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Text Chapter 57: People's Heart and the World

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    The Western Expeditionary Army of the Tang Dynasty was fighting in full swing in Egypt, but in Chang'an, people didn't seem to be very interested in this war, and the people no longer looked forward to it all day long, waiting for news from afar to come back, as they did before.  good news.

    ¡°In the final analysis, it¡¯s because the martial arts of the Tang Dynasty have been too prosperous and they have won too many victories over the years. It would be strange if they were defeated.

    Chang'an is still a gathering place for merchants and scholars from all over the world, with people coming and going every day. It is so lively, and the people still do whatever they need to do, and their lives are not affected at all.

    However, a recent incident attracted people's attention. Just the day before yesterday, a boy named Fang Shu rode his horse in Dongshi City and trampled someone to death. As a result, the person was caught and taken to the Wannian County Government Office, but I don't know.  The verdict document that had been reported was also submitted to Dali Temple, approved by the Ministry of Punishment, and drafted by the cabinet. They were waiting for the emperor's approval, but there was no movement.

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    Even if he is in charge of life and death, the emperor must be cautious. However, the evidence in this case is conclusive. Even Fang Shu confessed to Wannian County Government. Logically speaking, there is nothing to hesitate. However, he has been diligent since he succeeded to the throne.  Li Xian pretended to be deaf and dumb and refused to approve.

    The root cause was over there, and the people soon knew that Fang Shu was no one else, but the eldest son of the current Holy Emperor's aunt, Princess Gaoyang.

    Princess Gaoyang has been detained by Emperor Taizong, and later caused a major rebellion. She has not been able to leave the fiefdom in these years, but she has become a lot more honest. People have almost forgotten that the Tang Dynasty still thinks that the eldest princess exists.

    Fang Shu is the eldest son born to Princess Gaoyang and Fang Yiai. Although his mother is disliked and his father has no real power, he is the son of a phoenix and a grandson of the Tian family. He has been raised in fine clothing and food since he was a child.  A pampered character.

    When I came to Chang'an this time, I didn't expect that I would get into a big trouble in the first year. I rode horses to cause trouble, and I actually knocked down and trampled people to death. Riding horses to cause trouble is a serious crime. In the entire Tang Dynasty, who could have such grace?  It is none other than Song Guogong Du Rui, but Du Rui has always been cautious and low-key. Even if he has this power, he has never used it. Fang Shu is good. He knowingly killed someone and instead of running away, he acted like a big show.  Waiting for someone to catch him.

    When he arrived at the county government office, although he confessed to the collision and death, he had no idea how serious the matter was. He made a big fuss at the county government office and beat up the county magistrate.

    Wannian County Magistrate originally did not dare to make arbitrary decisions because of Fang Shu's special status, and planned to report it to Dali Temple for processing. However, who knew that Fang Shu was a bastard, shouting "The current emperor is my cousin", and even criticized the situation in the county government lobby.  Waiting for a sacred place without any respect.

    The county magistrate Wannian was also a stubborn person who accepted death after studying. In a rage, he sentenced him to death and reported it directly.

    Princess Gaoyang, who was far away in the fiefdom, became anxious when she found out about it. She was no longer young, and she had long lost her appearance. She had been keeping her peace in these years and became a full-time wife. How could she have such a son under her knees?  Even if he was allowed to die, he ignored the imperial edict of Emperor Taizong and Gaozong and hurriedly left the fiefdom, arrived in Chang'an, and entered the palace to plead with Li Xian.

    Li Xian initially ignored Li Xian, but he couldn't bear the cry of Princess Gaoyang, so he couldn't help but relented. The royal family of the Tang Dynasty was in chaos. In his generation, he had almost no close brothers and sisters, and his only half-brother died early.  She was driven to the fiefdom by Du Rui, and she still had a younger sister, but she was only four or five years old.

    Only then did Li Xian put off the death sentence drafted by the cabinet. He just wanted to beg Fang Shu for mercy when Du Rui came to the door. After all, Fang Shu was young and only twelve years old.  Show mercy and forgive me once.

    Du Rui naturally knew what Li Xian was thinking, so he didn't pretend to be deaf and dumb. Since Li Xian was waiting, he went there simply.  Anyway, Du Rui still has the title of Tutor, and after cabinet meetings every day, he has to teach Li Xian.

    "The humble minister Du Rui comes to see His Majesty!"

    When Li Xian saw Du Rui arriving, he quickly stood up to greet him and said, "Uncle is here! Please sit down quickly!"

    Du Rui and other servants moved to Jindun and sat down politely.

