In the first year of Tianhan, late spring.
In the garden of Shanglinyuan, the trees are verdant, warblers are flying and grasses are growing, and horses are running freely on the pasture, enjoying the fresh and juicy pasture.This is their happiest time of year.
They are lucky. As the horses of Shanglinyuan, they can enjoy the imperial stables and good food and grass, but they don't have to bear bloody battles.The only time it is used is during the annual hunting season, and even then it is only as a backup.
Since Li Guangli, the general of the Second Division, made his triumphant return to the west, and the six stables of the Son of Heaven—Weiyang, Chenghua, 騊駼, Luji, Qima, and Dastable—began to breed Western domain horses in large numbers.Today's clan and noble relatives, when it comes to horse racing and hunting, ride the slender-legged Dawan horses first, followed by the Wusun horses, and they are also the descendants of those Dawan, Wusun horses and Central Plains horses.The ordinary breed of horses in the garden stables gradually became neglected.
Abandoning it is a wish for a horse that desires to be unrestrained, but it is not a blessing for the people who serve here.This is an idle job with little hope of anything.
The current chief of the stable in the garden is a man of few words. He often sits alone on the hillside, watching the horses running or resting on the pasture in a trance.His silence seems to be different from those of his predecessors who didn't think about making progress and dawdling around. There is often an unspeakable melancholy in his eyes, and his whole body seems to be pressed by an invisible heavy stone.
The petty officials in the Jingyuan stable heard vaguely that he used to be the Zhonglang in the palace, but now he was sent to this remote stable at the foot of Nanshan Mountain, and he really didn't look like someone who would be an official.
At this time, he was sitting on a tree stump, quietly looking up at the falcons soaring in the sky.
Only at this time, the slaves will find a glimmer of light occasionally flashing in the eyes of this silent boss.What did he think of?No one knows.
In fact, he himself didn't know.
He just looked at the vigorous figure of the creature, and felt an inexplicable feeling in his heart. He faintly felt something other than ordinary life—maybe it was the idea of being unwilling to be mediocre and wanting to work hard when he was young, he thought.
He had a very good family background.My father fought with General Wei, was granted the title of marquis, and even served as a prefect.There is a system in the imperial court, and officials of Erqianshi can recommend their children as Lang.The father has repeatedly made military exploits, and successively recommended the eldest son and the youngest son to enter the palace as a man, but he refused to recommend him, the second son.
The emperor's close ministers have many opportunities, and the children of meritorious officials like them are especially easy to be promoted.Within a few years of entering the palace, the elder brother became the captain of the chariot, and the third younger brother was also promoted to the captain of the rider. His rank was two thousand stones, and he went in and out with the imperial driver all day long. He was prominent in the village and was as honorable as his father.Only him, no official, no job, mediocre.When visiting relatives and friends at home, the snobbish ones simply turned a blind eye to him, and were just busy currying favor with his two promising brothers.
He also begged his father to give him a chance, not for the glory and wealth, but just because he didn't want to eat at home.Deep in his heart, he also vaguely hopes to have a chance to leave his harsh and strict father who suffocates him, and to make a career in a new environment.
"Just you? Save yourself!" His father looked at him who was hesitant to speak, and said contemptuously, "Who are you? Don't embarrass me!"
His father didn't like him, and many people knew it.My father often got angry with him because of some trivial things, such as misplacing a pen or knocking over a glass of wine, he would be considered by his father to be deliberately against him, so he would be furious, and any explanations or pleadings from him would be useless.Over time, he gradually developed a silent and withdrawn character, but even so, it could not save him from censure, and his father felt even more disgusted when he saw his timid and reserved appearance.He was at a loss and didn't know how to satisfy his father.
But my father was not violent by nature.Since he was very young, he often hid in the corner, watching his father hand in hand to guide his elder brother and third younger brother to ride horses and shoot with envy. The kindness and patience he could never dare to hope for.
There were rumors among the servants in the mansion that he was not born by his wife, but by an unfavored concubine of his father in the past.
Seeing those people looking at him with sympathy in private, he just smiled bitterly.
He knew in his heart that it was his own fault that his father didn't like him.
He was a child born with a fatal flaw.As long as he could remember, he had to drink the hard-to-swallow soup under his father's gaze twice a day.
"Do you want to become that lunatic Li from the neighboring village?!" Whenever he couldn't drink the medicine because it was too bitter, his father lowered his voice and scolded severely, "Like her, she sees gods and ghosts all the time, is insane, Nonsense? Do you still want to be a normal person?"
He suppressed the strong bitterness and drank the medicine. His father thought that his threat had taken effect. In fact, the coldness and hatred of his father's words frightened him even more.He is not afraid of being ridiculed by others, but he is afraid of being disgusted by his father.
