Chapter 4 Chapter 4 The Yuan Dynasty endured humiliation amid repeated uprisings
Liu Bowen was 38 years old when he was invited to Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces to serve as the deputy director of the Department of Education (Deputy Director of Confucianism) and director of Admissions Office (examiner).When people are close to 40 years old, they have the most energy, the calmest mind, and the most stable actions, so people at this age will always achieve small things.But it depends on what kind of external conditions you encounter. Didn’t the adage say that the situation is stronger than people.When the situation is unfavorable to you, if it is a dragon, you have to coil up, and if it is a tiger, you have to lie on your stomach.
Liu Bowen has returned to the arena this time, and the situation looks good.The person who invited him out was Su Tianjue, the political advisor (deputy prime minister) of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces. Su Tianjue had no relationship with Liu Bowen before, so the person who really pulled Liu Bowen out of his study should be his classmate Bu Da Shi Li.
Buda Shili is a Mongolian and a high-ranking nobleman, so his official career has been prosperous. This Mongolian prince is one of the very few knowledgeable people among the Mongolians. He has maintained correspondence with Liu Bowen for a long time.When Liu Bowen arrived in Dadu that year, the prince warmly entertained Liu Bowen. When talking about the current situation, Liu Bowen expressed his emotion over the failures over the years.Seeing his classmates mixed up in this field, he sighed endlessly, so he asked Liu Bowen if he was interested in working in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
Liu Bowen said at the time that as long as he can serve the country, he can do it anywhere.However, he recalled the past in Gao'an and Nanchang official circles, and he was worried.If you don't answer, you can rest assured, because Su Tianjue, the deputy prime minister of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, is a man of affairs, and the air in the officialdom there is very fresh. Moreover, Su Tianjue is very talented, brother, where you go, he will definitely be able to give you great help. A platform to flex your muscles.
Not long after Liu Bowen returned to his hometown, Zhen received letters from Budashili and Su Tianjue one after another, telling him that the matter had been settled.Before Liu Bowen read the letter, a letter from Su Tianjue inviting him to serve as the deputy director of the Education Department in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces arrived.
Regarding Su Tianjue, Buda Shili's evaluation is very pertinent.Su Tianjue is a native of Zhengding, Hebei Province. When he was young, he was recommended as a top student in the National University and became an official directly.Later, he went to Hubei to investigate cases as a supervisory censor, and there were many unjust cases rehabilitated.Later, when he was an official in Beijing, he was once the Minister of Appointment and Removal of Officials (Shangshu of the Ministry of Officials). Due to overwork, his hair and beard, which should not have been gray, turned gray.In addition to outstanding achievements in work, Su Tianjue's achievements in literature are also quite eye-catching. He wrote good poems and articles with no nonsense. He became the object of imitation by everyone in that era.
Of course, as Bu Da Shi Li said, Su Tianjue loves talents, and what he keeps saying is that talents are the foundation of a country.
Therefore, when he saw Liu Bowen, he admired Liu Bowen and looked at him with admiration.
Liu Bowen also did not disappoint Su Tianjue's admiration. In the position of deputy director of the Education Department, his achievements are remarkable.He called on people all over the world to pay attention to education and promote cultural undertakings.There were too many illiterates in the Yuan Dynasty, and illiteracy must be eliminated, otherwise the country would not be able to get high-quality talents like him.Liu Bowen was the first person to applaud whenever there was a matter of setting up a free school in the local area.
However, Liu Bowen has keenly discovered that it is meaningless to establish a free school at this time.Because the world is in chaos, and the school should be established in a peaceful environment.What made him depressed was that Su Tianjue was recalled by the central government in the second year after he arrived in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.The effectiveness of Liu Bowen's work was due to Su Tianjue's full support. Once Su Tianjue left, many of Liu Bowen's plans were aborted.
Darkness reappeared in front of my eyes. This kind of darkness was not darkness without light, but a darkness full of wolves, a darkness of death.The turbulent anti-government armed forces made Liu Bowen feel anxious. He hoped that he could have three heads and six arms to defend his motherland.
But his friend Gao Zecheng, who is a nationalist and the author of "The Story of the Pipa", doesn't think so.Gao Zecheng became a Jinshi three years ago, and came to work as a secretary in the provincial government of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Due to work, Liu Bowen and Secretary Gao often drank together, wrote poems, and talked about current affairs.Gao Zecheng is more extreme, thinking that the Yuan Dynasty has stepped on shit luck to this day, and the Han people will surely be revived.Liu Bowen retorted: "For so many years, Dayuan has treated us well. Your way of thinking is absolutely unacceptable. This is not only anti-government, but also anti-society. Revolution is of course easy. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang cut off branches and raised the banner. It has begun. But the revolution will kill people, and the first to die are ordinary people, but if they are not cold-blooded, who would bear to see people die?"
Gao Zecheng said: "Mencius once said that if a husband is a traitor to the people, he should be killed."
Liu Bowen said: "If you want to revolutionize the Yuan Dynasty, please withdraw your Jinshi degree first, then resign your secretary job, and then talk about revolution."
Gao Zecheng has nothing to say, but there are facts to prove to him: the revolution is imperative.Therefore, Liu Bowen's ambition was wiped out, and he had to readjust the focus of his work. This was not his original intention, but the situation.
When it comes to the revolutionary leaders at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, Zhang Shicheng, Chen Youliang and Zhu Yuanzhang were absolutely powerful, but that was later.At the beginning of the rebellion, Fang Guozhen was an out-and-out big brother.
Fang Guozhen is a native of Huangyan, Taizhou (now Huangyan, Zhejiang). She is tall and burly, with strong arms and a long-distance runner. He can chase a strong horse and vomit blood after drinking a little wine.There is something strange about this man's appearance: the whole body is blacker than coal, but the skin of his face is as white as gourd flesh.If you let him stand naked, it would be like a pile of swallow droppings on top of a piece of charcoal.
Fang Guozhen's family has been in the salt smuggling business since his grandfather's generation, and he is a wealthy local.Since smuggling requires collusion with officials, his father often goes in and out of government offices, humiliating himself.Fang Guozhen was young and angry, and said to his father: "We are all human beings, why should we treat him like our ancestors?" His father said: "You know what, how can business go on without collusion between government and businessmen? You If you don’t give confessions to officials, even if you earn money, you won’t spend it.”
Fang Guozhen sneered at this argument for a long time.However, Huangyan has a tradition of hating the rich.The government forces captured a group of robbers alive at sea, and the leader of the robbers was from Huangyan. For many years, he was envious and jealous of Fang Guozhen's family's profit model.During the interrogation, he also involved Fang Guozhen's family.Since Fang Guozhen's family was able to get along well in Huangyan, the local government officials notified the Fang family before the arrest warrant arrived in Huangyan, telling them to run away quickly, and promised that they would go to the province for activities, and the Fang family would soon will be safe and sound.The Fang family was about to pack their things. Fang Guozhen took out a big knife, chopped it on the furniture, and said, "It's too useless to live like this. Isn't it just to make more money by smuggling? I have a better way to make a fortune. Let's make a bloody revolution!" "
The four Fang Guozhen brothers said in unison: "I want to make a lot of money!" So Fang Guozhen took out the money to recruit soldiers, and soon led thousands of people to the sea on the former smuggling boat.
