Master Kong Zhongni

Chapter 269 The Teaching of Yan Zi
In the western suburbs of Linzi, on Niu Mountain.

Several chariots drove side by side, chasing a frightened and fleeing deer.

Qi Hou stood on the carriage as steady as Mount Tai, and saw that he was holding a sandalwood bow, his left eye was closed tightly, his right eye was aiming, he held his breath, and suddenly shot an arrow.

The sound of breaking through the air followed, and only a mournful deer cry was heard, and the deer fled limping into the forest with an arrow in its leg.

Seeing this, Marquis Qi hurriedly shouted to the subordinates around him: "All encircle, don't let it escape!"

The retinues took the emperor's order, and rushed up into the woods in a chariot.

Driving in the forest was not easy, some of them jumped out of the carriage directly, planning to race with the deer.

Qihou wondered where his prey had gone, but the dense woods also blocked his sight.

Just when Marquis Qi was about to order the imperial guard to follow in, someone from the rear suddenly reported.

"Your Majesty, the doctor Yan Ying is waiting at the Shou Palace."

When Qi Hou heard that Yan Zi was coming, the corners of his eyes twitched, and then he managed to force a smile.

"What a coincidence that Master Yan came here! I hunted a lot of treasures today, and I can ask Master to share them with me later."

After finishing speaking, he turned his head and told the subordinates beside him: "I will move all my things to the Shou Palace later. Master Yan is here, I can't keep him waiting."

Near Niu Mountain on the outskirts of Linzi is a special hunting ground for successive monarchs of Qi.

The Shou Palace on the top of Niushan Mountain was built nearby by Marquis Qi for the convenience of hunting.

As the spiritual and material successor of Duke Huan of Qi, Marquis Qi has held high the great banner of 'making Qi great again' since he succeeded to the throne.

On the other hand, there is no lack of development in "personal expertise", and he has also blazed his own unique path.

Huan Gong'rabbits only eat grass beside the nest', but Qihou is not interested in 'grass', he is only interested in rabbits.

In terms of material and spiritual aspects, Qi Hou insisted on "grasping with both hands, and both hands are still strong", which can be described as a comprehensive development of "moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic and labor".

But his development made Yanzi develop hairy.

For Yanzi, perhaps in a certain sense, Qihou is not as good as "eating grass" like Duke Huan!

After all, 'grazing' is not as expensive as hunting.

Qi Hou built a high platform in the palace, and Yan Zi had to give him a few words of irony, and the longevity palace on Niushan Mountain was much more expensive than the high platform, so how could he agree?
But Yanzi's disapproval doesn't mean that Marquis Qi can't build it. After all, he is the Marquis of Qi who has the final say on the one-third of an acre of land in Qi.

As for how to avoid a direct conflict with Yanzi, it is necessary to pay attention to the method of operation.

To deal with this situation, Qihou usually chooses to cook raw rice into mature rice.

First find a reason to pay Yanzi, such as sending him to a foreign country as a recruiter.

As long as Yan Zi is not around, the remaining officials in the country, whether it is Guo Xia, Gao Zhang, or Tian Qi, Bao Guo, etc., will not have trouble with him in this matter.

But correspondingly, Guo Xia and the others will not firmly stand on his side. After all, in Qi, there are only two kinds of people who can make Yan Zi speak politely.

The first type is the monarch of Qi State, or a person with similar power to the monarch.

The second type is the people of Qi State.

As for the officials of the Qi State, they have always been Yan Zi's key targets.

And there is another characteristic of Yan Zi's cursing, that is, he never gossips behind his back.

If Yanzi wants to scold, he must scold in person, not only in front of you, the most important thing is that he also likes to start a group when Qihou is also present.

However, his scolding is still coherent and logical, and he is also a model of morality, so there is no black spot on his whole body.

So when everyone is scolded, they can only endure it. If they dare to say a word to Yan Zi, they will wait to be stabbed in the back by the Chinese.

Most importantly, Marquis Qi respects Yan Zi as much as Duke Huan respects Guan Zhong.

Given the situation, the other doctors would not be willing to offend Yanzi unless they had to.
The Qihou people hadn't arrived at the Shou Palace yet, and they were already worried about how Yan Zi would evaluate his operation of building the Li Palace.

Yi Qian, who has been with Qihou all the year round, saw through his thoughts, so he asked: "Is your lord worried about how to face Yanzi in a while?"

When Qihou heard this, he immediately asked, as if grasping at a straw, "Do you have a solution?"

The descendant said: "Your Majesty is getting old. If you want to enjoy yourself in the future, you may not be able to open the bow and arrow in your hand. You are the king of a country. How can you build a simple palace and temporarily live in it while hunting?" Is it extravagance and waste?

