King Chu Zhao was a monarch of credit. One day, when King Chu Zhao was happily traveling to Yun Mengze, he asked the two Aiji, Cai Ji and Yue Ji, whether they would like to be so happy all their lives and die the same? Cai Ji and Yue Ji's answers are very different. Later, just as the young and heroic King Chu Zhao was facing death, the performance of the two concubines was also quite surprising!
Spring and Autumn Warring States
< h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" >01 life and death? </h1>
Xiong Zhen (熊珍, the King of Chu Zhao, surname 芈, c. 523 BC – 489 BC), was the son of King Chuping, who succeeded to the throne at the age of ten, reigned for twenty-seven years, and died in his thirties. King Chu Zhao had two concubines, one was Cai Ji from the small state of Cai Guo, and the other was Yue Ji, the daughter of Yue Wang Gu Jian. King Chu Zhao's two concubines often accompanied the attendants, but their styles were very different.
Once, King Zhao traveled to the Inner Sea Yun Mengze of the Chu Kingdom, and the two concubines accompanied him, Cai Ji on the left and Yue Ji on the right. King Zhao was very excited, and personally rode a horse cart in Zebian Hirano, and his pottery was happy! Then, they came to the magnificent shrine platform, where King Zhao and the two Aiji got off the carriage and took the stage to look at the beautiful scenery of yunmengze forest and watch the scholars and masters happily chasing and hunting.
Lady Ji
At this time, King Zhao looked at the two Aiji on the left and the right, and asked them, "Are you happy?" ”
Cai Ji replied, "Very happy! ”
King Zhao said, "The widow wishes to be as happy as you are now all his life, and the same will be true after death." ”
Cai Ji replied, "In the past, the kings of small countries with concubines made the people as horses' feet and the concubines as gifts, comparing the situation to those things. King Chu Zhao, looking at the accompanying Shi Guan, asked him to write down Cai Ji Xuruo's words that he would die with the king.
Then, King Chu Zhao turned his head and asked Yue Ji the same thing.
Chu Zhaoyue Ji
Yue Ji replied, "Happiness is very happy, but you can't play feast all the time." ”
King Zhao said, "The widow wishes to be as happy as you are now all his life, and the same is true when he dies." Wouldn't you like to? ”
This time, Yue Ji said her inner thoughts, which were meaningful: "In the past, the former king Zhuang Wang once had sex for three years and did not listen to political affairs, and finally the first king was able to change and move to the good, and finally dominate the world." The concubines thought that our king would change this style of indulgence and pleasure-seeking and be diligent in government affairs. Instead of it, the died for fun. Therefore, how can a concubine promise! Moreover, the king of Wu married a concubine with a dowry, and the king's family had the mission of inheriting the lifeblood of Emperor Yuanzong and the Temple of Glory, so they did not meet to die. Moreover, the concubines heard from female elders that if the concubines wished to die to show the goodness of the king, they could gain the favor of the king, and they never heard that dying with the confused king could show glory. Therefore, the concubines did not dare to obey orders. ”
King of Chu
After King Chu Zhao listened, he had a realization, he respected Yue Ji for saying such a truth, however, he still loved Cai Ji who was having fun with him.
< h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" >02 the current test of death</h1>
On that day, Shi Guan wrote down Cai Ji's words that "promised to die with the king", what was the result? Did Cai Ji really keep her promise? And later, why did Yue Ji want to die for King Zhao? History shows the opportunity for the Chu people and future generations to verify. It was after King Chu Zhao had been the King of Chu for twenty-five years, and he was young and strong enough to encounter the test of death.
The State of Wu sent troops to cut down Chen, and the State of Chu was also affected. Because King Chu Zhao's ancestor had sworn an alliance with Chen Guo, King Chu Zhao sent troops to save Chen. When King Chu Zhao's expedition, Cai Ji and Yue Ji also followed. However, King Zhao, who was in his prime, fell seriously ill in the military camp. During his illness, King Zhao saw the sight of "Yun'er like a large flock of red crows, flying with the sun", which made him even more worried.
Red Dark Morning Danger
Three days later, King Zhao sent emissaries to see Zhou Taishi, describing the matter in detail and asking for the corresponding methods.
Zhou Taishi told the emissary that this dream meant that the king of Chu would have a calamity coming, and that he could set up a sacrifice and transfer the calamity to the minister of state to eliminate the calamity.
After the emissaries returned the favor to King Zhao, the generals of the State of Chu requested to take the blame for King Zhao in order to eliminate king Zhao's calamity, but King Zhao did not allow it. He said to the ministers and generals who were accompanying him: "To the widow, you are like the legs of the widow, the arms of the widow, and now if the evil of the widow's henchmen is moved to the legs and arms, will the curse not still be on the widow?" King Zhao also said, "If the widow will die this time, it is caused by the widow's excessive sexual pleasure in the past!" ”
Yue Ji, who was beside him, silently listened to King Zhao's decision and said, "My king has great virtue!" Therefore, the concubines were willing to die with the king. In the past, the journey of cloud dreams was playful, so the concubines did not dare to agree to die together. Now that my king has returned to himself, all the people of my country will die for my king, not to mention the concubines! At this time, Yue Ji immediately pleaded, "Please let the concubines die before the king!" ”
Make fun
King Zhao said, "In the old days, when I was playing, it was the words of the game of the widow. If he must die this time, it will highlight the immorality of the widow. ”
Yue Ji said, "Although the former concubines did not say that they would die with the king, they had already acquiesced in their hearts. The concubines heard that those who believed did not live up to their hearts, and those who had righteousness did not perfunctory. The concubines will die for the righteousness of my king, not for the amusement of my king. Therefore, Yue Ji committed suicide and went to righteousness.
Not long after, King Xue of Chu Zhao was in the army, and Cai Ji did not fulfill her promise after all, and did not die with King Chu Zhao. Cai Ji only performed oral favors, yue Ji performed rituals, and the difference in moral realm was like clouds and mud, and the Chu state was full of jiamei Yue ji's righteousness.
Bear Chapter
Before his death, King Zhao wanted to give way to the three brothers, but they all resigned. King Lu, a disciple of King Chu Zhao, discussed with Zixi and Ziqi the candidates for succession to the throne, saying, "If a mother has faith, her children must have benevolence." So they set up King Zhao and Xiong Zhang, the son of Yue Ji, and made him King Hui. Then the soldiers returned to bury King Zhao.
Liu Xiang said that Yue Ji's death was like the portrayal of the verse in the Book of Poetry: "Deyin Mo violates, and Er dies with him".
Source: Biography of the Daughters of The Lady of the Column
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Tomb of the King of Chu