All traitors want to obey the will of the monarch in order to gain a position of intimacy and favor.
Therefore, what the monarch likes, the traitor will tout; What the monarch hates, the traitors follow. The normal nature of mortals, those who have the same views affirm each other, and those who have different views blame each other.
Now the courtiers praise is exactly what the monarch affirms, which is called "taking together"; And what the courtiers slander is exactly what the monarch hates, which is called "fellow house".
I have never heard of the same trade-offs and opposing each other. This is the way that courtiers use to gain favor. If the monarch does not have the magic to control him, and does not use the method of testing to examine him, he will definitely believe his current words because he has the same opinion as himself in the past, which is the reason why the favored minister can deceive the monarch and cheat for personal gain. Therefore, the monarch must be deceived above, and the traitorous minister must hold power below, which is called the courtier who controls the monarch.
When the state has courtiers who control the monarch, the subordinates cannot give full play to their wisdom and strength to be loyal to the monarch, and officials at all levels cannot follow the legal system to establish merit. How do you understand this?
It is human nature to pursue what is safe and beneficial, and to avoid what is dangerous and harmful. Now the subordinates have tried their best to make meritorious deeds and devote their wisdom to allegiance, but as a result, they themselves are embarrassed and their families are poor, and both father and son have suffered calamity; Those who commit adultery and profit to deceive the monarch, and bribe to take refuge in high-ranking officials and important ministers, respect themselves, have a wealthy family, and both father and son get benefits; How can a person leave a safe and advantageous road and go to a dangerous and harmful place?
It is obvious enough that the ruler has reached such a wrong point, and the monarch hopes that there will be no evil below, and that the officials will obey the law, and it cannot be done. Therefore, knowing that loyalty and honesty cannot obtain peace and benefits, the close ministers will definitely say: "I serve the monarch with loyalty and honesty, and continue to make meritorious contributions to seek peace, which is equivalent to a blind man who wants to distinguish the truth between black and white, and must have no hope; If you follow the spell and follow the righteousness, do not go to the flames, but only serve the monarch and seek peace, this is equivalent to the deaf people want to distinguish the turbidity of the voice, let alone hopeless.
Neither of these practices will bring peace, so how can I not form gangs, deceive the monarch, and engage in treachery to cater to the important ministers? "Then the interests of the monarch must be disregarded. Officials at all levels also knew that it was impossible to seek peace by uprightness, and they would say: "I seek peace by serving the monarch with integrity, just as I want to draw a circle without rules, there is no hope; If you seek peace by abiding by the law, not forming a party for personal gain, and fulfilling your duties, it is like scratching your head with your feet, and there is no hope.
Neither of these practices can bring peace, can they not violate the law to cater to important ministers? "Then the decree of the monarch must be ignored. Therefore, there are more people who help important ministers for personal gain, and fewer people who serve the monarch according to the law. Therefore, the monarch is isolated at the top and the traitorous ministers form a dead party below, which is why Tian Cheng was able to kill Qi Jiangong.
A person who knows magic is a courtier, and can offer the idea of magic, to show the monarch's decree to the superiors, and to subdue the traitorous ministers, so as to respect the monarch and stabilize the country. Therefore, the idea of a spell can be given in and out, and the system of rewards and punishments can then be implemented.
When the monarch truly understands the magic of the saints, and does not accommodate the worldly speech, he will judge right and wrong according to the name and truth, and distinguish the speech according to the verification. Therefore, if I do not get rid of my treacherous deeds and serve the monarch with all my heart, but I want to seek peace by colluding with each other and criticizing each other, it is like falling into the abyss with a heavy burden and trying to escape, and there must be no hope." ”
Officials at all levels also knew that it was impossible to gain peace by committing adultery and selfishness, and they would surely say: "I don't need to be honest and upright to enforce the law, but I use my greedy and dirty mind to violate the law for personal gain, which is like falling from the top of a high mountain to the bottom of a deep valley and trying to escape, there must be no hope." "The stakes are so clear, how dare the ministers deceive the monarch with lies, and how dare the officials use greed to prey on the people? Thus, the courtier was able to express his loyalty without deceiving the monarch, and the official was able to be faithful to his duty without complaining. This is the reason why Guan Zhong can make the Qi State rule and Shang Ying can make the Qin State strong.
From this point of view, the sages govern the country in such a way that people are compelled to love me, and not rely on others to serve me out of love.