Yanzi is also old, and he has to take a carriage when he travels, and he needs to use a cane when he walks.Each court meeting lasted a little longer, and after the end, if no one helped Yan Fuzi, he would not be able to get up.

As long as you can explain this truth to him clearly, he will surely understand you. "

Hearing this, Marquis Qi hesitated and said, "Although that's what I said. But I'm afraid Yanzi will use Shi Kuang of Jin as an example to me!
Once upon a time when I first came to the throne, I went to the Kingdom of Jin with Yan Zi to worship.

As soon as Yan Zi arrived in the state of Jin, he went to discuss with Shi Kuang of the state of Jin the etiquette that should be adopted when the kings of the two countries meet, but happened to bump into Duke Ping of Jin talking with Shi Kuang.

Jin Pinggong said to Shi Kuang: "I am 70 years old. I am afraid it is too late to study." '

Shi Kuang said, "Then why don't you light the candle?" '

Jin Pinggong said: "Master, is this teasing the widow?"How can a courtier tease the monarch? '

Shi Kuang said: "How can I, who is blind, dare to tease the monarch?"I heard that when I was young, I liked to study, and it was as bright as the sun when it first rises.In middle age, I like to study, as strong as the sun's rays at noon.Learning in old age is like holding a candle for light. Which is better, walking with a candle or walking in the dark?'

Jin Pinggong said: "That's really good!" '

For this reason, Yan Fuzi admired Shi Kuang's virtuousness and Jin Pinggong's respect.

At that time, the widow had just succeeded to the throne, and he was afraid that his virtue and ability were not enough to lead Qi, so Master Yan told me about it.

Use this to encourage and urge the widows not to slack off. It is never too late to sharpen your talents and cultivate your virtues.

Yan Fuzi is also a person who never slacks off like Shi Kuang, he probably won't feel that the standard can be lowered just because the widow is getting older! "

After hearing the words, Yi Qian replied: "Since a positive reply doesn't work, why don't you use another method?"

Qihou asked curiously, "How do you say that?"

Yi Qian glanced around, then lowered his voice and came forward: "Listen to me, after seeing Mrs. Yan later, you will..."

……

In front of the steps of the Shou Palace, the soldiers in charge of guarding the palace gate stood upright and straight as arrows.

However, among the group of eight-foot men, the most eye-catching one was the neatly dressed old man with a height of less than six feet and white beard and hair.

Yanzi raised his eyes to look at the brand new palace in front of him, and then at the followers who were carrying the prey back and forth, and only let out a long sigh.

When the soldiers heard this, they couldn't bear it.

Everyone in Qi knew that Yanzi was running around for the country, but with a simple life, he saw the big work that Marquis Qi had done for him as soon as he returned to the country.

Ten Yanzi, but one Qihou can't be spared!

The soldiers said one after another: "Yanzi, you are getting old, why don't you wait in the palace?"

Yanzi heard this, but he just waved his hands, shook his head and said, "I've only heard of the principle that the king receives his courtiers in the palace. How can there be courtiers waiting for the king in the palace? This is not in accordance with etiquette."

The soldier persuaded: "But you are a sage and gentleman in our country, and you are also an elder. And you are only hiding from the sun in the palace. The king will definitely not blame you."

Hearing this, Yan Zi still shook his head: "In the past, the Son of Heaven wanted to receive Guan Zhong according to Shangqing's standard, but he refused three times, and finally only accepted Xiaqing's etiquette.

With the virtuous ability of Guan Zhong and Jiuhe princes and hegemony, he can't go beyond etiquette.Now my ability is not as good as Guan Zhong, how can I cross the boundary between monarch and minister?
Although I really don't like the cumbersome etiquette that Kong Zhongni of the State of Lu admired, but what he said when he met the monarch was not wrong.

Monarchs, ministers, fathers, sons, sons, a king should behave like a king, and a minister should behave like a minister.

Now the monarch of our country is no longer what a monarch should be. If I can no longer set an example among my courtiers, Qi will really be in danger. "

Hearing this, the soldiers knew that Yanzi could not be persuaded.

He was about to ask the driver to drive the carriage closer, and use the canopy on the carriage to shield Yan Zi from the sun, but before he could speak, he saw the Qihou chariot rolling towards him.

He shouted in surprise: "Master Yan, the monarch is back."

Yan Zi turned around, and was about to wait for the car to approach before leaning over to pay respects.

Unexpectedly, just as he bent down, he heard Qi Hou's trembling, slightly crying voice.

"Master Yan, hurry up and get up."

Yan Zi looked up, Qi Hou's eyes were slightly red, and the corners of his eyes were still moist, as if he had just shed tears.