Before Fang Guozhen, there were revolutionaries.But it was all small fights. Just as the government troops were about to go to the battlefield, the revolutionaries fled first.Relying on years of smuggling experience and courage, Fang Guozhen recuperated at sea during the day, and when the moon rose, they quietly docked the ship like Vikings, and burned, killed and looted on the shore at lightning speed.What's more terrible is that Fang Guozhen often cut off the water transport channels between the north and south of the Yuan Dynasty. Soon, Fang Guozhen became a revolutionary banner in the Yuan Dynasty's southern China, and the Yuan Dynasty had to react violently.
The violent reaction was to order Duo Erzhiban, the fourth in command of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, to lead his bandit suppression force of 30,000 people to destroy Fang Guozhen.Duo'er Zhiban is full of muscles, and he can move as far as Mount Tai when he walks. He has wiped out hundreds of rebels in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.It seems that he is a capable person, but in fact he is not like that. Duo Erzhiban has boundless magic power to deal with gangs that are not successful, but he is helpless against gangs that are organized, disciplined and capable of fighting like Fang Guozhen.
Fang Guozhen took his troops into the sea when he learned that Doer's squad was coming.Fang Guozhen spends many years at sea, and the sea is his advantage. This is also where Fang Guozhen is smart. He has his own motto in life: never go to a field that he is not good at.Duo'erzhiban first adopted the strategy of waiting for a rabbit and blocking the sea, hoping to trap Fang Guozhen to death at sea.
However, Fang Guozhen started his career by smuggling, and no one can trap him.So after being besieged for a long time, Duo'er Zhiban announced that his plan to wait for a rabbit had failed.Under the urging of his superiors, he bit the bullet and went to the sea to capture Fang Guozhen's main force of 3,000 people.Duo'erzhiban and his troops are all landlubbers, and some people have symptoms of seasickness as soon as they board the boat. Those who are not seasick face the bumps of the waves, as if they are walking in clouds and mist.Especially Duo Erzhi class, who always carries a rope on the battleship, and binds himself wherever he goes.
Just like the mud bodhisattva crossing the river, even self-protection is a problem, and of course there is no need to mention fighting.Fang Guozhen seized this opportunity and sent a group of men with good water skills to drill under the battleships of Duo'erji's squad and dig a few big holes.In the chaos, Fang Guozhen's men captured Duo'erzhiban alive.When Duoerzhiban was captured alive, his stomach was filled with water, and he was squeezed for a long time before he vomited out, and then he was tied up with the rope that he always carried with him.
Mongols are rarely captured alive, especially deputy provincial officials like Duoerzhiban, so when Fang Guozhen trotted up to him to untie him, Duoerzhiban kept watching the rough waves outside the boat, and he At that time, I probably wanted to throw myself into the sea to feed the fish, so as to gain a reputation of being loyal and serving the country.But his eyes were blinking fast, and his stomach was growling. Fang Guozhen immediately judged that this fat Mongolian man did not have the courage to commit suicide, so he explained to the fat man that in fact, he did not intend to revolutionize, but he was uneducated. Not a civil servant.Later I heard that if he wanted to be an official, he would be recruited for murder and arson.That's why we made this bad move. It's not easy for everyone. It's nothing more than a mess.
Fang Guozhen finally said in a pleading tone: "Go back and tell your boss what I mean. By heaven, we are also citizens of Dayuan. Whoever is full is fine, and lives on the knife's edge! I hope he can give me some advice." If I become an official, I will immediately correct my evil ways and turn to be a good man again."
Duo'erzhiban couldn't believe his ears, it turned out that the other party wanted to be an official, and it was so easy.He immediately patted his stomach and agreed.Fang Guozhen sent a small boat to fly him back to Hangzhou City.
The Hangzhou government heard that Duo'erzhiban's troops were wiped out two hours ago, and when they were looking at each other in dismay, suddenly Duo'erzhiban appeared vividly in front of them.Hearing that Fang Guozhen could be placed without bloodshed, he jumped up and down with joy.They sent people to travel day and night to submit the report to Dadu, and then happily waited for the reward from Dadu.
The Mongolian princes and ministers in Dadu exploded like firecrackers.Several Mongolian generals who just came back from the pastures slapped the table and shouted: "It's a shame, if you can't beat them, you will recruit them. This happened in our Mongolian Empire, and it is our Mongolia that made us bear this shame." people!"
Someone immediately booed and said: "That ethnic scum, Duo'er, should be put to death on the spot!"
A staff officer of the Military Committee (Privy Council) stood up slowly, scanned the group of men with horses, and said: "The bandit suppression unit of Duo'erji Squad is the army, and the one named Fang Guozhen is the navy. Not in the same food chain. Now you have to let one animal go to another animal's food chain. What is the difference between sending a tiger into the sea and letting it fight with sharks? Now that it has happened, don't growl. You should collect energy in Jiangsu and Zhejiang Those who fight in the water, let them be on the same food chain as Fang Guozhen, so that Fang Guozhen can be killed."
When the horse-riding men heard that they were going to fight in the water, they softened immediately and said: "The sea is what we fear. Since Fang Guozhen wants an official position, let him give it to him. In addition to grass in the Yuan Dynasty, there are The most official positions."
The staff officer actually sneered, swept the group of men with horses once again, and said: "Fang Guozhen killed 30,000 of us, and captured our general alive. He is so powerful, but he wants to be recruited. It is obviously not a real surrender." Well, if we give him an official position, we will just let him recharge his batteries and fall into his trap. Besides, we must kill Fang Guozhen now to warn those who want to revolutionize."
However, never let the donkey understand the truth. It doesn't count if you wasted your time, and the donkey is very unhappy.The donkeys believed that one thing more is worse than one thing less, and it is not easy for anyone to give Fang Guozhen an official position.
Since Fang Guozhen was one of the most powerful revolutionaries in southern China for many years, most parties attached great importance to it. However, they heard that Fang Guozhen only wanted an official job, so he immediately relaxed, and quickly notified Jiangsu and Zhejiang that Fang Guozhen would give him any official position he wanted.Judging by his IQ, he might not be a good official, so he agreed immediately.
Liu Bowen had no chance to comment on the move by the central government because he was fired.The reason for his resignation was ridiculous. He believed that the officials of the discipline and supervision departments (supervisory censors) in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces had greatly neglected their duties.Dereliction of duty was already commonplace for officials at that time.Many people regard this as one of the basic qualities of officials. If Liu Bowen hadn't mentioned it, these officials would have almost forgotten that they still have responsibilities.The censors were surprised, thinking that Liu Bowen had destroyed the harmonious atmosphere in the officialdom, and hinted to the relevant departments to let Liu Bowen go away.