    Li Xian originally wanted to ask for mercy, but when he saw Du Rui's solemn expression, he didn't know what to say when it came to his mouth, so he could only talk about it: "Uncle! I don't know~~~~~~I don't know  How is the war in Egypt!?¡±

    Du Rui smiled faintly and said: "Xue Rengui will take care of the war in Egypt. Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. Today, I don't want to discuss those insignificant military affairs with Your Majesty."

    Li Xianqi said: "The national war is related to the fate of the Tang Dynasty. How can my uncle?"It doesn't matter!  "

    Du Rui smiled and said: "I said it doesn't matter, because we will definitely win the war against the Tang Dynasty. There is nothing to say. The Holy Master is waiting for the victory. What I want to talk to the Holy Master today is a major event that really affects the fate of the country!"

    Hearing this, Li Xian also became interested. He had already put aside the matter of pleading for Fang Shu and said, "What's the important matter!?"

    Du Rui said: "I would like to ask Your Majesty, how did the Emperor Gaozu of this dynasty conquer the world when he founded the country!?"

    Li Xiandao: "The former Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty was unruly and brought trouble to the people, and the people were alienated. However, I, Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty, Longxing Taiyuan, worked for the benefit of the people. As a result, all the people were united and all the heroes respected me, and I conquered the world!"

    Du Rui nodded and said: "The Holy One is right. Emperor Gaozu conquered the world because he gathered the hearts of the people. "Mencius Li Lou Shang" said: 'To conquer the world, there is a way to conquer the people. This is how to conquer the world.'  If the people have a way, you can win their hearts. If you have a way to get their hearts, gather with them what you want, and don't do anything to them.' This means that if you want to gain the supreme power of domination and gain the entire world, you must have  If you want to win the people, you can win the world. If you want to win the people, you can win the people. If you want to win the people, you can win the people. If you want to win the people, you can win the world. If you want to win the people, give them what they need. Oppose  Yes, don¡¯t give it, that is, comply with the people¡¯s wishes. What does the Holy Spirit think?¡±

    Li Xian hurriedly said: "What my uncle said is reasonable, and it is the most reasonable and clear statement!"

    Du Rui smiled and said: "The Holy One is ridiculous, but he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world. These seven words are unmistakable. A king who cannot think about the people will sooner or later die. As the saying goes: Water can carry a boat."  , can also capsize the boat. This is the truth. An emperor who always has a heart of compassion and always has a sympathetic and kind attitude towards his subjects and the lower class, if he wants to win the hearts of the people, the country will become more and more stable. Emperor Taizong of this dynasty has a heart  However, Emperor Taizong has a kind heart, perhaps because he practiced martial arts and fought on the battlefield when he was young, and because of his natural majestic appearance, he has a temperament that people dare not look up to, making people feel that he is unapproachable. In fact, this is not the case, and he often looks compassionate.  He was a bodhisattva with a compassionate heart, even forgetting himself for the sake of the people, and he was also very considerate towards his subordinates. This established the image of a holy king who was kind-hearted, kind and righteous.

    In the second year of Zhenguan, there was a severe drought in Guanzhong and a locust plague. The people had no food and clothing, and even sold their children as slaves and their daughters as maids in order to have enough food.  Emperor Taizong felt sad when he saw this, and immediately sent the imperial censor Du Yan to Guanzhong to inspect the disaster. He took out the money and grain from the royal treasury to help the hungry people, and redeemed the children of the victims who had been trafficked and returned them to their parents.

    Then he issued an edict to the world: "Because last year the rains continued, the grain was not ripe next year, and this year there will be drought and locusts, and the harvest will be poor. We plan to exempt the people of the world from money and food for a year."  ¡¯, and later issued an edict and swore to himself: ¡®If the crops can be abundant and the world is stable, please ask the emperor and heaven to remove disasters from me to save the people of all countries. This is my wish, and I will never regret it.  ¡¯

    Not long after Han Haoyu issued the edict, God took advantage of him and sent down rain. The people were more convinced of Emperor Taizong, thinking that Emperor Taizong had made great wishes, and the Emperor was blessed by God. They regarded Emperor Taizong as the father and mother of the people.

    When I was young, I was with Emperor Taizong. One day, I entered the imperial garden and saw locusts. I saw with my own eyes that Emperor Taizong caught a few locusts, held them in his hands, and prayed to them: "The people depend on grain as their life, but you people  But they only eat grains. Doesn¡¯t this cost the lives of ordinary people?  Why don't you come and eat my intestines?  ¡¯

    After saying this, he raised the locust with the intention of swallowing it. At that time, Wang De, the chamberlain, hurriedly admonished Emperor Taizong: "Your Majesty, don't swallow it. Swallowing such evil things may harm your Majesty's noble body and cause illness."  ¡¯

    Emperor Taizong said: "My people are suffering from disasters, so why should they be afraid of disease?"  ¡¯

    He ignored the advice of his ministers and swallowed the locusts.  Although this move was motivated and unhelpful, and the locust plague was still raging, Emperor Taizong cared about all the people and was worried about the locust plague. His various actions even tested the locusts by himself, which touched the hearts of his subjects.  From then on, under the call of Emperor Taizong, the whole country fought against the disaster. The government opened warehouses and wealthy households paid grain, and finally got through it.  "

    When Li Xian heard this, he couldn't help but be fascinated and said: "The emperor has a kind heart and cares about all the people. I should set him as an example!"

