100 Historical Stories That Unlock Teenage Wisdom

Chapter 7

Chapter 16 Han Xin endured the humiliation and drilled into the crotch

——Those who achieve great things regardless of previous suspicions Those who achieve great things often have a very broad mind and can endure what ordinary people cannot bear.They devote all their energies to their own careers. When faced with insults and entanglements from others, they can endure and restrain themselves, protect themselves, and finally achieve a great career.

Han Xin, a general in the early Han Dynasty, was born in Huaiyin (now north of Huai'an, Jiangsu).When he was in his hometown, his family was poor and had no commendable virtues, so he could not become an official, and he could not engage in business to make a living, so he often ate at other people's homes, which was hated by others.There was a young man in Huaiyin who looked down on Han Xin, stopped him on the street, and said to Han Xin: "Although you are not small, you are good at carrying a sword, but you are actually a coward. If you are not afraid of death, draw your sword and stab me; if you are afraid of death, follow me." Get under his crotch." Han Xin stared at him for a long time, but still lowered his head and crawled under his crotch.Everyone laughed at Han Xin, thinking that Han Xin was really a coward.

In March of the second year of Qin II (208 BC), Xiang Liang led 8000 children from Jiangdong across the river to attack Qin from the west.After crossing the Huai River and arriving in Huaiyin, Han Xin joined Xiang Liang's army, but no one knew about Han Xin's talent.After Xiang Liang died in battle, Han Xin belonged to Xiang Yu again, and Xiang Yu didn't know his talent, so he only served as a doctor.Han Xin advised Xiang Yu several times, but Xiang Yu refused to use it. Therefore, he was going to leave Xiang Yu and find another master.In April of the first year of the Han Dynasty (206 BC), Xiang Yu only asked Liu Bang to bring 3 people to his fief Hanzhong (now Nanzheng, Shaanxi) after enfeoffing the princes.Liu Bang followed Zhang Liang's strategy and burned the plank roads he passed along the way. On the one hand, he guarded against the attacks of other princes, and on the other hand, he also expressed to Xiang Yu that he had no intention of returning to the East.Han Xin observed carefully and believed that among the princes, only Liu Bang could become a great weapon, so when Liu Bang led his team to Hanzhong, he fled from Xiang Yu's army to Liu Bang's army.At the beginning, he was a minor official in Liu Bang's army, and he violated the military order and was about to be beheaded.The 13 people who broke the law at the same time as Han Xin had been killed, and it was Han Xin's turn soon. Han Xin looked up and saw Xia Houying, and said loudly to Xia Houying, "Don't you want to win the world? Why do you want to kill a strong man?" Xia Houying At the words of Yingqi Han Xin, and seeing Han Xin's handsome appearance, he released him.As soon as Xia Houying talked with Han Xin, he admired Han Xin's talent very much, so he recommended Han Xin to Liu Bang.Liu Bang didn't care about it, he only worshiped Han Xin as the captain of Zhisu, and was in charge of the storage and supply of military materials.