In 1349, Liu Bowen was resigned and was waiting for work in Hangzhou.And Fang Guozhen, a revolutionary who made his fortune by murder and arson, is enjoying his Yuan government civil servant treatment in Taizhou.
Fang Guozhen's revolution was of great significance to later professional revolutionaries such as Chen Youliang, Zhang Shicheng, and Zhu Yuanzhang.The first revolutionaries in Chinese history often failed to achieve the fruits of victory, and even died early if they were unlucky.Chen Sheng at the end of the Qin Dynasty, the Yellow Turban Army at the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Li Mi at the end of the Sui Dynasty, and Huang Chao at the end of the Tang Dynasty, these people set an example for the latecomers and also served as cannon fodder.The early bird gets the worm, but the early bird sometimes gets shot.Laozi said that not daring to be the first in the world is the most sacred and sincere advice to revolutionaries.
Liu Bowen had no advice for the revolutionaries, only heartbroken and full of hatred.And he also concluded that Fang Guozhen's surrender was just a way to delay the attack.Sure enough, at the end of 1350, Fang Guozhen, who had been raised by the Yuan government for a year, suddenly launched a second revolution and attacked Wenzhou City. After the attack failed, he ran into the vast sea.According to later official reports, the reason why Fang Guozhen launched the second revolution was only because he was always blackmailed and despised by the official civil servants of the Yuan Dynasty after becoming an official.We can get this kind of information from it: Although civil servants like Fang Guozhen who have become monks halfway through have a good official position and good salary, in the eyes of their colleagues, they will always be thieves and cannot become regulars.Because they are thieves, in the impression of official civil servants, they should all be rich.Fang Guozhen forced the Yuan government to recruit security because he wanted to blackmail others, but he didn't expect to be blackmailed by others, and when he got angry, he revolutionized again.
However, according to gossip, a person like Fang Guozhen is not made to be an official at all, he is destined to be a thief.No matter what kind of argument it is, in short, Fang Guozhen went to sea again by boat and became a revolutionary.In two years, Fang Guozhen's strength has not been what it used to be.When he launched a decisive attack on Wenzhou, there were tens of thousands of people.
In the first month of the second year, the central government of the Yuan Dynasty ordered Polo Timur, the Zuo Prime Minister of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, to serve as the commander of the suppression of bandits to conquer Fang Guozhen.Polo Timur is also a landlubber, so he enlisted able men and strangers with experience in maritime combat to accompany the army.
Liu Bowen wanted to apply for the job, but was stopped by his good friend Gao Zecheng.Gao Zecheng's reason was: "In terms of staff, especially in the water, I am better than you. So, I'll go, you prepare the food and wine. After I triumph, let's drink."
Liu Bowen was taken aback, because Gao Zecheng had only read a few military books, and Gao Zecheng was going to be a staff officer, Liu Bowen had never heard of it, and the staff officers were divided into water and land.Another reason why Liu Bowen was taken aback was that Gao Zecheng had always been sympathetic to the revolution, but now he wanted to attack the revolution.
Gao Zecheng's explanation is: "Anyone can talk about revolution, but you can't disturb my life. If you disturb my life, I will counter-revolution."
Liu Bowen was surprised by the changes in this friend in a short period of time, but he still admired Gao Zecheng's courage in his heart, so he wrote "Five Poems of Joining the Army" as a heroic act for Gao Zecheng. Can completely wipe out Fang Guozhen, triumphant.
But Liu Bowen was disappointed. In the sixth month of the lunar calendar in 1351, Polo Timur and Fang Guozhen fought hand-to-hand in Daluyang near Songmen. Mu'er himself was captured alive.Gao Zecheng had disappeared for a long time at that time. According to his later recollection, he came up with countless strategies, but Polo Timur's sticky head just refused to listen.
After Polo Timur was captured alive, Fang Guozhen repeated his old tricks, knelt down in front of him, described the hardships of his life with tears, and said that as long as the government gave him a bigger official position than before, he would correct his evil ways and start a new life.
Polo Timur was moved by Fang Guozhen's sudden tears and agreed to Fang Guozhen's request. After returning to Hangzhou, he wrote Fang Guozhen's wish to be a new man overnight. Give him an official position, the older one.
It is understandable to say that the Yuan government lost in the first contest with Fang Guozhen because they were not familiar with naval warfare, but the second time they failed on land, and they collapsed without a fight. up.
This is exactly what Liu Bowen saw at first sight. He did not suspect that this was a problem of political corruption, but believed that the problem lay entirely with the army and local officials.In his apartment in Hangzhou, he was full of worries, and an anger of "rotten wood cannot be carved" went up from his lungs and settled in his throat. Liu Bowen wanted to yell, but he held back, so this anger went up again and reached his nose , Liu Bowen snorted coldly, and when it reached his eyes, Liu Bowen's eyes turned red, and finally when it reached his mind, he picked up his pen and wrote down the essay "Speaking of an Orange Seller" well-known to all women and children.This is an article criticizing government officials, especially those generals who are like silver pewter gun heads, just "gold and jade outside".
We need to appreciate this article, but since it is essays, not prose, we only need to appreciate its vernacular translation:
There is a fruit seller in Hangzhou who is good at storing citrus, which will not rot after winter and summer. When they are taken out, they are still bright and bright, with a jade-like texture and golden color.Put it on the market (sell), the price is ten times higher than (common citrus), and people rush to buy citrus.
I bought one, and when I cut it open, it smelled like smoke, and looked inside, it was dry like tattered cotton wool.I wondered about this, and asked him: "Are the oranges you sell to others going to be filled in containers for offerings, to worship the gods and entertain guests? Or are you going to show off its appearance to confuse fools?" With a blind man? It's too much to do this kind of deception!"
The citrus seller smiled and said, "I've been in this business for many years. I live off of it. I sell it and other people buy it and no one ever says anything but you can't do it Is there a lot of people who commit fraud in the world, am I the only one? You haven’t thought about it carefully. Now those who wear tiger-shaped soldier symbols and sit on the general’s seat look mighty, as if they are generals who defend the country , Can they really have the strategies of Sun Wu and Wu Qi? Those who wear high hats and long belts, look like the pillars of the country, can they really establish the achievements of Yi Yin and Gao Tao? Steal They are everywhere but they don’t know how to resist, the people are poor but they don’t know how to help them, the officials are cunning but they don’t know how to restrain them, the law is corrupt but they don’t know how to govern, they waste the country’s food in vain but they don’t know how to be ashamed. Look at those sitting on the high hall, riding on big horses, Drinking good wine and eating delicious food, who is not tall, awe-inspiring, outstanding, and worthy of imitation? But no matter where you go, who is not as golden as jade on the outside, and as dilapidated as rags on the inside? Now you don't see these phenomena, but only my oranges!"