    Du Rui continued: "Although the common people spread lies, saying that after swallowing locusts, the locust plague will cease. This is naturally a kind of deification of Emperor Taizong by the people. In fact, there is a fact that Emperor Taizong swallowed locusts, and the elimination of locust plague is  Naturally, there is no connection between the two. The main reason is that Emperor Taizong took the lead in fighting against the locust plague and used money and food from the treasury to help the people, so that this disaster-ridden year would not starve the fields and cover thousands of miles. Emperor Taizong's series of measures to fight against disasters  His behavior is commendable. The image of the benevolent Holy Lord he established during this year greatly inspired the subjects' fighting spirit to fight against disasters, and also greatly strengthened the subjects' confidence in Emperor Taizong, who had only been on the throne for two years.

    Emperor TaizongAt the beginning of the emperor's accession to the throne, it can be said that the weather was unfavorable.  Due to the rain caused by waterlogging, there was a severe famine in Guan. In the first year of Zhenguan, a bushel of rice was worth a bolt of silk. In the second year of Zhenguan, there was a locust plague all over the world. In the third year of Zhenguan, many areas were hit by floods, and hungry people spread all over the world.

    Emperor Taizong opened the treasury in compliance with the people's wishes and distributed money and food. The people were grateful. Although they ran around and even traveled to other states and counties in order to have a good meal, they never complained.  It was not until the fourth year of Zhenguan that there were no more disasters. With the help of the government, the people had a good harvest that year, and the victims who had been living in other places also returned to their hometowns.  I remember that the amount of rice that year was only three or four coins per dou. In that year, as far as the sea in the east and as far as the five ridges in the south, the houses were not closed. Travelers did not bring dry food with them. Food supplies for hunger could be bought on the road.  .  This was the result of Emperor Taizong's reign, when the emperor and his ministers worked together to provide relief to the disaster areas and diligently care for the people. It was also the result of the hard-working and kind-hearted people who had increased their confidence in the court, were full of hope for the future, and worked hard.  It can be said that as an emperor, the image that Emperor Taizong established in the past three years as a benevolent ruler who was considerate of the people and willing to avoid disasters has always been reflected in the hearts of his subjects during these three years.

    Emperor Taizong not only cared about the people, but also often taught the former emperor and ministers to care for the people.  When the late emperor first became the crown prince, he lived deep in the East Palace, played excessively, lacked etiquette and righteousness, and did not like to study. Emperor Taizong was deeply worried.  I once said something to my minister: "I have been among the people since I was eighteen years old, and I am well aware of the sufferings of the people."  Now that he is in a high position, he still has to make mistakes when handling political affairs and governing the people.  The prince grew up in a deep palace and had never been to the people to understand the people's sentiments. He had never heard or witnessed the hardships of the people. Once he was asked to govern the world in the future, would he be able to sympathize with the people's sentiments?  Is it possible not to be arrogant but to pursue pleasure?  The minister is always at the prince's side, responsible for assisting the prince, correcting his words and deeds, and must give him the utmost advice to make him pay more attention to the difficulties of people's livelihood and make him understand the difficulty of maintaining success.  ¡¯

    Therefore, I often accompanied the late emperor to visit the people. The late emperor was kind-hearted, observed the sufferings of the people, and often shed tears to reflect on himself. This was the reason for the rule of Yonghui after Zhenguan.

    Emperor Taizong once said to his ministers, "It's not the big thing to complain about, but the only thing to fear is people. It's advisable to be very cautious when re-entering a boat."  I have no status. Fortunately, Emperor Taizong promoted me and trusted me, and I was entrusted by Emperor Gaozong. I am always trembling, fearing that I will be burdened with such great trust. When the Holy Emperor first ascends to the throne, I should reflect on myself at that time and never slack off to let down the hope of the people.  !  We should know that he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world. As an emperor, he must govern for the people, have his heart in mind for the people, seek benefits for the people, and use his power for the people.  Only in this way can we gain the trust of the people, and the great cause of the Holy Spirit can gain the support and support of the people.  "

    The world belongs to those who win the hearts and minds of the people. This is a principle that rulers throughout the ages have believed in.

    "The people are the most valuable, the country is the second most important, and the king is the least important." Mencius advocated that the king should be based on the people in governing, and the will of the people will be the trend of the world.