Later, Han Xin talked with Xiao He several times, and Xiao He admired Han Xin's talent very much.After Liu Bang arrived in Nanzheng, all the generals and soldiers under his command missed their hometown, sang folk songs of their hometown, and wanted to go back to their hometown.Many people fled halfway.Han Xin guessed that Xiao He had already told Liu Bang several times, but Liu Bang didn't use himself, so he also found a chance to escape.When Xiao He heard that Han Xin had escaped, he had no time to report to Liu Bang, so he hurriedly chased him on horseback alone.Someone said to Liu Bang: "Prime Minister Xiao He has escaped." When Liu Bang heard this, he was furious, as if he had lost his left and right hands, and turned around in a hurry.Two days later, Xiao He came back to meet Liu Bang. Liu Bang was angry and happy at the same time, scolded Xiao He and said, "You also ran away, why?" Xiao He said, "I dare not run away, I am going after the runaway." Liu Bang asked: "Who are you going after?" Xiao He replied that it was Han Xin.Upon hearing this, Liu Bang scolded: "There are dozens of generals who escaped. You didn't chase after Han Xin, but you are deceiving me!" Xiao He said: "Those generals are easy to get. As for Han Xin, the country is unparalleled. If the king is the king of Hanzhong forever, then there is no need to appoint Han Xin. If you want to fight for the world, no one can discuss this matter except Han Xin. It depends on what the king decides!" Liu Bang said: "I also want to go back to Shandong, how can I Do you always stay here?" Xiao He said, "If you want to go back to Shandong, you must use Han Xin, and Han Xin will stay; if you can't reuse Han Xin, he will still run away." Liu Bang said: "I think it's for your sake Come on, let him be a general." Xiao He said: "Although Han Xin is a general, he will not stay." Liu Bang said: "Then let him be a general!" Xiao He said: "That's great." So Liu Bang sent an order to send him Han Xin summoned him to pay homage to the general, Xiao He said: "Your Majesty has always been arrogant and rude. If you want to do obeisance to a General now, if you are still so contemptuous, Han Xin will still run away. If your Majesty must worship him as a General, you should choose a good day, fast, and set up a mandala. Please pay respects, and then I will bow." Liu Bang agreed.When the news of worshiping the general came out, all the generals were happy, and everyone thought they could be a general.But when it was time to worship, it was Han Xin who worshiped, and the whole army was shocked.

After the general obeisance ceremony, Liu Bang invited Han Xin to sit down, and then said: "Prime Minister Xiao He recommended the general to the widow several times, what good plan will the general come up with for the widow?" Han Xin quickly thanked him, and asked Liu Bang: "Now, the king is fighting for power in the east. Is Xiang Yu the main opponent in the world?" Liu Bang said: "Yes." Han Xin asked again: "Your Majesty, in terms of bravery, benevolence, etc., is your Majesty comparable to Xiang Yu?" Liu Bang was silent for a long time, and said: "Why not?" He." Han Xin bowed down again, and congratulated: "I also think that the king is inferior to Xiang Yu. But I have worked under him. Please let me talk about Xiang Yu's character. People can be enemies, but they cannot appoint talented generals, so this is just the courage of ordinary people. When Xiang Yu saw people, he was respectful and loving, and his words were gentle. When people were sick, Xiang Yu shed tears and ate with the sick people; The person who deserves the merits of the enfeoffment will not be willing to give the seal after playing it badly. This is the so-called benevolence of a woman. Although Xiang Yu dominates the world and the princes submit to him, he does not live in Guanzhong and uses Pengcheng as his capital; he also betrayed the original covenant of King Huai of Chu. It is extremely unfair to enfeoff all the people dear to one's heart as vassals; when enfeoffing, the original owner of the land is expelled and the land is entrusted to his own generals, and Emperor Yi is moved away. The King of Han sends troops to the east. I can defeat Xiang Yu." The king of Han became more and more happy when he heard it, and only regretted not discovering this talent sooner.

After that, Han Xin commanded the soldiers and drilled the soldiers and horses, and the conditions for the Eastern Expedition to Xiang Yu gradually matured.

Wisdom Interpretation:

As the saying goes, there is a knife on the head of the word forbearance. Yes, forbearance requires perseverance and an open mind. Since ancient times, heroes have suffered a lot, so every hero has to go through a period of gloom that ordinary people cannot bear before becoming a hero. A hero admired by the world is a "bear" who can't get over it.

Whether a person can achieve great things depends on how he looks at the past and how he faces the malicious humiliation of others. Regardless of the past, it is a kind of courage, and it is also a kind of ability. To be able to realize shame and then be brave, will eventually be appreciated, soaring into the sky, To win the respect of others and everything needs to have the strength worthy of others' admiration.

Therefore, when communicating and communicating in any era, you must remember: your own development is the last word!

(End of this chapter)