Relying on others to work for me out of love is dangerous. It depends on making people have to work for me to be safe.
There is no flesh and blood relationship between the monarch and the minister, and if the righteous attitude can benefit, the minister will do his best to serve the monarch; With an upright attitude, you can't ask for peace, and your subordinates will violate the monarch for personal gain.
Mingjun understands this truth, so he sets up rewards and punishments to show the world, that's all. Therefore, although the monarch does not personally educate the officials and does not search for evil with his own eyes, the country has been governed. As a monarch, it is not that the eyes are as sharp as Lilou, and the ears are not as sensitive as Shi Kuang. Suppose that the eye does not rely on the sovereign's spell, but does not think that it understands until it is seen with the eye, and sees less of it; This is not an undeceived approach.
Suppose that the ear does not rely on the power of the monarch, but does not think it is clear until it is heard with the own ear, and that there is less to hear; This is not an undeceived approach. As a Ming Jun, I have to make the world have to see and listen for me. Therefore, if you are in the deep palace and see the four seas, and the subjects of the world cannot be deceived and deceived, why? Because the methods of ignorance and confusion have been abolished, a situation of deafness and discerning has been formed.
Therefore, those who are good at taking advantage of the situation will have a stable country; If you don't know how to take advantage of the situation, the country will be in danger. In the customs of the ancient Qin State, the monarch and the ministers abolished the law and acted for personal gain, so the country was in turmoil and the army was weak and the monarch was weak. Shang Ying persuaded Qin Xiaogong to change the law and customs, advocate justice, reward adulterers, curb industry and commerce, and facilitate farming.
At this time, the Thai people were accustomed to the old custom that crimes could be pardoned and merits could be honored, so they easily violated the new law. So the punishment for those who violated the new law was severe and resolute, and the reward for those who denounced the evil was generous and trustworthy, so that there was no one who went undetected, and many were punished, and the people were resentful, and everyone's reproaches were heard every day. Qin Xiaogong ignored it and insisted on implementing Shang Ying's decree. Later, the people learned that those who were guilty would be punished, and there were many people who denounced adultery, so if the people did not dare to commit crimes, there was no target for punishment. Therefore, the country is peaceful and strong, the land is vast and the monarch is noble. Thailand is well governed because of the severe punishment for harboring criminals and the generous reward for denunciating adultery. This is also a way to make the people of the world become their own eyes and ears. The best statecraft is understood enough, but contemporary scholars do not understand it at all.
Besides, those stupid scholars of contemporary times do not understand the reality of governance and chaos, and will only quote ancient books endlessly to disrupt contemporary national governance; They are not resourceful enough to avoid traps, but they attack those who insist on their spells.
It is dangerous to listen to their words, it is chaotic to use their schemes, they are stupid people, and they are the most harmful people. They have the same reputation as those who insist on spells, but they are far from the same, and this is an example of the same name but different substance.
The comparison between a contemporary foolish scholar and a magician is as much a difference between a small mound and a large mountain mausoleum. As a saint, you can understand the truth of right and wrong, and see the truth of chaos. Therefore, when he governed the country, he made clear the laws and regulations, and set up severe punishments, which were used to relieve the people from the troubles, eliminate the disasters of the world, so that the strong did not bully the weak, the people did not invade the widows, the old people enjoyed their old age, the young children and orphans could grow up, the borders were not violated, the kings and ministers lived closely together, the father and son cared for each other, and there was no worry of death and capture, which is also the most important merit! Stupid people don't understand this, but see it as brutal. They want peace, but they oppose the way to achieve it. They all hate danger, but they like the causes of it.
How do you know this? Severe punishment is hated by the people, but it is also a method of governing the country; Pity the people for the reduction of punishment, which is preferred by the people, but it is also a way for the country to be in danger. When a saint rules the country by law, he must violate the world and conform to the truth. Those who understand will agree with principles and go against the world; Those who do not understand will go against their principles and agree with the world. There are few people in the world who understand, and this principle becomes wrong.
Isn't it very difficult to be in an unreasonable position, to be framed by everyone, to be drowned in the public opinion of the world, but to seek peace in front of a stern monarch! This is the reason why a magician cannot enjoy a reputation in society until he dies. King Chuzhuang's younger brother Chun Shenjun had a delirious name named Yu, and the son of Chun Shenjun's wife was named A.