    Sima Yi during the Three Kingdoms period said to Sima Shi and Sima Zhao before his death: "Those who win the hearts of the people will win the world; those who win the hearts of gentlemen will win the princes; those who win the hearts of the princes will win the scholar-bureaucrats."

    "Zuo Zhuan? The Seventh Year of Zhao Gong": "Six things are different, the people's hearts are not the same, the order of events is not the same, the official positions are not the same, the same beginning and different ending, Hu Ke Chang?"

    "Han Shu? Xifu Gongzhuan": "If you promote sincerity and do good deeds, the people's will will be fulfilled and God's will will be achieved."

    Water can carry a boat and overflow it. That is to say, water can float a boat or sink it to the bottom of the sea. Therefore, "he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world." People's hearts are equivalent to water, and if you want to win the world, you must  To make the "ship" float, we must rely on water, that is, the people's hearts.  When you win the hearts of the people, it means you win the world, and the people's hearts are equal to the world!

    At the end of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu, a former aristocrat of the Chu State, took advantage of the chaos to raise troops and relied on his military genius and aristocratic advantages to become the most powerful of the various anti-Qin rebel forces.  Moreover, Xiang Yu himself was extremely powerful and tall, which made it easier to gain prestige in ancient times when appearance was important.

    Another force is Liu Bang. He has learned nothing since he was a child, is idle, loses more in battles and wins less, and uses vulgar language. He does not have the demeanor of a king at all.

    But after Xiang Yu achieved initial success, he massacred the princes at will and killed King Chu Huai, the president of the rebel armies.  He was harsh to the people and even killed every 400,000 Qin soldiers who surrendered.  He turned a deaf ear to the counsel's advice and acted on his own will.

    On the contrary, Liu Bang had lived among common people since he was a child. He cherished the people's strength and was generous to others. He knew that he did not have much ability, so he respected talents very much. He recruited surrendered soldiers who were willing to stay and sent them back to the countryside if they were not willing. He was very loved by others.  .

    In the end, Xiang Yu rebelled against his relatives because of his cruelty and unkindness, while Liu Bang received help and support from many people. During the five-year war, although Liu Bang failed many times, he still received continuous support from the masses, so he was able to continuously counterattack.

    However, after Xiang Yu was defeated by Liu Bang, he rebelled against his relatives and all the troops left him overnight. In the end, he was completely defeated by Liu Bang and was forced to commit suicide.  And because Liu BangHe was loved by the people and eventually ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, creating the Han Dynasty that ruled China for 412 years.

    ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? It is the world of those who win the hearts of the people with that sentence.

    However, among the many rulers in Chinese history, the most hypocritical and favorite words to flaunt their reasonable rule are - those who win the hearts and minds of the people win the world!

    Those who win the hearts and minds of the people win the world. This seems to be very pleasing to the ears and also very true. However, the Mongols win the world if they cannot win the hearts of the people. The Manchus cannot win the hearts of the people even more. They have been sitting on the world for more than 250 years. The hearts of the people are like prostitutes. When they are a  When the force of a force is so strong that making people resist will cost their lives, this force can securely dominate the world.

    ??Du Rui has always believed that when the cost of resistance is higher than the benefits available, the people will still accept it, even if they are oppressed or enslaved.

    As long as you maintain your basic life, you will slowly adapt to the new oppression. Over time, this kind of oppression will become an ordinary social form. You can refer to the rule of the Manchu Qing Dynasty.

    Braids were not accepted by the public at first and were resisted by most Han people either openly or covertly. When the Manchu rulers wielded their butcher knives and harvested the lives of those who resisted, most people accepted it in order to survive.  The braids had to be accepted, and then until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the braids became the authentic attire of the people, and immediately became the representative of the people's hearts, and everyone in the world wore braids.

    Any new force that conquers the world does not rely on popular support at all, but force, naked force to conquer.  There has never been a dynasty that has won the world by relying on the people's support, and there has never been a nation that has gained power by winning the hearts and minds of another nation. The Chinese people like to lie to themselves that whoever wins the hearts and minds of the people wins the world, bullshit!

    No nation will have a favorable impression of another nation that conquers itself, so only strong force can conquer the world. Rule by relying on force and stick as the main force, and small favors and carrots as the deputy.

    People¡¯s hearts are like deer. Whoever is more powerful will kill the deer. The choice is not with the deer, but with the hunter. Who will cook the deer depends on which hunter is more capable.

    Sun Tzu said: Soldiers are important matters of the country, the place of life and death, and the path to survival. We must observe them.

