Know all about the secrets of the harem

Chapter 33
After much deliberation, Yiwu had the cheek to ask Qin Mugong to borrow food. Without even thinking about it, Qin Mugong said, "You still owe me a lot! Still borrowing? No borrowing, no discussion!" Uncle Baili Xijian looked at it and tried to persuade him "It's true that Jin Huigong is a bastard, but what crimes are the people of Jin? If he repents and refuses to pay back, in the future, if there is an argument, he will completely stand on our side." Qin Mugong is a person who does big things, and he will not refuse if there is reason, so he suppressed the pain in his heart. Disgusted and disgusted, he agreed to Jin Huigong Yiwu's request.

When he retreated back to the harem and saw Mu Ji waiting anxiously, he couldn't help sighing. His wife had done too much for Jin, and he did the same. It's a pity that good people don't always get rewarded.

He hurriedly told his wife that he had agreed to lend food to the state of Jin, and asked her not to worry any more.Mu Ji was overjoyed, and cried, "I know that you are a powerful person, and the Jin people are finally saved." Seeing his wife's happy smile, Mu Gong said with a smile: "If the widow doesn't borrow money, what will my wife do?" Mu Ji said seriously: "My concubine is originally from the state of Jin. When the country is in trouble, I will never run away. If the master does not borrow food, I am willing to go through this difficulty with the people of Jin." The implication is to go on a hunger strike.Mu Gong was very upset, but fortunately Uncle Baili Xi Jian persuaded him in time, otherwise, he didn't know what to do.He believes that his beloved wife can do what she says, and he can't lose this virtuous wife no matter what, and the people of Qin will not be willing to lose this mother who is truly respectful to the world.

But finally, Qin Mugong and Jin Huigong turned their faces, this time he really couldn't bear it.

God also likes to joke more. In the second year when Qin State lent grain to Jin State, they themselves encountered a great famine.What about Jin?But it was a bumper harvest this year.Duke Mu of Qin naturally remembered that the state of Jin had borrowed grain the previous year, and he hurriedly sent someone to urge them to return the grain.Unexpectedly, Jin Huigong not only refused to return, but instead made trouble, and took the opportunity to entangle Liang Guo to attack Qin State.

Not only Qin Mugong, but all the people of Qin State were furious. The Qin people were brave and good at fighting, fierce and brutal enough, how could they have suffered this kind of anger?Stimulated by this, everyone geared up one after another, vowing to risk their lives, and to teach the Jin people a lesson.Duke Hui of Jin originally thought that there was a food panic in the Qin State Council and the combat effectiveness was greatly reduced, so he invaded Qin with all his troops, hoping to take advantage of the opportunity.I don't want Qin Bing's morale to be high, and they are all angry at the crown. From the generals to the soldiers on my side, they all feel that they have eaten other people's food to live until today, and they will raise their swords in the blink of an eye. Not very hard.As a result of the war, the Jin army was defeated, and Jin Huigong himself was captured alive by the Qin army.

Qin Mugong ordered people to tie up the ungrateful brother-in-law Wuhuada, cursed happily, and said that after returning to the country, he would kill him as a sacrifice to the heavens, so as to relieve his hatred.

When I didn't want to reach the capital two or three miles away, I saw a group of Qin officials' servants in mourning clothes coming in a file.

Duke Mu of Qin was shocked. Ever since the Qin and Jin countries were preparing to go to war, his wife Mu Ji had been depressed. She didn't persuade him because it was her unworthy elder brother who started the war. No matter who wins the war, Whoever loses is destined to be the one who suffers the most.

"No accident happened to her, right?" Qin Mugong's heart was pounding.

The group of servants came and knelt down in front of Duke Mu, and the leader said: "Madam said: God sent a disaster, so that the two kings of Qin and Jin will abandon their good ones and go to the army. The king's gain is the shame of the maidservant. If the king, you must take Jin You should be brought back to the capital as a prisoner. When he enters the city, it will be the time when the servant girl commits suicide. If you forgive him, it is equivalent to forgiving the life of the servant girl. Please judge yourself!"