I don't know if God deliberately made a vicious joke. His two brothers who have always been smooth sailing, smart and capable, would actually make big mistakes while serving in the palace one after another, so that they committed suicide and apologized.Fortunately, the emperor didn't go into details, and appointed him as Zhonglang, probably to make up for his father's loss of a son in his later years.
There are strict rules in the palace, and many officials and eunuchs like him feel restrained and not free, but that was the most relaxed and happy time in his life.Because although there are many rules in the palace, there are rules to follow. It is not like at home, where you are worried and trembling every day.
During those days in the palace, he lived a full and happy life, and made many friends.However, his father repeatedly declared to the emperor: This son is mediocre in intelligence and cannot be used for utility, and he is really afraid that he will lose his reputation.Within a few years, he was transferred here from being the envied Zhonglang to the most remote garden in Shanglin, to take charge of a stable, dealing with a group of prisoners and slaves all day long, the work was monotonous and boring tasteless.
"Useless trash! You will never have a future!" Father's furious scolding sounded faintly in his ears again.
He looked at the eagle flying freely in the sky, his nose was slightly sore.
"Useless waste", this is the title his father used the most during his lifetime.It still hurts so much when I think about it.For years, the father's favorite thing to do was to humiliate and belittle his son.His father hated him, he could understand, but his father often used the harshest language to belittle him to the point of being like a dog. The hatred in his expression was no longer like facing a flawed child, but cursing a heinous sinner , what is this for?
Well, what's the point of asking these questions now?The grass and trees in the garden turned yellow and green again. My father passed away a few years ago, and he has become the father of his own child.Life is as peaceful as a pool of stagnant water, and there are no more waves.
It's just that at this age of forgetting both favor and disgrace, he often has some new ideas inexplicably, as if he wants to do something special—even though he doesn't know what it is—to change this ordinary and tasteless life .
Perhaps some thoughts that had been suppressed by his father for too long were finally released at this time, but the release came too late.The hours of his greatest ambition and energies had been spent in half-reluctant drifting.Now, he is over forty years old, and he has neither the opportunity nor the courage to go another way.
He loved his wife and children, and they were the only colors of consolation in his bleak life.However, it was also because of them that he couldn't go out and take risks like those ambitious young people, in order to gain the glory of conferring his wife and son.
He sighed.
Maybe he was destined to live his life in such a mediocre way. No one would know that deep in the heart of this taciturn and cautious official, he once expected a completely different life.
Forget it, there are so many people in the world, and not everyone can realize their original dream.
Who knows?
Maybe those mediocre people who have no ambitions in his eyes once had some exciting wishes and ideas just like himself, but they couldn't realize them due to various reasons.
That being the case, why should he sigh?Besides, what right does he have to hurt himself?
Wen is not enough to stabilize the country, and military cannot stabilize the country.Relying on the opportunities brought by his family background, he doesn't need to work hard from the bottom, and he will be a Zhonglang that ordinary people can't match.Even now, his job can make many common people envy. With a monthly salary of sixty Hugu, all he does is check the pommel horses and eagle dogs in the garden every day, and repair the bows and arrows used by the emperor when he went hunting in the forest. .
He had no reason to be unhappy about a fate that wasn't so bad at all, but all these years, deep down, he'd had the feeling that something had been forgotten--something of the utmost importance.Sometimes when he watched those falcons soaring in the sky, this feeling was even stronger, but if he really wanted to grasp this feeling and think about it, he didn't know where it came from.It's as if when looking into the distance, you catch a glimpse of a huge object out of the corner of your eye, but when you retract your gaze and take a closer look, the object disappears again.
This made him always faintly worry about some irreparable disaster caused by his forgetting.He asked himself again and again, the world is so big, what big things need such an insignificant person like him to accomplish?With his current situation, the best prospect is to enter the Sixth Stable, but is the Sixth Stable so good?Whenever he saw those horses sweating profusely, he only felt that the sweat and blood were human blood.Back then when Li Guangli marched to the west, he used more than 100,000 soldiers, and the survivors were less than 20,000. In addition, there were countless people in the country who were transferred thousands of miles away and died in the ditch. Which one of the good horses in the imperial stables did not carry hundreds of lives on their backs?
He never expected to enter the "Six Stables of the Son of Heaven".He has no intention of climbing this only step of promotion, and the future has no suspense for him, so what is there to worry about?That inexplicable anxiety, maybe it's just that his father was too strict and left him with a heartache?Or... because of that fortune teller?
"...The rhinoceros is piercing through the top, the sun and the moon are rising, my god! This, such a noble figure, there is no one in ten thousand..." The fortune teller looked at his face and said in a tone almost in awe.