He couldn't help wondering: "Why are you crying?"

Qi Hou first sighed, then pointed to the distant cliff.

Yan Zi followed his pointing direction, and on the distant skyline was the ever-flowing Zishui River, the fertile mulberry fields, and the endless stream of people in Linzi.

With tears in his eyes, Marquis Qi said emotionally, "The mountains and rivers of Qi State, and the scenery of Linzi are really magnificent!

Like the rolling river of a white dragon, the vegetation is thick and lush, why should the widow leave this country with the passage of time and die?

How wonderful it would be if there had been no death since ancient times!Where can I go if I leave this place? "

Yi Kui also wept and said: "Relying on the gift of the monarch, we can eat some simple meals and meat, and we can ride in a horse-drawn chariot. That's all. We don't want to die yet, let alone you, the monarch Woolen cloth!"

Yanzi hadn't figured out what kind of medicine was sold in Qihou's gourd.

As a result, when the two of them opened their mouths, Yan Zi laughed angrily.

Seeing Yanzi laughing, Qihou couldn't hold back his tears. He pretended to wipe away his tears and asked, "Master, don't you think that dying is a very sad thing when you are approaching old age? Why do you want to die?" Are you kidding?"

Yan Zi saluted and said: "Birth, old age, sickness and death are the laws of heaven. It has been like this since ancient times. Why do you feel sad about it?
Everyone has to experience two major events in their life, one is life and the other is death. This is a happy event worth celebrating, and you should be happy for him! "

Qi Hou frowned.

Everyone fears death, especially those in positions of power.

Qihou usually hates others mentioning old age and death in front of him. If it wasn't for fooling around, he wouldn't take the initiative to mention these things today.

But now Yanzi actually said that death is worth celebrating. Did he know about the afterlife?
Qi Hou was aroused by Yan Zi's curiosity, so he asked: "Why is death worth celebrating? And why are you laughing?"

Yan Zi replied unhurriedly: "If there is no death, then a wise monarch must be able to own his country for a long time.

In this way, the monarchs of Qi State must be Taigong and Huangong.

If a valiant monarch can hold his own country for a long time, then the current monarchs will be Duke Zhuang and Duke Ling.

Although Qi State is big, it must not be enough for them to govern with so many wise and brave monarchs.

Talented as Tai and Huan, brave as Zhuang and Ling, they still cannot guarantee their own country.

How can you get the position of the monarch and become the monarch?

If you don't get the position of the monarch, then a monarch like you can only stand in the field wearing a coir raincoat and a bamboo hat, busy with heavy farm work, how can there be leisure time to think about death?

The reason why you can become the king of Qi State is because the ancestors became kings one by one, and then died one after another, and it was your turn.

You have benefited from death, so it’s okay not to thank it, but to shed tears for it, which is not righteous.

I saw the unkind and unrighteous monarch, and I saw the flattering ministers.

I saw these two kinds of people, so I just laughed in private! "

Originally, Qi Hou thought that Yan Zi had something to say about ghosts and gods, but unexpectedly, he took the opportunity to criticize him for being full of food and pretending to be here every day.

After Yan Zi finished speaking, he raised his finger and pointed to an old man in coarse linen clothes passing by with firewood on his back.

The old man was about the same age as Marquis Qi, but his body was thinner by more than a circle. His thin face had high cheekbones, and the firewood he was carrying was half a head taller than his height.

Yan Zi said: "If you didn't die, you should be like him, building gorgeous palaces for Taigong and Huangong, and carrying firewood heavier than your own weight to fuel their barbecue.

And now that you are freed from such drudgery, from such cares, are you not satisfied? "

Qi Hou originally wanted to empathize with Yan Zi, but he was turned back by the other party.

But looking at the old man's back bent by the firewood, he really wasn't in the mood to argue with the other party.

He wept and sighed, "Hey, it's my fault that there are such miserable people in my country! Please issue an order for me to order the officials to support him and exempt him from hard labor!" "

Hearing this, Yanzi finally had a smile on his face: "I heard that you are happy when you meet a virtuous person, and pity you when you meet an unworthy person. This is the foundation of maintaining the country. And you love the elderly like this, it is even more important to govern the country. fundamental."

Qi Hou heard the words and laughed through his tears, with a look of joy on his face.

Yanzi saw it, so he took the opportunity to say: "When a wise monarch meets a sage, he will be happy for all sages, and when he meets an unworthy person, he will feel pity for all unworthy people. So please, my lord. Order to find out all those who are old and weak and have no support, widows and widows who have no property, and provide them with food and clothing after examining the facts."

Qihou immediately said: "Yes."

(End of this chapter)