Mu Gong was frightened immediately. He had expected her to react, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.He quickly asked: "How is Madam now?" The waiter said: "Since Madam learned the news that the Marquis of Jin was captured, she took the crown prince, second son, and little princess to wear mourning clothes and walked to the back garden to Chongtai. He piled up firewood for several feet. Madam ordered that once Jinjun entered the city, he would immediately ask people to set fire to himself to show brother and sister love."

This time, not only Mu Gong, but also the ministers on the left and right became anxious.The mother of the country, the prince, the son, and the princess set themselves on fire and died together, which is too much for the loss.Jin Huigong died, and the people of Jin could still establish another monarch, but Qin would lose the crown prince and wife, and would definitely form a deadly enemy of Jin.Qin Mugong thought to himself, Madam, this is too ruthless, using his heart and soul as a bargaining chip, a prince, a young son, and the most beloved little princess Nongyu, this is simply killing him.

He hurriedly said to his servant: "The widow will not embarrass Jinjun, but invite him to Qin as a guest, and he will be sent back in a decent manner soon. You go back and tell Madam, let her take the prince and the others back to the official. Don't worry." Mu Ji believed that her husband was a man of his word, and after hearing the servant's reciprocation, she brought her children back to the rear official and lifted the mourning clothes.

For her natal family, she has done too much. It is said that the married daughter poured out water, but her basin of water has always been attached to her homeland, her father and brother.

The servants on the left and right felt displeased for his wife, and said one after another: "The Marquis of Jin has betrayed his promise. He has not only failed our king, but also failed your entrustment, madam. Now he has come to this end because of his own fault. Madame, you plead for him like this. It is really inappropriate." worth."

Mu Ji sighed, and said: "As the saying goes, a benevolent man never forgets his relatives even though he complains, and never abandons courtesy even though he is angry. No matter how bad the Marquis of Jin is, he will always be my elder brother and the king of Jin. If he dies at the hands of the people of Qin , How can I be worthy of the ancestors of the Jin Kingdom?" Hearing this, the servants all praised Madam for her virtue and general knowledge.

Duke Hui of Jin thought he was doomed, so he scolded his sister Mu Ji for not helping her.Later, when I learned the truth, I felt ashamed.

Since then, the Qin and Jin countries have lived in peace for several years.Mu Ji's actions finally provoked a little bit of shame in her elder brother.Feeling ashamed, he took the initiative to cede to Qin the five cities he promised before the Jin Dynasty, and left Prince Yu as a hostage in Qin.Then, he went back to his Jin country to be the king, and never dared to blatantly attack Qin's idea, although the two families were still competing in secret.

Prince Yu of Jin had Mu Ji to take care of him everywhere in Qin State, and his life was not bad.In order to continue the friendship between Qin and Jin, Mu Ji asked Duke Mu of Qin to marry Huaiying, a beauty from Qin's clan, as his wife.Huai Ying is not only beautiful, but also as knowledgeable and reasonable as Mu Ji, he is the best candidate for marriage.

Seven or eight years passed in a flash, and Jin Huigong, who had been the monarch for 14 years, finally fell ill.

Yu was just as thoughtful as his father, he was restless when he got the news of Mr Hui's serious illness, since he was not in the country, if the old man died and someone took the opportunity to replace him, wouldn't he have suffered a great loss?Even if he succeeds to the throne at that time, the Qin people forced him to sign an unequal treaty in advance and firmly controlled him, it would not be much better.After much deliberation, he thought of running away.