    Many of the rise and fall of Chinese dynasties were due to military devastation. The Song Dynasty was the pinnacle of China's private economy, and its popularity among the people was unprecedented and unprecedented. This can be seen from history books and ancient literary works.  The people in the occupied northern areas all looked forward to the "Day of the King's Military Command in the North". However, the Song Dynasty's force was too weak and failed again and again. The people in the occupied northern areas slowly adapted to the new masters under the oppression of the Jurchens' force.  In the next few years, the real people sat firmly in the Central Plains, until the emergence of a more powerful Mongolia, and once again conquered, including the previously peaceful Southern Song Dynasty, they all fell under the hooves of the Mongols. If it were not for the Mongols,  In the following years, with the constant internal fighting and the degradation of military force, how much public support can Zhu Chongba, a beggar without a name, have?

    And Zhu Yuanzhang¡¯s fourth son, King of Yan, Zhu Di, once again performed the wonderful discussion of political power emerging from the stalk of a gun. According to historical records, Zhu Di was first named King of Yan and guarded Peiping.

    In the first year of Jianwen, he raised an army and called himself "Jingnan". It only took four years to conquer Nanjing and seize the throne of Zhu Yunwen, the successor appointed by his father Zhu Yuanzhang himself. This shows the power of his military force.

    "Of course we can win the world by force, but it is difficult to achieve eternal prosperity by force.

    In the 19th year of Yongle, Chengzu moved his capital to Beijing and made Nanjing his remaining capital.  He worked hard to clean up internal affairs and consolidate border defense, and achieved great results.  Zhu Di paid attention to the recovery and development of social economy and believed that "the family has enough people" and "the people are well-off" are the foundation for peace in the world.

    He vigorously developed and improved the military farming system and the rules for opening salt merchants to ensure the supply of military food and border wages.  Through these gentle measures, Yongle was "imbued with Yingxian" and reached the highest peak in the Ming Dynasty.

    ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? do do in the Manchu and Qing dynasty¡¯s battles  The person I want to talk about here is Dorgon, the only person in the Qing Dynasty who was said to have great talent and great strategy, and he was also the founder of the Qing Dynasty's establishment of national power.

    First, he defeated Li Chuang and conquered the Central Plains by force, paid homage to the deceased, and at the same time massacred the surviving Zhu family members.  The most powerful thing is the forced implementation of the policy of shaving hair, as one poem says: "Manchu clothes and Manchu hair, full of majesty and shame. Eyes full of fighting and tears, full of loyalty, anger and sorrow."

    They used the iron hooves of the Manchus to force the Han people to grow braids, and used the braids to enslave the Han people for 250 years.  When I see my braids, I will carefully find a good excuse for my cowardice and insignificance - he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world.

    Those who win the hearts of the people win the heavens?, is an old adage that everyone knows.  However, in Chinese history, tragedies of losing the hearts of the people and losing the world have been staged one after another.

    Liu Bang in history made good use of Xiao He, Zhang Liang, and Han Xin, and he followed the policies that won the hearts of the people.  Entering Xianyang, the capital of the Qin Dynasty, he immediately "made three chapters" and the military discipline was strict, and Qiu did not commit any crimes.  Be kind to the descendants of Queen Qin, do not take the treasures in the palace, do not fall in love with the beauties in the harem, do not burn the palace, and do not destroy the utensils.  On the contrary, only Xiao He eagerly entered the Qin Palace to seize the map and household registration information, which laid the foundation for victory in the subsequent conflict between Chu and Han.

    Xiang Yu, on the other hand, could not tolerate even Fan Zeng, who was ambitious and loyal, and would not adopt suggestions that won the hearts of the people.  First, they killed the descendants of the King of Chu and indiscriminately killed the surrendered troops. When they entered Xianyang, they killed the descendants of the Queen of Qin, took the palace treasures, and burned the palace.  Do anything that is unpopular with the people.

    In the end, in the battle of Gaixia, he was defeated and died. He still used the excuse: "It is not my fault that Xiang Yu is responsible for the death of me."  The tragic song at the end of the life: "Strengthen the mountain and the world is overwhelming. The times are not good and the good things will not fade away. What can be done if the bad things don't fade away? What can I do if I am worried about the dangers?"

    Xiang Yu has two great loves in his life: riding on a black horse and having a poppy on his pillow.  Before her death, Concubine Yu also composed a poem: "The Han soldiers have plundered the land, and they are besieged on all sides. The king is exhausted, and how can I survive for this humble concubine." A tear-jerking "Farewell My Concubine" was staged in this way.  Unpopular with the people, neither the black horse nor the poppy will help.

    During the Three Kingdoms period at the end of the Han Dynasty, L¨¹ Bu once had a heroic moment and said: "I have stepped off the red rabbit horse and held the square halberd in my hand. Who dares to approach me?"

