own feet for a long time at the moment when his achievements have been high? This is an ancient and suspenseful proposition, is he a loyal minister or a careerist? Why did this heroic hero of the Warring States period choose to remain silent and wait instead of taking advantage of the victory to pursue and display his ambitions? Is there more mystery buried in the great wheel of history?
First, the momentum is like a bamboo, and the Eastern Expedition to the country has made great contributions
At that time, Liu Bang, the king of Han, and Xiang Yu, the overlord of Western Chu, were at a standstill, and the battle of Chenggao was in full swing. The two armies are facing each other, and it is difficult to distinguish them. In the land of Yan Zhao in the east, the princes are fighting. In Qidi, where the war was relatively calm, the Tian father and son claimed the king and hegemony, and divided one side.
Under the command of King Han, there is a fierce general - Han Xin. He came from a poor background, but he had an innate talent for military affairs. Previously, he had destroyed more than 30 cities of the Zhao army, turning the tide of the war in one fell swoop, and enabling the Han army to gain the strategic initiative. Now, Han Xin was ordered to go east to conquer the Qi country, and the goal was directly aimed at the hinterland of Xiang Yuda's rear.
This can be described as a great opportunity to attack the east and the west, and encircle Wei to save Zhao. On Xiang Yu's side, more than a million heroes were already embattled, almost annihilating the Han army. And Han Xin's attack on Qi State in one fell swoop, pointing directly at Xiang Yu's hometown, was undoubtedly a fatal blow to the other party.
In the winter of 205 BC, Han Xin led an army of 200,000 trained by himself to the east, pointing directly at the hinterland of Qi and the cities. In this expedition, he also received strong support from the King of Han, and sent Cao Shen, Guan Ying and other famous generals to lead tens of thousands of elites to rendezvous. For a time, the territory of Qi was full of mourning, and the cities fell one after another.
In the first month of the second year, Han Xin finally led his army to the main force of Qi Wang Tianguang. The Qi army was vulnerable, and Tian Guang killed himself. The three returned to obedience, and Han Xin defeated Xiang Yuda's rear in one fell swoop. The credit is enormous, and the prestige is far and wide.
After this battle, Han Xin realized more clearly that although Xiang Yu's army was in large numbers on the main battlefield of Chenggao on the Western Front, it did not win a decisive victory. And his eastward expedition directly cut off Xiang Yu's supply of grain and grass and retreat, so that the Chu army was unstable and in a dilemma. For a time, the world shook, and Han Xin's prestige was incomparable. There are different opinions, and this person will definitely be able to dominate the world.
2. Repeatedly persuade to surrender and refuse to abandon righteousness and profit
"Meritorious merit will be suspicious, and the Lord will be destroyed." This overwhelming prestige soon attracted people from all walks of life to persuade him to surrender.
Many of Xiang Yu's henchmen were killed on the front line of Chenggao, and at this time, he specially sent an envoy Wu Shi to lobby. Wu Shi spat all day long, pointing out to Han Xin that with the suspicion and character of Liu Bang, the king of Han, he will only get rid of you as soon as he uses you to deal with Xiang Yu. Once the decisive battle between Chu and Han is decided, Han Xin's fate will only be more bleak.
In this regard, Han Xin, who has been through a hundred battles, could not hear his hypocritical intentions. Mount Tai is at the top, and the King of Han still knows how to promote, knows people well, and works hard. This battle was the wise decision of King Han. How can this kindness abandon faith for the sake of momentary gain? Thinking of this, Han Xindang even rejected Wu She's lobby and expressed his resolute support for King Han.
Soon, Han Xin's confidant Kuaiche also hurried to arrive, hoping to persuade Han Xin to take advantage of the situation and set up his own door. He directly pointed out that at this moment, Han Xin's strength is strong, and the people's hearts and minds can be relied on. After self-reliance, you can unite the princes of the world and jointly fight against Chu and Han, but you can get the greatest benefits. "King Han and I share the momentum of the confrontation, so that we can be full of three."
However, Han Xinxin has made up his mind and will not make profits. "Can I despise profit and betray my righteousness?" How can the king of Han forget the grace of his encounter. Seeing that the persuasion was fruitless, Kuaiche had no choice but to leave.
After such repeated persuasions, Han Xin firmly refused, and stated that he would never betray the king of Han. When the merit is high and the lord is shaken, it shows its righteousness and gentlemanly demeanor.
3. Suspicion is very loud Everyone knows that it should be dealt with calmly
In the current situation in the world, Han Xin's strength is great, and the princes of the Quartet are all afraid. In the face of two persuasions, he took a firm stand and showed resourcefulness and steadiness.
However, will Liu Bang, the distant king of the Han Dynasty, be like Xiang Yu and Kui Che, who will be suspicious of Han Xin and have a deer mentality?