Yu and Huaiying have a very good relationship. He wants to run away but is reluctant to leave his wife behind.In the evening, she quietly told Huaiying about her plan, and persuaded her to go with her.When Huaiying heard this, tears came down immediately, and he said: "You are the prince of a country, and it is only natural that you want to go back to your own country to do great things. My lord ordered me to marry you in order to keep you in the Qin Guo. If I leave with you, I will be sorry for my lord. Therefore, I can't leave, but I won't reveal your whereabouts, so you should make arrangements early!"

Yu tried to persuade him again and again, but Huaiying just cried and remained silent.In the end, he had to escape quietly by himself.When Qin Mugong found out, he was furious. After scolding Yu, he scolded Huaiying again.After all, he was not reconciled. Not long after, he heard that Jin Gongzi Chonger, the elder brother of Jin Huigong, was in Chu State, so he took him over and planned to make him the lord of Jin State.

In Mu Ji's heart, she also respects her virtuous elder brother, Chong Er. The reason why she helped Yiwu to become king at the beginning was based on the premise of Chong Er's refusal.But now it's different, Chong'er is willing to return to China to succeed him.When she heard that Chong'er was coming, she was full of joy, since Duo Jin was finally about to usher in a truly new beginning.

Chong'er did not disappoint her. With the support of Qin State, he won the throne of Jin State for Duke Wen of Jin.However, what Mu Ji didn't expect was that, relying on a solid foundation and the talented Chong'er as the king, plus a group of talents such as Hu Mao, Hu Yan, Zhao Shuai, Xian Zhen, etc., the state of Jin has skyrocketed all the way. The relationship with the state of Qin became more and more tense, and finally they met each other again, and the Qin army was almost wiped out.

In this regard, Mu Ji can only use his wife's tenderness to soothe the frustrated heart of her husband Qin Mugong.After all, it is impossible for her to convince Jin Jun. She may not want to admit that she is actually from Qin and not from Jin.Perhaps it was because of the guilt towards her husband and the self-blame towards Qin, she was unhappy, and within a few years left her husband in her prime and went alone.

In that other world, maybe she will find peace, at least, she doesn't need to worry about her natal family and husband's family anymore.

Fan Ji: A virtuous wife with a high quality and a heart

The ancient city of Jingzhou, with a long history, was once an important hub city of ancient Chu culture, and also the capital city of Chu State in Zhou Dynasty.The Yangtze River is rushing, scouring out the romantic figures of the ages, and the mountains and ravines faithfully record the echoes of history.About 4000 meters northeast of the small north gate of Jingzhou City, there is a simple tomb. Although it has gone through ups and downs for more than 2000 years, the tomb is still more than ten meters high.This tomb is called Jiulizhong, in which is buried a particularly bright pearl in the list of heroes of Jingchu.She is Fan Ji, a famous concubine of a generation, and the virtuous wife of King Zhuang of Chu, one of the Five Overlords in the Spring and Autumn Period.

Fan Ji, probably the princess of Fan State in the Spring and Autumn Period, Fan Ji was the favorite concubine of King Zhuang of Chu.The date of birth and death is unknown.In a patriarchal society, if a woman wants to realize her own value, she often has to give her hands to the man in front of her.Therefore, jealousy, the inborn demon of human beings, manipulates countless puppets, and directs scenes of thrilling tragedies and comedies in the court struggles in ancient China, but a living beside the emperor can be as calm as water, without the slightest jealousy A woman with a heart is really precious.And Fan Ji is such a clear water hibiscus.Fan Ji is in harmony with Chu Zhuang Wang Yushui, and has been favored for ten years, but she has never had a child.The Zhao Feiyan and Zhao Hede sisters of the later generations also faced this situation. Their choice was to prevent Emperor Hancheng from making friends with other palace people as much as possible, and on the other hand, to kill the concubines who were pregnant with children, and then quickly.Fan Ji, on the other hand, is in stark contrast.She said to King Zhuang: "The concubine has been in the harem for ten years and has been favored by the king. I am very grateful, but the king has no children so far. It is better to enter the concubine to benefit the heir."