I was silent and had no words to answer.Thinking back to what the orange seller said, (I think he) is a witty, sarcastic, witty and eloquent person like Dongfang Shuo.Could it be that he is a person who is indignant and hates the evil phenomena in the world, so he uses oranges to satirize?
Liu Bowen said: "I really put my heart into this article and got angry, so I wrote it very well." But he didn't know that there was still something about getting angry later!
In 1352, after a year of depression in Hangzhou, someone picked him out of the corner and pushed him into the officialdom.Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces think of Liu Bowen again because he has gained fame in Jiangsu and Zhejiang for many years.It's not that he created the same feat as Pangu, but that his articles and poems won him unexpected fame.There is one thing to prove.When Liu Bowen was serving as the vice-president of Confucianism, the Fuyan Temple in Hangzhou was repaired and expanded through the unremitting efforts of many abbots. The abbot of the temple wanted to erect a monument to commemorate this event. The first person who thought of being qualified to write this inscription was Liu Bowen.But he had no relationship with Liu Bowen, so he just found someone to write an article under the guise of Liu Bowen.After the article came under the nose of the abbot of the monastery, the abbot of the temple complained endlessly, because the article was too ordinary, but my Buddha has always been compassionate, and although he was unwilling in his heart, he still used it.One day, a friend of Liu Bowen visited the monastery and saw the inscription, and immediately concluded that it was not Liu Bowen's handwriting.The abbot of the temple told the truth, and at the same time asked the tourist whether he could ask Liu Bowen to write an inscription.Later, due to various reasons, the matter failed.But it is enough to explain Liu Bowen's popularity in the Hangzhou literary world.
Of course, his repeated advances and retreats in the officialdom also won him incredible popularity among the scholars in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
It is not uncommon for a great man to advance and retreat in politics, whether by force or on purpose.Clever political figures take it as wisdom to retire, because common sense tells them that nothing beats going underground to become the idol of the masses.Because of his brief disappearance, his image will become even more legendary.Fame hides his personality in a cloud of splendor and an aura of glory; when he emerges from it, without any effort at all, he creates an atmosphere in which the public expects him a thousandfold.
In the scholar-bureaucrat class and official circles in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Liu Bowen's aura is similar to that of Buddha.Hidden under his plain appearance is a fiery flame of wisdom, which burns into poems and passionate articles, which are sung by thousands of people.He was soon appointed as the staff officer of the commander of the East Zhejiang Theater (the capital of the East Zhejiang Marshal's Mansion), and went to Taizhou and Wenzhou to defend against Fang Guozhen, who was in the third revolution.
Why did Fang Guozhen engage in the third revolution?Things need to start from the Yellow River.The Yellow River is the mother river of China, but it is a hysterical mother. "Break twice in three years, divert once in a hundred years" is the character of this mother.During the 2,540 years from the fifth year of Zhou Dingwang (602 BC) to 1938, when Mr. Chiang Kai-shek broke the embankment at Huayuankou to stop Japan, there were 543 years of recorded flooding, and the number of embankment breaches reached more than 1,590 times. The main channel has undergone five major diversions and migrations.The area affected by the floods reached Tianjin in the north and Jianghuai in the south, including the Huanghuaihai Plain in the five provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, and Jiangsu, with a vertical and horizontal width of 250,000 square kilometers.In the Yuan Dynasty, the mother of the Yellow River was even more convulsed. In the end of the Yuan Dynasty, it rushed out of the fixed waterway more than 200 times, and countless people died in its yellow mud.
The Yuan government was in a hurry with the Yellow River. In 1351, Tuotuo, the prime minister of the Yuan government, and Jia Lu, an official of the Ministry of Construction (Ministry of Industry), determined two plans to deal with the Yellow River. The first plan was to reinforce the dam in the north, which was blocking; The plan is to dredge the river while reinforcing the embankment, so as to lead the Yellow River back to its original course.Tuotuo believes that the root cause of the problem must be cured, so he adopts the second plan.
But there were objections.Because the world at that time was like a volcano before it erupted, the second plan was to recruit people to do voluntary labor for the government, and no one was willing.
Tuotuo is a pragmatic politician, but unfortunately, he miscalculated the situation at that time and resolutely ordered the second plan to repair the Yellow River.
At least 150,000 migrant workers were driven to the banks of the Yellow River with whips, knives and guns, and began to work overtime.
The government of the Chinese imperial era never explained things to the people. Most of the 150,000 migrant workers lived by the Yellow River, and they could feel the harm of the Yellow River for many years.If the government sends commissioners to tell these people their interests and interests, and tell them that it is beneficial for them to manage the Yellow River, the banks of the Yellow River will never be filled with resentment.
Han Shantong from Luancheng (now Luancheng, Hebei) and Liu Futong from Yingzhou (now Jieshou, Anhui), disciples of the White Lotus Sect who were called a cult by the government at that time, seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and found a folk artist to chisel a one-eyed man. , Buried on the construction site of the laborers.The White Lotus Sect has a long history and has an extremely long lifespan.It was originally a branch of Buddhism. After being believed by ordinary people, it began to spread in the Southern Song Dynasty. In the early years of the Yuan Dynasty, this cult often opposed the Yuan government.Han Shantong and Liu Futong made the White Lotus Sect even more mysterious. According to them, Maitreya Buddha is reincarnated now, and King Ming will also be reincarnated as a human being.Immediately afterwards, they spread the prophecy that "the stone man has one eye and stirs up rebellion in the Yellow River".
The Yellow River laborers dug up the rough stone man very quickly, and the banks of the Yellow River were disturbed.
Liu Futong and Han Shantong struck while the iron was hot, and unleashed the battle banner of "three thousand tigers, straight to the land of Youyan; ninety-five dragons, reopening the sky of the Song Dynasty", and gathered more than 3,000 people to make an auspicious day to attack Dadu, the old nest of the Yuan Dynasty.
Unfortunately, traitors appeared in the White Lotus Sect.Liu Futong and Han Shantong were wanted by the government under the betrayal of the traitors. The unlucky Han Shantong was killed, and God favored Liu Futong and let him escape smoothly.Liu Futong made a hasty revolution almost without weapons and battle flags. When Fang Guozhen was enjoying the benefits of civil servants in the Yuan government in the south, Liu Futong successfully conquered Yingzhou.His troops tied a red scarf on their heads, so they were also called "Red Scarf Army".When the Red Scarf Army charged, there was a sea of flames, which was truly beautiful.
Wherever this sea of fire passed, it was invincible and invincible. It captured multiple strategic locations in a short period of time and approached Jiangsu and Zhejiang.The Yuan government hastily ordered Jiangsu and Zhejiang to make preparations to intercept Liu Futong.Jiangsu and Zhejiang immediately mobilized their troops and prepared to go north.
Fang Guozhen is cunning by nature and judges others by himself, thinking that the real purpose of the Yuan government's mobilization of troops is to attack him.So he attacked first, took his men and horses to the sea again, and rebelled three times.
