Chapter 41 bait and trap

However, one wave is not flat, and another wave rises again. Not long after Guangao's affairs calmed down, Liu Bang's eyelids kept twitching.Sometimes one eye jumps, sometimes both eyes jump together, sometimes it stops after a few jumps, and sometimes it keeps jumping continuously.In fact, there is a saying in China that goes, "Don't be afraid of thieves stealing, but you are afraid of thieves thinking about it." Comparable to the throne?Therefore, when a person becomes an emperor, he always wonders whether someone will have unreasonable thoughts about his throne, and if so, he must nip it in the bud.What fun is there in living like this?

Liu Bang felt that being an emperor was far less joyful than being a rascal. He used to drink and fight, and idle about. Although he had nothing, he was carefree and happy.Now that the king is in the world, big and small things are bothering him, and no matter how hot the weather is, he has to wear a dragon robe to listen to the government. This robe is thick and heavy, and it almost makes him feel hot. What made him even more troublesome was that all the courtiers thought they had contributed the most, and the eyes grew taller from the bridge of the nose to the top of the forehead.They often scolded each other in front of Liu Bang because they didn't agree with each other, so that they drew their swords and began to draw.In addition, they still did not change their bad habits, farting without any scruples in front of Liu Bang, making the smell in Longting like a pigsty.In this regard, Liu Bang also persuaded him with good words: "All loves, you have different identities now, you should check your words and deeds, and give a good head to the young people in the future, so that my face will also have glory." The courtiers nodded to his words on the surface, but when they returned home, they rolled on the ground laughing: "Hahaha, Liu San'er is also full of moral articles and started to teach others."

Liu Bang was bored when he saw them, and he really wanted to issue an imperial decree to beat them up.When Liu Bang was admiring flowers with Empress Lu in the back garden that day, his eyelids jumped again.He said to the queen mother: "Recently my eyelids have been twitching, and someone must be talking about me behind my back." Empress Lu sneered and said, "Hmph, I think they are all rebels. Han Xin proclaimed himself king, and Peng Yue and Ying Bu boasted of their literary skills and martial arts all day long. It seems that without them, you wouldn't be able to sit on this table." It's like a dragon chair. They didn't pay attention to you at all!"

Liu Bang was silent. Empress Lu said viciously: "I think they will rebel one day, and it will be difficult to deal with it at that time, so just..." He made a chopping gesture as he spoke. Liu Bang turned his back, and the flower in his hand broke with a "cha". Liu Bang laughed secretly: "Tigers don't show their power, they treat me like a cat. Toasts don't eat fine wine." So he began to look around to see who was a threat to his throne. The first person he worried about was Han Xin. Liu Bang's actions can be clearly seen since Xiang Yu committed suicide.The battle of Gaixia recorded in the history books had just ended, and Liu Bang "sprinted into the Qi Wangxinbi and captured his army" with lightning speed.Then, Liu Bang changed Han Xin to be the king of Chu.Let Han Xin go to Xiapi in Huaibei to take office.

Just when Han Xin and the ministers were baffled by Liu Bang's actions, Liu Bang suddenly praised Han Xin in public, as if hitting a stick first, and then giving a jujube to eat, which made Han Xin both complain and feel valued. The boss must be pleased. However, Liu Bang suddenly summoned the officials with a livid face, and announced to the officials: "Someone has accused Han Xin of treason, what should I do?" When the ministers heard the words, they all looked at each other in blank dismay. Of course, there are also people who are good at trying to figure out the emperor's mind.Seeing Liu Bang's furious look, this kind of people knew that Han Xin had offended Emperor Liu, so they quickly flattered him: "Hurry up and send troops to bury this ungrateful boy alive!"

Liu Bang knew that these were not good ideas, so he didn't say anything. At this time, seeing that Chen Ping, who claimed to be "conspiracy" in his belly, was silent, he asked Chen Ping how to deal with this matter. Liu Bang said: "I am going to send troops to destroy him, what do you think?" Chen Ping asked: "This time someone reported Han Xin's treason, does anyone else know?" Liu Bang said, "No." "Then Han Xin himself knows?" "do not know either." Chen Ping lowered his head and pondered for a while, then asked: "Can the generals under His Majesty compare with Han Xin in terms of military strength?"