Leaving aside the propositions of polygamy and male superiority to female inferiority, within the social environment and the scope of ethics and morality at that time, the tolerance and peace embodied by Fan Ji was very rare.

Ingeniously ascend to the palace

But Fan Ji is not short-sighted, she is a smart woman.This is especially evident in the process of King Zhuang of Chu choosing his concubine.It is said that at that time, the king of Chuzhuang wanted to choose one of the many concubines to be the official wife, and ordered everyone to present a gift within three days, and the one who most pleased the king of Chuzhuang was the official wife.As soon as this order came out, all the concubines racked their brains to prepare presents and figured out the likes and dislikes of King Zhuang of Chu, but Fan Ji didn't make any preparations at all.The three-day time limit was up, and all the concubines rushed to present gifts, but Fan Ji was empty-handed.King Zhuang of Chu was very surprised, so he questioned Fan Ji.Fan Ji replied, "Your Majesty, tell the truth! I haven't even thought about preparing a gift for you."

King Zhuang was even more surprised, and asked Fan Ji if she didn't want to be the official wife.Fan Ji replied: "Your Majesty said that gifts are what you need most at present. But what do you need most now? Is there anything more important than setting up an official wife?" King Zhuang of Chu couldn't help but wonder Fan Ji's wit moved her face, so she made Fan Ji the official wife.Fan Ji was ingenious and found another way, but she won a big victory.

In the book "Managing the World" compiled by Yu Lin in the Ming Dynasty, Fan Ji was listed as the first "female middle school doctor", and Fan Ji did not disgrace this name.As a woman, she has clear political views and a calm and wise way of dealing with affairs.Fan Ji is like a ruler, always providing a comparison for King Zhuang of Chu in the process of governing the country.

It is said that at that time, a Guqin named "Zuoliang" was discovered in the world. The allusion of "Zuoliang" comes from "Liezi". It is said that Han E, a famous female singer in Korea in the Zhou Dynasty, ran out of money on the way to Qi State.Her singing is poignant, beautiful and tear-jerking, making all listeners obsessed and moved.Three days after Han E left, people seem to still hear Han E's singing echoing between the roof beams, which is evocative.And this piano is named after "Zuoliang", which shows that its sound quality is so beautiful that it is rare in the world. The "Zuoliang" guqin fell into the hands of Huayuan, the state of Chu.In order to please the king of Chu, Hua Yuan dedicated the Qin to King Zhuang of Chu.After King Zhuang of Chu got the "Zuoliang", he played the piano and played music all day long.Seeing this scene, Fan Ji was very anxious, and regardless of the consequences, she directly denounced the fault of King Zhuang of Chu: "Your Majesty is too obsessed with music! Back then, Xia Jie was obsessed with the song of 'Mei Xi', which caused the hatred of the country; King Zhou of Shang was obsessed with music. He sings and dances with swallows, and burns himself on the deer platform. Now the king does not come to the court for seven days because he likes the sound of the piano, is he willing to lose his country and life?" King Zhuang of Chu was very ashamed when he heard this.In order to completely resist the temptation of "circling the beam", King Zhuang of Chu reluctantly ordered people to beat the body of the piano into several sections with iron Ruyi.

Help Zhuang Wang achieve hegemony

King Zhuang of Chu was able to achieve a generation of hegemony, which is inseparable from his behavior of admiring talents, being kind, and recruiting talents.And Fan Ji played a considerable role in promoting it.After King Zhuang of Chu came to the throne, he liked to hunt. Fan Ji kept persuading King Zhuang of Chu, but King Zhuang of Chu still liked to hunt, so Ji Fan refused to eat animal meat to show his ambition.King Zhuang of Chu was so sorry that he finally corrected his mistakes and began to deal with political affairs diligently.