We will always remember a philosophy of life: People who think of others in a complicated way are not good things themselves.
The Yuan government repeated its old trick, and threw an olive branch to Fang Guozhen.The person who was sent was Taizhou Daluhua Chitai Buhua.This person was unwilling to recruit Fang Guozhen.
Born as a Jinshi in Taibuhua, he is talented and has a strong sense of responsibility. When he served as the Deputy Minister of Etiquette (Minister of Rites) in the central government, he put forward pertinent opinions on national policies and current affairs many times, and gained a reputation for daring to speak the truth.The most valuable thing about Tai Buhua is his ability to think independently.During Fang Guozhen's second revolution, Tai Buhua was the commander of a bandit suppression force.When Fang Guozhen launched a general attack on Wenzhou City on land, Tai Buhua raided Fang Guozhen's warship. Fang Guozhen retreated in a hurry when he saw the fire in the backyard.Later, Fang Guozhen defeated Boluo Timur, the commander-in-chief of the Yuan government's bandit suppression, and declared that he would accept the recruitment.After Tai Buhua heard that the central government had re-accepted Fang Guozhen, a mischievous child, he couldn't eat or sleep for several days, and he sighed endlessly.After the two parties reached a recruitment agreement, Fang Guozhen retreated to the private house without taking any precautionary measures.
That day happened to be the fifteenth day of August, and the moon was big and round. Tai Buhua thought this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to wipe out Fang Guozhen in one fell swoop.But when he presented the plan to attack Fang Guozhen at night to Polo Timur, the fat man in the officialdom stared angrily and said: "I was ordered to surrender Fang Guozhen, but you want to kill him. Are you making trouble with me, or are you going to kill him?" Disobedience to God's orders?"
Tai Buhua looked up to the sky and sighed, "If Fang Guozhen is not excluded at this time, we will suffer in the future."
Polo Timur's IQ can no more comprehend Taibwa's sigh than a donkey can understand music.Tai Buhua's fears were quickly confirmed in March of the lunar calendar in 1352. Fang Guozhen jumped and cheered to carry out the third revolution.
Tai Buhua took the initiative to invite Ying, vowing to chop Fang Guozhen into several pieces and throw them into the sea to feed bastards.The central government agreed to let him serve as the commander-in-chief of the bandit suppression, but disagreed with his plan to cut Fang Guozhen into several pieces and feed them to bastards. At the same time, he gave a magic weapon to deal with Fang Guozhen: Zhao'an.
As an intellectual, especially a responsible intellectual, Tai Buhua had no choice but to listen to the opinions of the central government. Therefore, at the swearing-in meeting, the officers under him saw his gloomy expression and cast a shadow over his heart.
However, what is gratifying is that Tai Buhua put away his emotions and concentrated on making a battle plan.In fact, the so-called battle plan was just to press down the coastline with heavy troops to intimidate Fang Guozhen, and then send people to recruit Fang Guozhen.The person who was sent was Wang Dayong, a quack hero recruited temporarily, and Tai Buhua said to the officers: "Fang Guozhen came from a quack, it's easier to find someone from the quack to communicate with him."
To Tai Buhua's surprise, Wang Dayong was like a meat bun beating a dog and never came back.Some people thought that Fang Guozhen had detained Wang Dayong, but in fact Fang Guozhen had taken a fancy to Wang Dayong, turned against the client, and recruited him.Wang Dayong is a soft-hearted person, after being flattered by Fang Guozhen, he immediately changed his appearance and recognized Fang Guozhen as his master in this life.He poured his heart and soul into Fang Guozhen's information about Taibhua's defense. Fang Guozhen jumped up happily, and quickly dispatched a commando team with 200 small warships to suddenly wedge into Haimen, where Taibhua's defense line was weakest. Zhougang and Ma'an Mountains were temporarily exposed to Fang Guozhen's attack range.
Fang Guozhen's attack was extremely fast, and Tai Buhua's reaction was also extremely fast. After learning that Fang Guozhen's 200 small warships entered Zhougang, he immediately dispatched troops to gather all the warships, and prepared to fight Fang Guozhen in Zhougang.
Fang Guozhen has never been a person who is willing to fight tough battles. Hearing that Taibuhua's navy is preparing to go all out to annihilate her own squad, she hastily sent someone to Taibuhua to ask for peace.The person who was sent was called Chen Zhongda, who was eloquent and could make the dead alive.He said to Tai Buhua: "The reason why Fang Guozhen acted recklessly was all because of Wang Dayong's bewitchment. Now Fang Guozhen knows that he is wrong, and Fang Guozhen has a heart of a Bodhisattva. He doesn't want to meet with swords and soldiers, and his life will be ruined. Therefore, he accepts the offer as before. .”
Tai Buhua sneered, thinking that he was in the upper hand at this time, and eliminating Fang Guozhen was one of his ideals in recent years.But Chen Zhongda is not only eloquent, but also has a thorough understanding of the politics of the Yuan government.He reminded Tai Buhua what the mission is, if it is purely military action, then go to war.If there is anything else, I hope Tai Buhua will think twice before acting.
This "other" is of course the central government's order to Taibuhua: Zhao'an.
Tai Buhua didn't expect that the other party could find his fatal weakness at once, and this weakness happened to be something that people with his personality could not avoid.He has only one choice: trust Fang Guozhen and accept his surrender.
The next day, Tai Buhua and Chen Zhongda sailed down the Chengjiang River on a ship to meet Fang Guozhen.Under Chen Zhongda's guidance, Tai Buhua's ship suddenly touched the sand and couldn't move forward. Just when he sighed that he was unlucky, what was even more unlucky was that he collided head-on with Fang Guozhen's waiting navy.
Tai Buhua still had a glimmer of hope at this time, thinking that Fang Guozhen had no reason not to surrender, so he ordered Chen Zhongda to declare his intention to Fang Guozhen.Chen Zhongda also complained in his heart. When he came, Fang Guozhen had said well that he wanted to surrender.But looking at the current situation, it is not surrender at all.When he was distracted for a moment, Tai Buhua had already seen the danger in his eyes, and suddenly drew out the knife. Chen Zhongda was about to defend himself, when he suddenly saw the sky shake violently, the sky became the sea, the sea became the sky, he He also saw that the head on his neck was gone, and a column of blood was gushing out of his cavity.Only then did he realize that his head had left his body.Finally, his face was immersed in the sea, and Tai Buhua's sad and angry voice was heard beside his ears, "Come on!"