Liu Bang replied: "No." Chen Ping asked again: "Among your generals, who can defeat Han Xin on the battlefield?" Liu Bang replied: "No one can defeat him." Chen Ping asked a few times, Liu Bang shook his head a few times, so Chen Ping said slowly: "Your Majesty's soldiers are not as good as Han Xin's, and will not be as good as Han Xin's ability. If you send troops to attack, you will force Han Xin to go to war with your majesty. I think it is very dangerous. .” When Liu Bang heard this, he was very anxious, and quickly asked if there was any safe way.

Chen Ping said: "In ancient times, the emperor often traveled around the country and took this opportunity to meet the princes from all over the country. Your Majesty pretended to be a wanderer and dreamed, and met with princes from all walks of life in Chenzhou. Chenzhou is in the west of Chu. Han Xin heard that The Son of Heaven travels and comes to his territory again, of course he will come to pay his respects. When he pays his respects to His Majesty, you can catch him by surprise, so that only one warrior is enough." Liu Bang acted according to his plan, and Han Xin was in the middle of the road as expected.Liu Bang then asked the ambushed warriors to tie Han Xin tightly.

Liu Bang's purpose of this trip has been achieved, and he is no longer playing in Yunmengze, so he immediately ordered to set off and return to Luoyang, the temporary capital. Before leaving, Liu Bang ordered Han Xin to be placed on the horse.At this time, Han Xin realized that Liu Bang's trip was specifically to deal with him. When getting into the car, Han Xin sighed: "It really is like what people say: 'When the cunning rabbit dies, the lackey cooks; when the flying birds are exhausted, the good bow is hidden; the enemy's country is destroyed, and the counselor is dead.' The world is set, of course I should be cooked."

These few words made Liu Bang blushed, so he had to say: "Someone accuses you of treason." After finishing speaking, he stopped talking to Han Xin and escorted Han Xin to Luoyang. Liu Bang pretended that You Yunmengze captured Han Xin, which was a ugly play written, directed and acted by himself under the prompt of Chen Ping.In fact, whether Han Xin has the intention of treason or not is all taken for granted by Liu Bang.That mysterious informer was also fabricated by Liu Bang in nine out of ten cases. The dialogue between Liu Bang and Chen Ping revealed a little mystery.Chen Ping asked Liu Bang if Han Xin knew that someone had sued him for treason, and Liu Bang answered without thinking, "I don't know."