    However, he was finally captured by Cao Cao, who liked to recite two lines of poetry, and he was left with a sigh: "I have a spare red horse to run a thousand miles, but I have a square halberd in vain."  Without him, Lu Bu couldn't even make good use of the benevolent, righteous, and loyal Chen Gong, so he brought the blame on himself.

    Another thing that won the hearts of the people was Lord Mengchang during the Warring States Period. At that time, Lord Mengchang had three thousand followers, divided into three grades: upper, middle and lower. Feng Chen asked to see him, but Lord Mengchang asked about his ability and replied: "None."

    So he was assigned to the third class of disciples. Feng Xuan played the sword song and said: "The Changchai is back, but there is no fish to eat."

    Lord Mengchang heard what he said, so he placed him among the middle-class followers.

    Feng Xuan played the sword song again and said: "The Changchai is coming back, but there is no chariot when he comes out."

    Lord Mengchang heard what he said and placed him among the best disciples.

    Feng Chen played his sword song three times and said: "The changchai is back, and I can't maintain my family."

    When Lord Mengchang heard what he said, he gave him materials to support his mother.  At this point, Feng Xuan's sword is hidden and the song is over, and Lord Mengchang is also benevolent and righteous.

    When Mengchangjun was in financial difficulty, he ordered Feng Chen to collect debts from his fiefdom. If Feng Chen could collect, he would collect all the debts. If there were poor people who could not repay, they would burn all their bonds without repaying them. For a time, the people in the fiefdom all felt the virtue of Mengchangjun.

    When Lord Mengchang was slandered by traitors, he lost his position, and his three thousand followers disappeared. Feng Xuan was the only one who sent Lord Mengchang to his fief for temporary refuge. The people were naturally grateful and supported this benevolent lord.  Later, it was Feng Chen who planned to restore Lord Mengchang to his position.

    Therefore, those who achieve great things can tolerate what others cannot tolerate and tolerate what others cannot tolerate, but it is not easy to win the hearts of the people.  If Feng Xuan met a vulgar master and saw that he had no ability but had many demands, he would have been scolded and driven away.  If this is the case, no one will be left by Mengchang when he is dismissed as prime minister, and there will be no hope of regaining his prime ministership.

    There is also Emperor Chongzhen in the late Ming Dynasty, who was also a pretty good emperor. However, looking at historical facts, Chongzhen made mistakes in hiring people. He hired some people who seemed to have both ability and political integrity, but were actually harmful to the country and the people.  As a result, the people were in dire straits, and in some places there were even tragedies of cannibalism.

    Under this historical background, Li Zicheng¡¯s Dashun regime responded to hundreds of calls.  But the rogue bandits were always defeated by the imperial court, and Li Zicheng failed.  It is a pity that Emperor Chongzhen did not take advantage of this opportunity to crack down on corrupt officials, revitalize the government, reduce taxes, and let the people live a slightly more stable life.

    A few years later, there was another major natural disaster, and the situation was even more tragic than before. So Li Zicheng raised troops again, and this time he got the help of a scholar named Li Yan. Li Yan proposed strict military discipline, opening warehouses for disaster relief, etc.  The policy of popular support and the slogan "Welcome King Chuang, but don't accept food" were all adopted by Li Zicheng.

    Therefore, Li Zicheng's rebel army quickly marched towards Beijing. Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself in Jingshan after losing an opportunity to negotiate peace.

    This period of history can be said to be: "Emperor Chongzhen lost the hearts of the people and lost the world; Li Zicheng gained the hearts of the people and gained the world."

    But at this time, Li Zicheng did not really gain the world, but only temporarily gained it.  The situation soon took a turn for the worse. As soon as Li Zicheng arrived in Beijing, he burned the Twelve Tombs of the Ming Dynasty, held a huge banquet, and lived in extravagant bliss in the harem.  Only thousands of soldiers were sent to the border to defend against the Qing army.

    His subordinates, Prime Minister Niu Jinxing and Marshal Liu Zongmin, raped, raped, and plundered in Beijing, committing all kinds of crimes and enjoying luxury.  Li Yan, who proposed policies to win the hearts of the people, was now in conflict with Niu Jinxing and Liu Zongmin.Later, Li Zicheng became suspicious, and under the slander of Niu Jinxing, who was recommended by Li Yan, he actually killed Li Yan.

    Li Zicheng, who was dazzled by the victory, only focused on the present and did not consider the future at all. He snatched the sword of Chen Yuanyuan, the concubine of Wu Sangui, the commander-in-chief of the Qing army, and killed Wu Sangui's family.  Beauty." He actually led the Qing army into Beijing.  Finally, Li Zicheng, who was at the end of his rope, was surrounded and suppressed by the Qing army on Jiugong Mountain and committed suicide.  Its tragic ending is no different than a replica of Emperor Chongzhen.

