Chapter 34 33 Lord Mengchang's followers

In order to break up the Qi-Chu alliance, King Qin Zhaoxiang used two methods.He used hard methods against Chu State, but he used soft methods against Qi State.He heard that the most powerful minister in Qi State was Lord Mengchang, so he invited Lord Mengchang to Xianyang, saying that he wanted to worship him as the prime minister. Lord Mengchang was an aristocrat of Qi State, named Tian Wen.In order to consolidate his position, he specially recruited talents.He took in all those who defected to his door and supported them.This kind of person is called a doorman, also known as a diner.It is said that Mr. Mengchang raised a total of 3,000 diners under his family.Many of them don't really have any skills, they just make a living.

When Meng Changjun went to Xianyang, he brought a large group of diners with him.King Qin Zhaoxiang welcomed him personally.Mr. Mengchang presented a pure white fox fur robe as a meeting gift.King Zhaoxiang of Qin knew that it was a very valuable silver fox fur, so he was very happy to hide it in his inner treasury. King Zhaoxiang of Qin originally planned to invite Lord Mengchang to be his prime minister, but someone said to him, "Tian Wen is a nobleman of Qi, and he has many subordinates. If he becomes prime minister, he must first plan for Qi. Isn't Qin in danger?" King Qin Zhaoxiang said: "Then, let's send him back."

They said: "He has lived here for a long time, and he knows almost everything about the situation in Qin. How can he be released easily?" King Zhaoxiang of Qin put Meng Changjun under house arrest. Mr. Mengchang was very anxious. He found out that there was a favorite concubine beside King Qin, so he asked someone to ask her for help.The concubine sent someone to say: "It's not difficult for me to talk to the king. I just want a silver fox fur robe." Mr. Mengchang discussed with his followers and said, "This is the only thing I have given to the King of Qin. How can I get it back?"

One of the doormen said, "I have a way." That night, the retainer entered the palace in the dark, found the inner library, and stole the fox fur robe. Lord Mengchang gave the fox fur robe to King Qin Zhaoxiang's favorite concubine.The concubine got the leather robe, so she persuaded King Qin Zhaoxiang to release Lord Mengchang.King Zhaoxiang of Qin really agreed, and issued a clearance document to let Lord Mengchang and the others go back. Lord Mengchang got the documents and hurried to Hangu Pass.He was afraid that the king of Qin would go back on his word, so he changed his name and surname, and also changed the name on the document.When we arrived at the gate, it was just in the middle of the night.According to the rules of the Qin State, every morning, the door is closed until the rooster crows before letting people go.When everyone was looking forward to the dawn with sad faces, suddenly a doorman pinched his nose and started to crow like a rooster.One after another, all the nearby roosters crowed.

When the gatekeepers heard the crowing of the rooster, they opened the city gate, checked the clearance documents, and let Mr. Mengchang leave the gate. King Zhaoxiang of Qin really regretted it, and sent people to Hangu Pass, but Lord Mengchang had already gone far. Lord Mengchang returned to Qi State and became the Prime Minister of Qi State.There are even more diners under his door.He divided the diners into several classes: the first-class diners go out with chariots and horses, the ordinary diners eat fish and meat, and the lower-class diners can only eat rough vegetables and light meals.There was an old man named Feng Huan (one as Feng Nuan), who was too poor to survive, so he went to Mr. Mengchang's family as a diner.Mr. Mengchang asked the manager, "What skills does this man have?"

The steward replied, "He said he has no skills." Mr. Mengchang smiled and said, "Leave him here." The person in charge understood what Meng Changjun meant, so he treated Feng Huan as a low-class guest.After a few days, Feng Huan leaned on the pillar and tapped his sword and hummed: "Long sword, let's go back, there is no fish for dinner!" The steward reported to Mr. Mengchang, and Mr. Mengchang said: "Give him fish, and let him eat as a normal diner's meal!" Five days later, Feng Huan tapped his sword again and sang: "Long sword, let's go back, there is no car to go out!"

When Mr. Mengchang heard this, he said to the manager again: "Prepare a car for him, and treat him like a first-class diner." Five days later, Mr. Mengchang asked the manager again, what did Mr. Feng have to say.The steward replied, "He's singing again, saying he has no money to support his family." Mr. Mengchang asked and knew that Feng Huan had an old lady in his family, so he sent someone to give her some food and clothing.As a result, Feng Huan really stopped singing. Mr. Mengchang raised so many diners, and he took care of food and housing. His salary alone was far from enough.In his fief Xuecheng (now southeast of Teng County, Shandong), he lent money to the common people to collect interest to maintain his family's huge expenses.

One day, Lord Mengchang sent Feng Huan to Xuecheng to collect debts.Before Feng Huan left, he bid farewell to Mr. Meng Chang and asked, "When you come back, what do you want to buy?" Meng Changjun said: "You can see and do it, and you can buy whatever is lacking in my house." When Feng Huan arrived in Xuecheng, he gathered all the people who owed debts and asked them to take out the bonds for verification.The common people were worrying about repaying these debts, but Feng Huan publicly spread the false news of Meng Changjun's decision: those who did not repay the debts, all will be forgiven.

The common people were skeptical after hearing this, so Feng Huan simply lit a fire and burned the bonds. Feng Huan hurried back to Linzi and told Mr. Meng Chang about the debt collection situation.Mr. Mengchang was very angry when he heard this: "You burned all the bonds, what are the three thousand people here eating?" Feng Huan said calmly: "When I was leaving, didn't you say that you can buy whatever is lacking here? I think you don't lack anything else here, but what you lack is the friendship of the common people, so I put the 'love' Bought it back."

Meng Changjun said very unhappy: "Forget it!" Later, Mr. Mengchang became more and more famous.King Qin Zhaoxiang was very worried when he heard that Qi State reused Meng Changjun, and secretly sent people to Qi State to spread rumors, saying that Meng Changjun bought people's hearts and was about to become the king of Qi.King Qi Min believed these words and thought that Lord Mengchang was too famous and threatened his status, so he decided to take back Lord Mengchang's seal.Lord Mengchang was dismissed and had to return to Xuecheng, his fief. At this time, most of the more than 3,000 diners dispersed, only Feng Huan followed him and drove to Xuecheng for him.When his chariot and horse were still a hundred miles away from Xuecheng, the people of Xuecheng, old and young, came to welcome him.

Mr. Mengchang was very touched when he saw this scene.Said to Feng Huan: "I just saw the 'giri' you bought for me in the past, today."