In "Han Shi Wai Zhuan", there is a vivid and detailed record of how Fan Ji helped King Zhuang to make great efforts to govern and revitalize the state of Chu.King Zhuang of Chu once went to court to discuss matters, and the court dispersed very late.When returning to the palace, Fan Ji came down to greet her and asked King Zhuang of Chu, "Your Majesty must be hungry and tired, isn't he?" King Zhuang of Chu said with a smile, "You don't know you're hungry and tired if you chat with sages." Fan Ji asked: "Who is the sage that the king is talking about?" King Zhuang of Chu said: "It is Yu Qiuzi."King Zhuang of Chu was very surprised and asked, "What are you laughing at?" Fan Ji said, "Zi Yuqiu can be regarded as a good minister, but not a loyal minister." King Zhuang of Chu asked, "Why did Ji Fan say that?" Fan Ji said: "I have served the king for 11 years. I once sent people to Zheng Guo and Wei Guo to seek virtuous female officials to serve the king. Now there are two more virtuous officials than me, and there are seven people who are equal to me. Could it be that Don't I want to monopolize the king's pet? But I heard that there are many women in the hall, so I can use them to observe their talents. I can't blind the state affairs because of my personal affairs, so I want the king to meet more people and learn more about others. Talent. However, Yu Qiuzi has been the prime minister of the Chu state for more than ten years, and the only ones he recommends to the king are his own children and brothers of the same clan, but he has never heard of him recommending virtuous people and repelling unworthy ones. Doing so will undoubtedly deceive the king. Blocking opportunities for sages to enter. Knowing sages but not recommending them is disloyal; not knowing who is sages is unwise. Isn’t this ridiculous enough?”

The next day, King Zhuang of Chu told Yu Qiuzi what Fan Ji had said. After hearing this, Yu Qiuzi was so ashamed that he left his seat and stood there in fear, speechless.

After that, Yu Qiuzi visited the sages all over the world, and finally found the sage Sun Shuao, and recommended him to King Zhuang of Chu.Sun Shuao served as Ling Yin, and built water conservancy projects in Chu State, making advantages and eliminating disadvantages, and Chu State became stronger and stronger day by day.

In 597 B.C., the Chu State defeated the Jin army, making the Song State and others subordinate, thus replacing the Jin and becoming the overlord.

The history books of Chu State record this way: "The hegemony of Chu is the power of Fan Ji." That is to say, it is Fan Ji's credit that Zhuang Wang can become the overlord.

Zhou Tan, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, commented in his poem "Fan Ji at the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Gate":
The silhouette moves frequently without retreating from the court, and he is happy to meet a virtuous prime minister.

At that time, there was no Fan Ji who asked Yin why to enter Shu Ao.

Fan Ji's virtuousness has become the ideal standard for future generations of virtuous housemates.Ban Jieyu, the concubine of Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty, was well-known for her virtues.

During the Han Dynasty, when the emperor was touring the palace, he often rode a luxuriously decorated "chariot" with two people pulling it in front; while the chariot that the empress and concubines rode was only driven by one person.In order to be inseparable with Ban Jiehao, Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty ordered a larger chariot to be specially made for traveling together.But Ban Jiehao rejected the kindness of Emperor Han Cheng.She said: "Looking at the pictures left over from ancient times, the sages and sages are all accompanied by famous ministers. The last rulers of Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties Xia Jie, Shang Zhou, and King You of Zhou had lucky concubines to sit beside them. In the end, they all fell into a situation where the country was ruined and their families were ruined. If I go in and out with the emperor, I will be reduced to the same class as them, which is really shocking!" After hearing this, the Queen Mother Wang Zhengjun was very happy, The left and right relatives said: "In ancient times there was Fan Ji, and now there is Ban Jieyu!" Here, Wang Zhengjun compared Ban Jiehao and Fan Ji as the greatest encouragement and encouragement for this daughter-in-law, which shows Fan Ji's virtuous name wide-ranging impact.

(End of this chapter)