This can't help but raise a little doubt: How can Liu Bang ensure that Han Xin doesn't know that someone has informed him? At this time, Han Xin was in Xiapi (now Suqian, Jiangsu), and Liu Bang was in Luoyang, thousands of miles away. How could Liu Bang be sure that Han Xin didn't know someone was coming to inform? Moreover, if Liu Bang really believed that Han Xin was going to rebel, he would definitely summon his cronies and advisers to plot countermeasures.Only a fool would yell and scream in the court hall and startle the snake. The most common method used by Liu Bang to massacre heroes is to force them to rebel, and then he will lead an army to attack and punish them for proving their crimes.From this, it is not difficult for us to see Liu Bang's heart. Chen Ping was very smart, and he knew Liu Bang wanted to trouble Han Xin as soon as he asked.Now that the world has just been pacified, the people hope that the world will be peaceful, and they will stop fighting. Judging from what Liu Bang and his officials meant, they wanted a large army to crusade, which was undoubtedly to force Han Xin to rebel.To deal with a Han Xin, why bother to mobilize the army and let the people suffer?Therefore, Chen Ping came up with an idea for Liu Bang to suddenly capture Han Xin in a fake Youyun Mengze. In fact, Chen Ping's idea has a premise, that is, Han Xin has no intention of rebellion.If Han Xin wanted to rebel deliberately, Liu Bang would certainly not lead a large number of troops when he went to Yunmengze to play, and wouldn't this just happen to be sent to Han Xin's door? When Han Xin said the words "the rabbit is dead and the dog is cooking", Liu Bang had a ghost in his heart, and he couldn't come up with a valid reason to arrest Han Xin, so he just said vaguely: "Someone sued you for treason." After arriving in Luoyang, Liu Bang neither dared to publicly try Han Xin's "rebellion" case, nor did he dare to kill Han Xin secretly.So after two days, Han Xin was released. In the end, Liu Bang did not come up with an explanation for his sudden arrest of Han Xin.In fact, the release of Han Xin, this action itself shows that Liu Bang's arrest of Han Xin is simply unreasonable.If it is confirmed that the minister has an attempt to rebel, the emperor will not let it go. In order to illustrate the correctness of the arrest of Han Xin, Liu Bang reduced Han Xin's title of King of Chu to Marquis of Huaiyin. Han Xin actually knew why Liu Bang suddenly arrested Han Xin.After Liu Bang returned to Chang'an, the capital of his country, he also brought Han Xin to Chang'an and made him live in Chang'an.From then on, Han Xin knew Liu Bang's intentions, and in order to avoid disaster, he often claimed that he was sick and could not go to court. The real reason why Liu Bang wanted to get rid of Han Xin was because Han Xin was too capable.If the ability is too strong, it may endanger Liu Bang's throne as the emperor.The so-called master of high merit, Han Xin is like this. After Han Xin was demoted, he once saw Empress Lu's brother-in-law Fan Kuai on the street. If you want to use the current people's point of view and see the relatives of the empress when you are so unlucky, why don't you hurry up and make friends with Empress Lu?Peng Yue was so useless, when he saw Empress Lu when he was allotted in Shu, he knelt and cried and begged him to be transferred back to his hometown to take care of him. Han Xin didn't agree, and scolded Fan Kui with a smile: "You didn't kowtow when you saw me coming!" Frightened by Han Xin's prestige in the past, Fan Kui immediately got off his horse and kowtowed: "It's really an honor to see the king here!" Han Xin laughed loudly, and knocked on Fan Kuai's head: "You are a Hou, and I am also a Hou, so there is no need to kneel down like before. Alas, I never thought that I, Han Xin, would be reduced to the same position as you and Zhou Bo today. The big boss is a rough gang!" After finishing speaking, he turned his head and left, not caring at all about Fan Kui's venomous gaze shot at his back. After Han Xin was demoted, he chatted with Liu Bang in the palace one day.Liu Bang tentatively asked him: "Han Xin, tell the truth, how many soldiers can I lead with my ability?" For the sake of the emperor, I can encourage you. Han Xin shook his head, and blurted out without thinking: "You can only bring 100,000 soldiers to your death. If there are more, it will definitely mess up." Liu Bang was stunned with anger, and responded sarcastically: "What about you?" Han Xin didn't even think about it: "Of course, the more the better." Liu Bang became even more angry, and said something very petty: "The more the better, then why am I the emperor, and you can only be driven by me?" Only then did Han Xin realize that he was angry with the emperor, and hurriedly stepped down: "You are good at commanding generals, so all the soldiers I bring are yours." Liu Bang loves to hear these words, who wouldn't like to be said that he is the right man when he is an emperor?So happy, it just broke up.It was only when I sobered up that I came back to my senses: This Han is still full of dissatisfaction!After talking for a long time, this bastard said that I was just lucky and relying on God to help me, not because I am a good person.Since I can't even recognize my ability and authority, it is difficult for such a person with high self-esteem to live in seclusion under disdain and disdain.Therefore, Liu Bang began to guard against Han Xin everywhere. Although Han Xin has the title of Marquis of Huaiyin, he has no fiefdom of his own, neither generals nor real power, so he can only live in Chang'an. At this time, Zhang Liang, who was named Liuhou, also said that he was ill and lived at home in order to avoid Liu Bang's suspicion.The two of them had nothing to do, and with Liu Bang's approval, they sorted out the military books since the pre-Qin period, and got a total of 182 families. Han Xin also wrote a military book by himself, entitled "The Art of War" in three chapters.This book "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi" is recorded, but it is a pity that it is no longer available today.