"No one in a million?" He smiled lazily, pointed to the crowds in the market outside, and said, "This is Chang'an! As for the people outside, at least half of them are richer than me!"
The fortune teller shook his head: "My lord, your current destiny does not really belong to you. The palm prints on your left and right hands are very different, and someone has distorted your destiny path. You were not born to do this..."
He was too lazy to deal with this clumsy liar, so he turned around and left.
"Why bother?" Li Shaoqing came up, patted him on the shoulder and said, "There is nothing to lose by listening."
"What's so good about it?" He said disdainfully, "This kind of charlatan flatters everyone he sees, and then scares them with disasters. After all, he just asks you to ask him to relieve disasters and pray for blessings."
Li Shaoqing said: "I know you don't believe this, but that fortune teller is really good..."
He said: "If the way of fate is really effective, the emperor will be the first to use it. If you find a fortune teller to be the prime minister, will there be any rebellious officials and thieves in the country?"
Li Shaoqing said: "That's not what you say. Those who do this business should not be too deep in the world. If they leak too many secrets, they will be punished by heaven. Ziqing, don't be too stubborn. So many people believe, are they all being deceived? "
He said: "Then he just said that I am above ten thousand people, do you also believe it?"
Li Shaoqing was stunned for a moment, and said: "Who knows what will happen in this life and what will happen in the future? Isn't Uncle Shangguan the one who was promoted from the position of the Central Stable Order to the eunuch..."
It's ridiculous that the only positive evaluation of him in this life came from a charlatan.
Had his life failed so much that it had to be sustained by a liar's lies?
He shook his head with a smirk.
Li Shaoqing is his good friend, but he doesn't understand his heart - he has never envied Shangguan's good luck.Shangguan was promoted not because the horses were well-raised, on the contrary, when the emperor saw that the horses in the stables had been thinned during his own illness, he was furious. Horse", weeping after saying that, he was able to turn misfortune into blessing.
He couldn't say such words.
Of course, such thoughts can only be hidden deeply in the bottom of my heart.In his position, what qualifications do he have to disdain other people's success?Now everyone values the end, not the means.
What's more, being in the rank of Jiuqing, the wealth is extremely high, if this is not what he wants, what is his ultimate pursuit?His disdain may be ridiculous and hypocritical in the eyes of others.
"My lord," a panting voice from an official interrupted his thoughts, "someone is coming from the palace."
He turned his head and saw the servant in the palace following behind the servant.
"What's the matter?" he asked in surprise.As usual, this month is not the time for field hunting.
"Lord Su, Your Majesty wants to see you." The servant said with no expression on his face.
After a long time, Su Wu, the director of the stables, knew that it was from that moment that his real wheel of fortune began to turn slowly, and it would drag him into an extremely huge, bizarre and unbelievable event. .
Kunming Pool, Lingbo Hall. The fifty-seven-year-old emperor stood in the hall, leaning on a jade stick, facing the almost endless Kunming pool of more than 300 hectares, his eyes were a little confused.He casually wore a light yellow robe with dogwood pattern on the floor, without a crown, his expression was old and tired, and he completely lacked the coercive power that made the officials panic in the court. It started to rain with a patter of rain.The drizzle like ox hair drifted with the wind, covering the 300-hectare Kunming Pond with a faint veil.On weekdays, the Longshoulou boats with phoenixes, colorful flags and endless drum music are now silent. Like the tall Yuzhang Terrace, they stand silently in the steam-filled pool. The stone-carved whale lies quietly on the bottom of the water, as if I am also afraid of disturbing this delicate and peaceful scenery. In this silence, the low-pitched singing of Yuefu kabuki came faintly from a distance:
The slightly mournful singing pervades the indifferent spring rain, floating indistinctly in the tall palace, which only adds a sense of loneliness and sadness.
Su Wu didn't have time to appreciate the ethereal singing, but only noticed the strange things in front of him:
A brand-new brocade robe with cloud patterns was neatly folded, and on the robe was a martial crown with a tail.Next to it is a lacquer plate, which contains a silver official seal, and a three-color green ribbon measuring seven feet seven feet is coiled around the shiny silver seal.
He knelt on the ground, looked at the pile of things in front of him, and then looked up at the emperor, puzzled.
"From now on, I will seal you as General Zuo Zhonglang and wear a two thousand stone seal ribbon." The emperor said.
With a buzzing sound, he felt dizzy for a while.
wrong!There must be something wrong!The emperor got the wrong person, or the servant passed the wrong person.
For a moment, countless thoughts flashed back and forth in his mind, the only thing he didn't have was the ecstasy of promotion.