    Li Zicheng¡¯s failure stemmed from unpopular policies and the pride brought by victory.  The failure of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the middle and late Qing Dynasty was not only due to the failure of Li Zicheng, but also due to the fact that when the Taiping Army was temporarily at a military advantage against the Qing Army, the kings could not wait to fight for power in pursuit of pleasure and engage in desperate internal strife.

    In Chinese history books, the Taiping Rebellion is described as the largest and most magnificent peasant movement in Chinese history.  It was such a peasant movement that ultimately ended in failure.

    The founder of this movement, Hong Xiuquan, was from Huaxian County, Guangdong.  Hong Xiuquan failed to pass the local examination for many times as a scholar. When later scholars read Hong Xiuquan's poems and articles, they generally believed that his literary talent was indeed ordinary, and it was reasonable for him to fail in the imperial examination repeatedly.

    But after all, Hong Xiuquan wanted to make a career. He and Feng Yunshan went to Guangxi to visit an old man who worshiped God. They were attracted by his teachings and took it as their mission to preach.  After the old man passed away, Xiuquan continued his teachings, preached and gathered people, but few believed in him at first.  At this time, Yang Xiuqing, Xiao Chaogui and others had joined, and there were also wealthy gentry funding, but in the end it failed to become a trend.

    Everyone came up with a way to make Xiuquan pretend to be dead. Not knowing it was a trick, all the villagers and believers went to express their condolences.  I thought that this Xiuquan might also understand the Taoist method of turtle breathing, but he weakened his breathing, silenced his limbs, and remained motionless, just like a dead person.  Xiuquan pretends to be dead during the day and eats and drinks at night, and does this for seven days.

    On the eighth day, his brother-in-law Xiao Chaogui burned Xiuquan's coffin and sacrifices in front of the door. Everyone was shocked and asked why. Chaogui replied: "Master Hong came back from the dead and had a miraculous experience. I want to know the details.  Please listen to the leader¡¯s words this evening in the large open space under the banyan tree at the head of the village.¡±

    That night, when Xiuquan saw everyone gathered, he opened the mouth of the overhanging river. He then recounted the seven days he had spent in heaven to see God and how he had been entrusted by God to save the common people. He also said that if you want to avoid disaster, you must worship.  God is not allowed to teach, and those who join must first pay a certain amount of silver and so on.

    For a time, stupid people rushed to join the association.  So, on January 11, 1851, Jintian Village, Guiping, Guangxi ushered in an unusual day.

    The rebel army soon captured Anqing. Hong Xiuquan proclaimed himself the King of Heaven, and then divided the kings among them: East King Yang Xiuqing, West King Xiao Chaogui, South King Feng Yunshan, North King Wei Changhui, Yi King Shi Dakai, and Tiande King Hong Daquan.

    These seven people are estimated to be the central figures who started the incident first.  In the early days of the uprising, Feng Yunshan died early in an ambush. Hong Daquan was captured and taken to Beijing to be executed in Lingchi. Xiao Chaogui was shot and killed when he attacked Changsha.

    Well, there are only four of the seven people who rebelled. It was these four people who later made the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom no longer peaceful.

    In the early days of the rebel army, they fought against the Qing army. In order to save their lives, both the seven people at the beginning and the remaining four people always planned day and night to discuss strategies to defeat the enemy. Naturally, they could unite as one.

    By the time the rebels were victorious and captured Nanjing, which was later renamed Tianjing, the Qing army was at a disadvantage and the rebels were temporarily in the upper hand. In their eagerness to enjoy themselves, internal strife broke out for power and profit.

    Hong Xiuquan built an extremely luxurious Tianwang Palace in Tianjing, with hundreds of wives and concubines, enjoying themselves in the palace all day long.  Military command and personnel appointment rights were handed over to the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing.  Yang Sui's strength is increasing day by day, and he will eventually replace Hong Xiuquan.

    Seeing that the situation was not good, Hong Xiuquan secretly issued a secret edict to return to the Northern King Wei Changhui, the Yi King Shi Dakai and the Yan King to eliminate Yang Xiuqing.

    It turned out that all the kings were fighting outside, and Dutian Wang and Yang Xiuqing stayed in Tianjing City. They both enjoyed themselves to the fullest. Yang Xiuqing's behavior was even more debauched and immoral. He had as many wives and concubines as the King of Heaven. He even searched the people for the name of selecting female champions.  A beautiful woman with both talent and beauty is ravaged as she pleases.  Someone who could not bear the torture tried to kill Yang Xiuqing, but failed and was tortured to death.

    Yang Xiuqing felt that women of the common people were not trustworthy, and saw that the widowed Xiu Quan's sister Xuanjiao was somewhat pretty, so she married her and had fun day and night, naturally neglecting her other wives and concubines.