The news spread quickly like wildfire - it is rumored that Liu Bang, the king of Han, had a lot of complaints about Han Xin, and felt that his merits were high and the power of the lord was faintly guarded. The rumors inside and outside all tell this layer of suspicion and become a well-known "open secret".
Thinking of this, Han Xin couldn't help but secretly speculate: Would the King of Han really be so suspicious of his ministers? How could it attract such groundless suspicion? After thinking about it, Han Xin immediately understood the reason: those rumors were probably also rumors spread by people with ulterior motives!
At this time, the Three Kingdoms were in full swing, and Chu and Han were holding each other. It is the time when the world's heroes are strategizing and deceiving. The reason why the rumors are so prevalent is that some people are deliberately amplifying their influence in order to achieve their own political goals.
Thinking of this, Han Xinxin suddenly became cheerful: This is just the normal state of unpredictable and deceitful people's hearts. The King of Han treats me well, how can he be suspicious for no reason? Even if there is suspicion, he can serve with all his heart and soul to resolve this misunderstanding.
Fourth, follow the will of the people and put the will of the army first
So, why did the powerful Han Xin have been trapped under the command of the Han King for a long time? At this moment, it is really a legitimate move to set up a door on his own, and it is also the only way out for the end of the strong crossbow. By doing so, it seems that everyone is getting the most out of it. Why should we still be loyal to the Han family? As everyone knows, the political wisdom contained in this is actually far beyond the reach of many people.
The key lies in the people's will. After several years of war, Qi people were devastated. After several changes of ownership, people's minds have changed, and what they yearn for is nothing more than ushering in early peace. If Han Xin is self-reliant or takes refuge in Xiang Yu at this time, it will inevitably start a war again, and it will be impossible to end the smoke and win the sincere support of the Qi people.
In addition, it is still necessary to take into account the morale of the military. Although Han Xin's army was well-trained, most of the soldiers were from the common people of Zhao and the soldiers and civilians of Qi who surrendered. They also longed for an early end to the war and to return to their hometowns and reunite with their loved ones. If Han Xin established himself or betrayed the Han army, it would inevitably lead to renewed tension between Chu and Han, and it was impossible to foresee when peace would be ushered in. In contrast, loyalty to the righteousness of the Han king can end the war as soon as possible and allow the soldiers to return to their hometowns as soon as possible. This is undoubtedly what the military wants.
As for Han Xin personally, if he is self-reliant at this time, the future is uncertain, and the success rate is really uncertain. Although Xiang Yu's talent is dying, his strength is still strong; There are also many fierce generals in the Han army, and it is difficult to ensure that there are no variables.
On the other hand, the king of Han was benevolent and righteous, governed the country loosely, and won the hearts of the people. Once Xiang Yu is defeated and reunification is achieved, Han Xin's status and interests will be undoubted. This move is not only safe, but also the most in line with the will of the people and the army, which can be described as nine out of ten.
Therefore, following the will of the people and conforming to the will of the army is the foundation of Han Xin's foothold. It is precisely because he is well aware of this principle that he still chooses to follow the king of Han, which is the true political wisdom of Han Xin.
Fifth, righteousness comes first, loyal and righteous ministers
At present, the general trend of the world is already in a corner of peace. If you want to protect your life in the gap between Chu and Han, it is not easy to stand on your own. If you want to ignite that beacon war, you will inevitably hurt the hearts of the people and lose the hearts of the people. However, as a human minister, how can I alienate the royal industry without authorization and damage the righteousness of the monarch and ministers?
Since the promotion of Liu Bang, the king of the Han Dynasty, Han Xin has deeply perceived the virtue of encounter. The first emperor was gracious and made himself from a nobody to a prince. Even in the face of the humiliation of being repeatedly deprived of power, Han Xin never complained in his heart. Because he knew very well that it was the decisions and difficult choices of the Han King that made the people miserable and the country gradually stabilized. In comparison, their losses are a drop in the bucket.
Therefore, when he was advised by the advisors to stand on his own feet twice, Han Xin firmly refused, and repeatedly stated that he would never do anything that betrayed his righteousness and morality. No matter how suspicious the King of Han is, the old minister will go all out and do his best to serve him.
It is this righteousness, this custom of loyalty and the truth of the monarch and ministers, that has achieved Han Xin's reputation through the ages after his successful retirement. He has become the embodiment of loyalty and righteousness in the minds of future generations, reflecting the most authentic value pursuit of the Han Dynasty scholars. Historians are all willing to grit their teeth, lamenting that things are not human, and now is not what it used to be.
epilogue
When the current merit is high, Han Xin can choose to set up his own door in exchange for a real position of power. However, he gave up his ego and chose to follow the king of Han; He gave up temporary benefits in exchange for immortal fame. It is precisely the righteous feelings of selfless dedication and the resourceful political wisdom that have made Han Xin immortal through the ages, worthy of Xi and remembrance by each and every one of us.