In fact, no one rushed forward, because their boat had become a decoration, and only Fang Guozhen's people could come over, but they couldn't get through.Standing at the bow of the boat, Tai Buhua chopped down more than a dozen pirates who wanted to jump onto the boat. His knife had been cut to the brim, and his strength was exhausted. pirates.结局是，泰不华脖上中了一矛，血如泉涌，他捂着伤口，依旧站在船头，用刀拄着地，看向北方，好像正要说点什么，没有来得及，马上就被人推进了海里。
泰不华牺牲的消息传到杭州城时，刘伯温正在读书。他出奇的冷静，因为他和泰不华并不熟，或者说交往不深。所以他合上书，站起来，独自在家晃悠，开始对任何人都不理睬。几个时辰后，没有任何征兆，他突然大叫一声，像着了魔一样，低声嘀咕着一连串惊人的离经叛道的言语，连他自己都不敢相信自己当时的想法。
三天后，刘伯温终于脱卸了那个折磨他的包袱。他又恢复了精神，坐在书桌前，一气呵成了一篇文章，名字叫《吊泰不华元帅赋》。写完后，他把笔扔在桌子上，格外平静格外冷酷地说：“大元没救了！”
刘伯温说“大元没救了”时，根本没想过要效仿方国珍等一干造反精英和元王朝为敌。他只是恼火元王朝的无能，悲愤元王朝的不幸。他在《吊泰不华元帅赋》中说，在上者闭塞如死人，下面的人愚蠢无能。好不容易出了个人杰泰不华，却是生不逢时。
这是刘伯温第一次把刀枪对准了元朝最高统治者，也就是元王朝本身。在此之前，刘伯温只是认为元王朝的官场有问题。可泰不华的死却让他在电光火石间看到了元王朝的政治问题才是最大的问题。
当他说“大元没救了”后不久，行省就给他送来了任命书，要他去担任浙东元帅府都事一职。他想都不想，收拾东西就上任了。这就是刘伯温，敢于直面惨淡的人生，心中虽然对国家已不抱希望，但如果有机会，他还会挺身而出。什么是豪杰？虽然对现状极度不满，但仍然想改变现状。什么是废物？对现状极度不满后，屁都不做，只在那里穷咀蛆。
刘伯温无疑是豪杰人物，但众所周知，豪杰人物的人生之路永远是坎坷不平的。
泰不华壮烈后，元政府对方国珍的策略发生了微妙的改变。江浙行省左丞相尊达实理就命令右丞特理帖木儿和参政樊执敬集结重兵剿杀方国珍，刘伯温能重新回归，正是樊执敬一手促成。
刘伯温刚到办公地点庆元，樊执敬和特理帖木儿就跑来问刘伯温，如何对付方国珍。刘伯温毫无保留地说：“方国珍现在气候已成，我们暂时只能采守势，坐等机会，然后才能出击。此时如果贸然出击，泰不华元帅就是榜样。”
这话特理帖木儿早就说过：“现在最要紧的是巩固实力，然后出兵。”但问题是，樊执敬却说：“方国珍现在正起着坏榜样，应该早消灭他。”
刘伯温内心冷笑，口无遮拦地说：“方国珍能有今天的成就，还不是拜某些人所赐，该剿时不剿，不该剿时非要剿，这就是逆天。”
樊执敬就问：“依你之见呢？”
刘伯温说：“加固庆元城防。方国珍不可能一辈子都在海上，必然要到陆地来补充给养。而他第一个到的地方要么是他起事的台州，要么就是庆元。只要我们加固庆元城防，闭门不出，坚壁清野，方国珍就会活活被我们耗死。”
所有在场的人都认为刘伯温说得有道理，因为他们想不出别的方法来。加固庆元城防御工事后，效果立竿见影。方国珍在庆元城下吃了很大的亏，懊恼地逃走。由于心情不顺，又在台州城下吃了大亏。据元政府的情报人员分析说，对方国珍发动总攻的时机已经成熟。
刘伯温认为此时时机一点都不成熟，但他所有的领导都认为已经成熟。于是，刘伯温被叫到台州，商议如何剿灭方国珍。
就在他们一厢情愿地制定剿灭方国珍的计划时，有人打乱了他们的计划。这个人就是徐寿辉。
徐寿辉是蕲州罗田（今湖北罗田）人，在1351年阴历八月前以卖布为生。据知情人透露，徐寿辉还有另外一个身份：蕲州黑社会中的一名当家人。当他卖布时，是个童叟无欺的小商贩；当他做当家人时，是个忠肝义胆的豪杰。刘福通和韩山童在黄河边装神弄鬼发动革命时，徐寿辉在蕲州开始让他的小弟们四处活动，并以红巾军分部的名义起事。在那个乱糟糟的年头，每个人都想发家致富，所以徐寿辉很快就拥有了一支部队。由于他部队的主体都是黑社会的古惑仔，平时就受过打架斗殴的严格训练，所以他的部队所向披靡。在攻陷了一部分地盘后，徐寿辉信心爆满，宣称他不是红巾军的分部，而是独立自主的。也就是说，他要建立自己的山头，称帝。
他的战友邹普胜是个天才级人物。他对徐寿辉说：“我看历来称王称帝的人，都没啥水平。你看他们的国号太俗了，我们要搞个震动天地的国号。”
徐寿辉就问：“你有什么想法吗？”
邹普胜说：“国号就叫'天完'吧。”
徐寿辉问：“有什么讲究吗？”
邹普胜说：“我们是注定要灭掉大元的，先在气势上压倒他。他叫'大元'，我们盖住它，所以叫'天完'。”徐寿辉心花怒放，向邹普胜竖起拇指说：“你真是个天才啊。”这是一种靠贬低对手而抬高自己信心的心理战术，值得很多人效仿。现在我们应该称徐寿辉所建立的国家为“天完”帝国，如果他运气好，将来统一中国，那就叫大天完王朝。徐寿辉开始时的运气的确很好，1352年，徐寿辉在亲密战友陈友谅的建议下提出“摧富益贫”的口号，这一口号就像是磁石，把湖北的广大贫苦农民全部吸了过来。于是，徐寿辉的天完兵团横扫今湖北、江西、安徽、福建、浙江、江苏、湖南等大片地区。1352年阴历七月，当刘伯温在台州和那群领导们制定剿杀方国珍的计划时，徐寿辉的天完兵团如暴风一样，一举荡平了饶州、徽州，然后绕过村庄长驱直入，兵临杭州城最后一道屏障的昱岭关。昱岭关在天完兵团的猛烈攻击下，立即陷落。徐寿辉不作片刻停留，兵锋直指杭州城。他的兵团在短短的半个时辰内把杭州城外的防御全部扫荡完毕，又在半个时辰内对杭州城完成包围。杭州城中的守军拼死抵抗，但他们不是天完兵团的对手，杭州城陷落。