    Wei Changhui had a brother-in-law who was handsome and talented. He often went in and out of the Dongwang Palace. He was inevitably seduced by Dongwang's wives and concubines. When Xiuqing found out, he killed Changhui's brother-in-law.  Chang Hui already hated Xiu Qing, and when he received the secret edict to return to Tianjing, he was the first to lead his troops back.

    Xiuqing was not stupid. When he saw Changhui suddenly leading his troops back to Tianjing, he ordered his soldiers to close the city gate tightly.  Seeing this, Chang Hui said to Xiu Qing at the foot of the city: "If King Dong is worried, I will only bring a dozen of my followers into the city. I have no other intentions."

    Xiuqing didn¡¯t take it seriously when he heard this, so he released Changhui and a dozen of his followers.??In the city.

    Changhui first paid a visit to the King of Heaven, who scolded him for bringing troops back to the capital without the permission of the King of the East. After saying this, he secretly shed tears, as Changhui had already expressed the wish of the King of Heaven.

    Subsequently, Chang Hui led ten of his personal followers to the Dongwang Mansion, met with the Dongwang, and expressed his obedience. The Dongwang was very happy and ordered him to give him a banquet.  When Changhui saw that King Dong was drunk, he suddenly showed the King of Heaven's handwriting and ordered him to follow and execute Xiuqing. Everyone was frightened.

    ??Subsequently, Changhui opened the gates of Tianjing without asking the King of Heaven's will, and led all his soldiers into the city. He killed more than 20,000 relatives and subordinates of the King of the East indiscriminately, and took Hong Xuanjiao back to the palace to enjoy it for himself.

    When Shi Dakai, who returned to the capital following the imperial edict, met Changhui with the King of Yan, Dakai scolded him for the indiscriminate killing and said: "The Kingdom of Heaven will not be destroyed by Xiuqing's hands, but it will be destroyed by yours!"

    Changhui said nothing, and at night, he surrounded the Yan Palace, killed the Yan King, and Dakai's family.  Then when he met the king again, Xiuquan couldn't bear it and blamed him for killing Dakai's family.  After Chang Hui heard this, he left without saying a word, and then ordered people to surround the Tianwang Mansion. His madness was almost insane.

    Xiuquan¡¯s writing is already sloppy, and his brothers Hong Renfa and Hong Renda, except for the fact that their names imply prosperity, are actually illiterate.  However, Fa and Da were not stupid at the moment of life and death. They secretly contacted the rest of Xiuqing's troops and killed Changhui and his gang in one fell swoop.  The civil strife in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom caused so much killing that the moat of Zhijiao Tianjing City turned red.

    But the civil strife did not completely subside. After Shi Dakai returned to Tianjing, he was suspicious of the Xiuquan brothers and others, so he led the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's 200,000 troops to leave in anger.

    At this point, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom failed to recover.  In the end, Hong Xiuquan committed suicide by taking poison due to internal and external troubles, and Shi Dakai was also wiped out by the Qing army in the Dadu River.

    The failure of the Taiping Rebellion was not so much due to internal strife as it was due to its unpopular policies.

    From the beginning of the uprising, Hong Xiuquan and the other seven people had an imperial mentality, which meant that one dynasty replaced another dynasty, and the enjoyment of one group replaced the enjoyment of another group.  Therefore, there was no new idea of ??serving the people at the beginning, and there was no strict discipline. Once the career was slightly stable, all hedonism could not wait to appear, and desperate internal battles to maintain fame and fortune were inevitable.

    There are no restrictions on the wives and concubines of each king of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but ordinary soldiers are separated into male and female camps. Brothers, sisters, and couples are not allowed to interact with each other. Any violation of military law will be immediately executed. The king's brother can be crowned king even if he is illiterate and has no military exploits.

    "These policies cannot win the hearts and minds of the people, nor even the military morale of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. How can the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom be invincible?"

    The warnings of history and the lessons of future generations are everywhere. To conquer the world, you need to rely on force, but to secure the world, you cannot simply rely on force to deter you, but you need to unite the people.

    The so-called complying with the people's wishes is very simple in a nutshell. Do what the people want, and do your best to avoid things that the people don't want. That's all.

    After listening to Du Rui's sermon, Li Xian quickly stood up, bowed deeply to Du Rui, and said, "My nephew will keep my uncle's teachings in mind."

    Du Rui smiled and said: "If the Holy One can understand it, I won't be happy!"

    Li Xian then walked to Long's desk, pulled out a memorial, wrote a few words on it, handed it to Du Rui, and said, "I've approved this memorial!"

    ??Du Rui turned it over and saw that it was the death penalty approval memorial drafted by the cabinet. There were several words of imperial approval on it - he died innocently, I approved it!

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