Yu wanted Chun Shenjun to abandon his wife, so he destroyed his body himself to let Chun Shenjun see, and cried and said; "I feel very lucky to be your attendant. However, obedience to the lady will not serve you well, and obedience to you will not serve the good lady. I am not virtuous, I am not capable of satisfying both of you, and I cannot serve both of you well, so it is better to die before you than to die with my wife. After I die, if there are any more favored people around you, I hope you must be aware of this situation and not be laughed at. Chun Shenjun believed Yu's lies and abandoned his wife for her. Yu wanted to kill Jia and make his son the heir, so he tore the lining of his shirt himself, let Chun Shenjun see it and cry and said: "I have been favored by you for a long time, Jia doesn't know, and now he wants to force me to tease me." I argued with him so much that I tore my clothes.
There is nothing more serious than the unfilial piety of children. Chun Shenjun was furious and killed A. So the wife was abandoned because of Yu's lies, and the son died because of it. From this point of view, the father loves the son, and he will still be harmed by slander, and the relationship between the monarch and the minister is not as close as that of the father and son, and the slander of the ministers is not just a vain manipulation of right and wrong. No wonder the sages and saints are going to be killed! This is the reason why Shang Ying was torn apart in Qin and Wu Qi was dismembered in Chu. Whoever is a courtier does not want to be punished for his guilt, but he wants to be noble. And the saints govern the state, and the reward is not given to those who have no merit, and the punishment must be imposed on the sinful. In this case, then the sorcerer's personality would have been framed by the monarch's close servants and traitorous ministers, and a monarch who was not a wise monarch would not have adopted his ideas.
Contemporary scholars talk about the monarch, not "by virtue of their majesty and power to restrain the treacherous courtiers," but they all say that "benevolence, righteousness, benevolence and love are enough." The monarch appreciates the reputation of benevolence and righteousness without examining its substance, and as a result, the state is seriously destroyed, the monarch dies, the lesser land is lost, and the throne is humiliated.
How do you know this? Giving money to the poor is what the world calls righteousness. Pity the people, they can't bear to punish, this is the so-called love of the world. If it is necessary to give alms to the poor, then those who have no merit will be rewarded; Since they could not bear to be punished, then the riots could not be stopped. When the state has people who have no merit to be rewarded, the people are not committed to fighting and killing the enemy externally, and they are not working hard to cultivate at home, but are bent on bribing the powerful and establishing their reputation with their personal good deeds in order to gain high official favors. Therefore, there are more and more treacherous courtiers, and the rioters are becoming more and more rampant, what will the country do if it does not die?
Severe punishment is feared by the people, and severe punishment is hated by the people. Therefore, the saints set severe punishments to prohibit adultery and heavy punishments to prevent adultery, so that the country was stable and riots did not occur. From this, I know that benevolence, righteousness, and benevolence are not enough to be practiced, and severe punishment can govern the country. Without the power of the whip and the configuration of the horse's chew, even the father who is good at driving cannot tame the horse; There are no rules as a guideline, and the ink line is used for correction. Even the craftsman Wang Er could not draw a square circle; Without majestic power and decrees of rewards and punishments, even Yao Shun could not govern the country well. Contemporary monarchs are easy to give up heavy punishments and practice love and favor, but if they want to establish the cause of overlordship, there is no hope.
Therefore, be good at being a ruler of the land. Clearly set rewards and profits to encourage people, so that the people can be rewarded by meritorious deeds, rather than by the monarch's benevolence; Severe punishments were imposed to restrain people, so that the people would be punished for their sins instead of being forgiven by the monarch's benevolence. Therefore, those who do not succeed will not fantasize about being rewarded, and those who commit crimes will not get away with it.
Relying on strong carts and good horses, you can break through the dangers of steep slopes on land; With the stability of the boat and the role of the oars, the difficulties of crossing the river can be overcome on the water; Mastering the way of magic and imposing severe punishments can achieve the exploits of the overlord. There are magic rewards and punishments for governing the country, just as there are strong chariots and horses on the land routes, and light boats and oars on the waterways, and those who rely on them are successful.
Yi Yin mastered the spell and imposed rewards and punishments, so the mall became king; Guan Zhong mastered the spell and implemented rewards and punishments, so Duke Qi Huan became dominant; Shang Ying mastered a wide range of spells and imposed rewards and punishments, and the Qin state was thus strong.