当时负责守卫杭州城的樊执敬在城池即将陷落时，突然逆用兵法，大开城门，扬刀跃马而出。天完攻城兵团吓了一跳，但随即认定这是老天让城里的守军走火入魔了，于是，一阵冲杀，樊执敬死于乱军之中。据说，樊执敬临死前，跟在他身后的突击队一哄而散，这让他万念俱灰，挺胸迎接死神的降临。
刘伯温得知这个消息后，捶胸顿足，又开始独自在房间晃悠，又像是着了魔一样，絮絮叨叨。最后，写了首《悲杭城》，里面怒斥杭州城守军的无能和懦弱。
当他还没有从悲愤中彻底清醒，方国珍抓住徐寿辉攻陷杭州给江浙行省带来震荡的机会，猛攻台州城。当是，方国珍的能力不足以支撑他的理想，所以在台州城下扔了几千具尸体后，狼狈而逃。
这是多年来，老天投给刘伯温唯一一件美好的礼物，刘伯温高兴得发狂，作了一首《筑城词》：
但是，刘伯温也明白，仅靠城高墙厚，不足以建立奇功。战国初年，魏国国王和政治家吴起乘船游览魏国江山，见到险峻之处，魏王就得意洋洋地说：“瞧啊，这就是我们国家的天然之宝。”吴起说：“一个国家的存在，在政治修明，不在山川险要。夏王朝和商王朝，四面都是险山和大河，结果还不是被灭了。如果政治腐败，同舟共济的人都能成为敌人。山川险要、城高墙厚就成了一马平川。”
现在，刘伯温清醒地意识到，元王朝的政治腐败已到根部，所以一切山川险要和高城厚墙，都会变成一马平川。
刘伯温对元政府军队素质的印象极为深刻，在他看来，整个元政府特别是江浙行省已经没有可以打仗的军队。通过各种渠道，刘伯温得知，即使是以蒙古民族为主体的军队，在战场上亦失去了当年的光辉。他们和敌人还未接触，就自行溃败，用蒙语叫喊着“跑啊，快跑啊”。
刘伯温回望蒙古兵团横扫地球的历史，连一个叹息都发不出。
这是无可奈何的事，孙悟空说过，皇帝轮流做，今年到我家。任何一个人和一个组织，都不可能永远保持青春的活力。
刘伯温希望元政府，特别是元朝的部队能有所改观，他也曾努力过。比如在方国珍攻台州未遂的1352年阴历八月，他就特意去了趟永嘉。因为他听说在那里有个和尚，能文能武，而且希望能遵从佛祖的教导，普度众生。
刘伯温见到这位永嘉的和尚时，和尚正在大口吃肉，而且是一面耍着棒子一面吃肉。刘伯温大为惊叹，又和他谈论兵法，永嘉和尚说得头头是道，再和他谈论为将之道，和尚滔滔不绝，刘伯温惊为天人。
不过，刘伯温总感觉哪里不对。把这位和尚带回台州后，虽然上司重用了这位和尚，但刘伯温再也没有见过这位和尚发挥他的正能量。
刘伯温正绞尽脑汁思考是和尚徒有虚名还是这个政府已不能被融入新血液时，方国珍又重现舞台。此时，是1353年阴历十月。方国珍这两年来没有讨到任何便宜，所以他决定让自己这只迷途的羔羊重新回到元政府母亲的怀抱。
元政府开会，暂时同意浪子方国珍的回头要求。刘伯温听到此消息后，气得死去活来。他说：“方国珍现在还活得很好，就是因为咱们的政策有问题。他是第一个发动武装革命的人，杀我们的官，杀我们的百姓，对这样的人决不能宽恕，应该倾全力捕杀。”刘伯温最后提出了一个论点：现在天下如此之乱，就是招安惹的祸，招安是鼓励那些冒险家造反。一个街头混混，不种田不耕地，因为革命而被招安得到政府的奖励，请问将来还有谁会安心从事实业？大家都把革命当成一种稳赚不赔的投资，这个天下还会好吗？
招安还有一个弊端，由于政府用官爵赏赐盗贼，所以导致很多真正的贤达之士对官爵蔑视，不再愿意亲近政府。鲁迅说，浙江的芦荟到了北京，便用红头绳系住菜根，倒挂在水果店头，美其名曰“龙舌兰”。而北京的大白菜运往浙江，便用红头绳系住菜根，倒挂在水果店头，尊为“胶菜”，这就是“物以稀为贵”。
刘伯温在后来的著作《郁离子》中说：“有些东西所以价格高，就是因为少而难得。如果有一天，明珠比沙子还多，黄金比土还丰盛，人人都能得到，那明珠和黄金还会那么贵吗？官爵是表现政府公信力和权威的一件东西，不能随便示人，正是要对官爵'抠门'，才能让天下才华之士对这种'奇货'趋之若鹜，而得到后会更加珍惜。”
刘伯温还用一个历史故事来印证自己的见解。
战国时，赵惠文王得到一块美玉，让人雕成酒杯，说：“以后，有大功的人就用它喝庆功酒。”后来，有人立下赫赫战功，赵王就用这个酒杯为功臣倒酒。从此以后，赵国人将谁能用这只酒杯喝上一次酒看得比加官晋爵还重。后来，赵王迁即位，用这只酒杯给一个靠谄媚而得到尊贵位置的人喝酒，许多人再也不把那酒杯看在眼里了。
刘伯温还有个很色情的比喻：用官爵来赏盗贼，官爵就从处女变成了妓女，有谁会把妓女当成老婆那样疼爱呢。
政府招安叛乱者和警察满足劫匪的要求一样，都是一种姑息和放纵，使得人人起而效仿。评点的金圣叹就说，招安是什么？有罪者你把他赦免，而给他高官厚禄，无罪者自然就心生此念，天下还能太平吗？
几年后，刘伯温写了这样一个故事。有个慈悲为怀的和尚坐船，遇到风浪，正当大家惊恐之时，突然佛祖显灵，风平浪静。有人看到水中有只毛茸茸的东西飘浮着，和尚就对大家说：“这也是生命，救它上来。”大家把这个生命解救上来后，发现是只老虎，就想把它推到水里去。但和尚阻拦说：“它可是一条生命啊。”坐船的人说不过和尚，就纷纷下水逃走。当老虎恢复体力后，跳上去把和尚当成了一顿大餐。
刘伯温这个故事寓意很明显：老虎天生吃人，这是本性，无法改变。对于这样兽性不改的人，不应该抱有任何的同情和幻想。
把这个故事摆到现实中来，刘伯温所指的那只老虎当然就是方国珍那类人。这个故事说明了刘伯温性格中的一点：恩怨分明、是非分明，理性得几近于冷酷。
曾有人问过刘伯温：“老虎吃人固然是错的，但它的确是条生命，圣人有恻隐之心，遇到生命受到伤害，当然要拯救它，难道这不对吗？”
刘伯温解释说：“你看它是条生命，其实是你站在它的立场上。你把自己当成禽兽，这种想法才能成立。但天下事都是公道的，你把自己当成禽兽，可禽兽却不把自己当成人。所以，二者本身就是不平等的。我杀禽兽，是因为我是人。”
毋庸置疑，这是一种冷酷的理性，它不是每个人都具备的，而一旦有人具备后，前途将不可限量。方国珍在听到刘伯温发表的种种宣言后，心惊肉跳了好久。他特别担心元政府的高官们也懂得这个浅显的道理，就派人偷偷潜入刘伯温住所，用黄金白银闪耀刘伯温的双眼。刘伯温问来人：“这是什么意思？”
来人说：“您那妓女的比喻传到了我们大王耳朵里，我们大王心惊胆战，希望您看在黄金白银的面子上，向您的领导倡导招安我们大王，摈弃剿杀的政策。”
刘伯温说：“我呸，对待你们方大王这样的人，只有剿灭，没有其他办法。”
来人带着黄金灰头土脸地走了，回到方国珍处，惊慌道：“大王，祸事来了。刘伯温那小子死活看不上咱。”方国珍说：“不要慌，我们走上层路线。”方国珍走上层路线的方式是这样的：派人绕过正在围剿他的刘伯温，直接把黄金送到元大都，每个官员都分点。这些官员拿了人家的钱财，自然就要替人说好话。结局就是，元朝最高当局否定了刘伯温的建议和对方国珍的围剿行为。刘伯温得到这样的命令后，没有独自晃悠，也没有像着了魔似的絮絮叨叨，而是气定神闲地坐在桌子前画起了八卦图。
据说，画八卦图有助于精神放松和睡眠，而且能快速释放外来的压力。所以，当政府判他“羁管绍兴”的刑罚时，他面无表情，现在，他将有新的开始。
这就是他一生中最煎熬的三年羁管绍兴生涯。也就是说，现在，绍兴成了刘伯温的监狱。
但我们想错了。刘伯温此时还没有那么大的定力，所以当羁管他于绍兴的命令来到时，他的面无表情并非是超然度外，而是满脑空白，呆若木鸡。
悲观主义者说，我们每个人都住在监狱里，也就是说，地球就是个大监狱，万有引力就是镣铐，我们永远逃不出地球去，即使用高科技离开地球，终归要回来的。据说自盘古开天地以来，只有一个人逃出了这个监狱，这位越狱犯跑到月球上，住在阴冷的宫殿里，每天对着一只兔子以泪洗面。众所周知，这位越狱犯就是嫦娥，她的下场有点凄惨。乐观主义者说，我们每个人都住在游乐场中，因为地球是如此的五彩缤纷，使我们感受到生命的意义。但乐观主义者也承认，我们永远离不开这个游乐场。
其实，人心才是最大的监狱。刘伯温虽然受到的处罚是羁管绍兴，但官方没有对他进行任何羁管措施，他可以去绍兴任何地方，可以喝酒，可以写诗，可以和朋友游览山水名胜。也就是说，对于刘伯温而言，绍兴这个监狱其实是个游乐场。但开始时，刘伯温拥有悲观主义论调。
某一天，没有任何征兆，他突然癫狂起来，在房间里大喊大叫，呕吐鲜血，突然昏迷不醒。他的家人认为他中了某种妖术，请来游方的和尚、正在深山老林里修行的道士、名噪绍兴城的捉鬼大师，甚至通过各种上层关系请来了西域的番僧，这些人对刘伯温进行了眼花缭乱的除妖仪式，刘伯温总算醒转过来。可还不如不醒，因为醒来后，他就开始进行各种各样的自杀行动，比如上吊、割腕、投井、服毒，但他的家人如鬼魅一样时刻盯着他，使他无法得逞。刘伯温在进行了一系列无法成功的自杀行动后，又经过家人的哭泣劝阻，终于醒悟。在一个阳光很好的中午，他坐到饭桌上，用手指蘸了水，在饭桌上画了个八卦图，说：“这就是监狱。”然后又轻轻地抹掉了八卦图，说，“没有监狱。”
这是一个暗喻，刘伯温告诉我们，人心认为哪里是监狱，哪里就是监狱，反之亦然。
关于刘伯温多次自杀的事情，有一点需要补充：
我们知道，刘伯温被羁管绍兴城时已是43岁，四十多年来，他在寻求智慧的道路上走得顺畅无比，比如有人在1353年见到刘伯温，随便问他个问题，他马上就能回答，他通晓的学科天下无出其右。如果把刘伯温放到西方，那他是最幸福的人，因为西方人认为追求智慧就是追求善，拥有智慧就是拥有了善，拥有了善就拥有了幸福。西方哲学家认为，一个人追求智慧是无止境的，你在追求智慧的同时也就是在享受幸福。但在东方就不是这样，东方人认为，追求智慧只是手段，最终的目的是创造成功。一旦成功遥遥无期，那就谈不上有幸福感。
刘伯温有智慧，但他没有理解智慧本身就是幸福的，他认为的幸福是凭借智慧取得的成功。由于成功没有取得，反而还落到了阶下囚的地步，所以他不开心，所以就想提前离开这个世界。
站在绍兴城里最高的地方俯瞰绍兴城，它是一座被水洗过的绿油油的城池，经历了千百年的风雨，它永远都保持着那种惊世骇俗的纯净。刘伯温站在那里，脑海里就如万马奔腾般掠过绍兴的历史。最先跃入脑海的是舜帝在这里接见百官，然后是大禹在这里召集诸侯，宣称不再禅让，而要家天下。时光如梭，刘伯温能清晰地看到，一个鹰钩鼻子、嘴里永远都散发着臭气的人正在这里卧薪尝胆，这个人就是越国国王勾践，他因为品尝了敌人的大便，嘴里永远都保持着一股臭味。光阴似箭，刘伯温又看到一群宽衣大袖的人正在绍兴城里谈天论地，就是不问世事，这是魏晋那群所谓的风流人士。突然一声马嘶，刘伯温看到宋高宗赵构在这里胆战心惊地避难，而且还说出了“绍祚中兴”这四个字，“绍兴”就是这么来的。
刘伯温站在绍兴城中最高处反刍历史，历史对他起了相当大的作用，他说：“如果绍兴是座监狱，那这座监狱真是风光无限，因为有那么多英雄人物在这里住过。人绝对不能委屈自己，我要放浪山水。”
这是一种临时的人生信念，就如一张邀请函，刘伯温四面八方的朋友都来到绍兴，和他一起放浪山水，和他一起喝酒写诗，永无虚日。
在这三年看似热闹其实内心百无聊赖的时间里，也不是没有可圈可点的事发生。比如刘伯温和王冕的交往就是其中之一。“王冕”的大名几乎是无人不晓的，他可谓是当时著名的诗人、文学家、画家、书法家。开篇的楔子讲的就是他的故事，不过他在文中的形象是一位拒不出仕的隐士、高人。我们小时候也学习过关于他刻苦学画的课文，另有他的一首《白梅》也是相当出名的，语文题目中也没少考过：“冰雪林中著此身，不同桃李混芳尘。忽然一夜清香发，散作乾坤万里春。”
王冕是绍兴人，和鲁迅先生是同乡，他慷慨有大志，通术数之学，也算得上是位“仙儿”。元末天下还没乱糟糟的时候，他曾去过京师，偷偷与人说“乱且作”，人们都以为他疯了；后来他又仿照《周礼》著书一卷，说道：“我还没死，