These three people are all proficient in the magic of achieving overlords, and are familiar with the methods of governing the country and strengthening the army, and are not confined to secular preaching; If they conform to the wishes of the contemporary monarchs, they will be directly appointed by the men of cloth; When they govern the country in the position of minister, they receive the achievement of making the monarch dignified and the territory expanded: such people can be called respectable ministers.
Shang Tang got Yi Yin and became the Son of Heaven by virtue of the land of a hundred miles; Duke Huan of Qi got Guan Zhong and became the head of the five hegemons and the princes of Jiuhe. One Kuang world; Qin Xiaogong obtained a commercial target, and his territory expanded and his army became stronger. Therefore, with loyal ministers, the monarch does not have the worry of invasion of neighboring countries abroad, and there is no worry about traitorous ministers making trouble at home, and the world will be stable for a long time, and his reputation will be passed on to future generations, which is what is said to be a loyal minister. As for Yu Rang, as Zhibo's courtier, he could not persuade the monarch so that Zhibo could understand the truth of the magic system and avoid disasters, and he could not lead his subordinates to make the country stable. When Zhao Xiangzi killed Zhibo, Yu Rang painted his skin black, cut off his nose, and destroyed his face, in order to avenge Zhao Xiangzi on behalf of Zhibo.
Although this has a reputation for being loyal to the monarch by risking his life, it actually does not benefit Zhibo in the slightest. This is what I belittle, but when the monarch thinks he is loyal and respects him. In ancient times, there were two people, Boyi and Shuqi, and King Wu of Zhou gave the world to them, but they did not accept it, and finally starved to death on Shouyang Mountain. Courtiers like Yurang, Boyi, and Shuqi are not afraid of heavy punishments, do not want to be rewarded, cannot use punishments to restrict them, and cannot use rewards to support them, which is called useless courtiers. This is the man whom I despise and loathe, but whom the monarch of my day praises and seeks.
As the old saying goes, "Lepers have mercy on the monarch." "These are disrespectful words to the monarch.
However, there were no false proverbs in ancient times, and it is impossible not to examine them in detail. This sentence was addressed to the monarch who had been robbed and killed. The monarch does not use magic to control his subordinates, even if they are old and qualified, the ministers still have to deal with and decide things without permission, and they are busy with their own personal affairs, fearing that the monarch's relatives and heroic people will use the power of the monarch to restrain and punish themselves, so they kill the virtuous adult monarch and support the young and cowardly monarch, and abolish the authentic concubine and set up those who should not succeed to the throne.
Therefore, the "Zuo Biography" recorded: "The son of the king of Chu, Wai, visited Zheng Guo, and before he left the country, he heard that the king of Chu was seriously ill and returned to the imperial court." By going in to visit the sick, he strangled the king of Chu with the belt of his hat, so he set himself up as the king of Chu.
The wife of Cui Zhu of Qi was beautiful, and she committed adultery with King Qi Zhuang. Entered Cui Shu's house many times. When Zhuang Gong arrived again, Cui Zhu's retainer Jia Ju led Cui Zhu's men to attack Zhuang Gong. Zhuang Gong fled to the house and asked to divide the country equally with Cui Shu, but Cui Shu did not agree; Zhuang Gong asked to commit suicide in the temple, but Cui Zhu still did not agree; So Zhuang Gong fled and climbed over the north wall.
Jia Ju shot Zhuang Gong and hit him in the thigh, Zhuang Gong fell off the wall, and Cui Zhu's men hacked Zhuang Gong to death with Ge, and then Cui Zhu supported Zhuang Gong's younger brother Jing Gong as the monarch. "What I saw recently: Li Dui was in power in the state of Zhao, and King Wuling of Zhao was trapped for a hundred days and starved to death; Zhuo Ya was in power in the country of Qi, drew the tendons of the king of Qi, hung on the beam of the temple, and died overnight.
Therefore, although leprosy carbuncles are swollen and sore, compared with the Spring and Autumn Period, it is not enough to strangle the neck and shoot the legs; Compared with modern times, it is not starving to death and cramping.
Therefore, the sorrow of the hearts and the pain of the flesh of the monarchs who were robbed and killed must have surpassed those of the lepers. From this point of view, it is not unreasonable to say that "the lepers pity the monarch".