Because he knew that such a thing would never happen to him.
"You are probably thinking that I must have made a mistake." The emperor stared at him and whispered, "No, that's right, you are the one I appointed, Su Wu, the stable supervisor in the middle of the river."
What? !
really him?
Why?
It has been ten years since he left Weiyang Palace, and he almost doubts whether the emperor still remembers such an unknown Zhonglang who served him back then.Now he was suddenly called back just to promote him to be the envied general in the palace?There are so many people in the palace, those who have military exploits, those who are capable, those who are flattering, those who are calculating... countless, why is he the only one?
To reward him for raising his horse well?
Either he is crazy, or the emperor is crazy!
"You don't have to be suspicious of this unexpected advance." The emperor's sharp eyes seemed to be able to see into his heart, and he made a gesture, and the left and right attendants retreated as ordered.
The emperor said slowly, in a deep and solemn voice: "Because this is a deal - I want you to do something by promoting you to Zhonglang General. I want you to go to a far away place to do something. Things. Things may be easy or difficult, I don’t know. You can choose to accept or refuse. Don’t worry, no matter what you choose, I will never make things difficult for you..."
Su Wu looked at the emperor in astonishment.Why does what the emperor said today sound so weird?
One thing was gently placed on the official uniform by the emperor.
It was a long bamboo pole, with Bai Yan tied at one end.
Han envoy festival!
The emperor wants him to be an envoy?
I want you to go to a place far away...
He suddenly understood!
"Your Majesty is saying..." He took a deep breath, raised his head, and tried to say the word, "Hun?"
"Exactly." The emperor looked at him and nodded.
He suddenly realized: This is the real reason why he, the stable supervisor in the garden, has risen to the top for no reason-two thousand shi's high-ranking officials and generous salary, in exchange for his life!
Since Lu Chongguo in the Yuanfeng period, almost every Han envoy has gone without a return and was taken hostage.
The attitude over there is tough, insisting that only officials whose salary is more than 2,000 shi are recognized as Han envoys.However, when the official reaches two thousand stones, who is willing to throw their noble life into such a barren place?So there was a practice of conferring ordinary Lang officials as two thousand stone high-ranking officials and sending them to the Huns.Over the past few years, there have been constant border incidents and fierce battles. Even Lang Guan, who has no hope of promotion, is willing to be sent as an envoy, and fewer and fewer people even offer a large reward.
He smiled faintly, and reached out to pick up the Han Festival.
Such was his lot—never expect any rare good thing to happen to him by chance.A small person like him must have self-knowledge, his only value is just an insignificant chess piece that can be sacrificed.
However, even knowing this, he would not hold any resentment.With the situation in front of him, how bad could it be?Boring life, boring work, one day is life.He was already tired of it all, and any change in his life that was beyond the norm, he was happy to see.
Maybe the emperor saw this and thought of asking him to be an envoy to the Han Dynasty?
The emperor's hand held down the Han Festival he picked up.
"Wait a minute," said the emperor, "do you know what I want you to do?"
He looked up in surprise.This still needs to be asked?
The emperor said: "Do you think I'm telling you to die?"
He bowed his head in silence.
The emperor smiled coldly: "If you think that way, you underestimate yourself!"
Underestimate?What else is there to look up to about him?He lowered his eyelids and said, "I dare not."
"You are of far greater value to me now than sending you to death." The emperor said, throwing a roll of wooden tablets over with a snap, "There are two things you must be clear about: first, from now on, there will be no Detain the Han envoy again. Look at this—"
Su Wu looked at the wooden tablet in surprise, then at the emperor, carefully picked up the wooden scroll and opened it, and immediately saw the writing on the front of the scroll: "The Xiongnu Da Shanyu asked the Emperor of Han to be safe..." He couldn't help being surprised, and looked up. Look to the emperor.
"It's the letter of the state. It just arrived today." The emperor said, "In the past, it used to be written as 'The Huns' Great Order of the Heaven and Earth, and the Birthday and the Moon,' and used a one-foot-two-inch bamboo slip. One foot and one inch, and the wording has also returned to the old name. Do you know why? The Shanyu of Lili Lake is dead, and now his half-brother, Captain Zuo, is on the throne. Three Shanyus died in five years, and each Shanyu Yu has many brothers and nephews. The barbarians have no patriarchal etiquette, and they can be leaders if they have strength. There are many people who want to fight for the Shanyu throne. So now the new Shanyu is afraid that I will take advantage of his unstable foothold, so I will give him a Attacking from inside and outside, I released all the Han envoys who were detained before, so as to show my favor to the court."
Su Wu suddenly realized.Hastily skimmed through the bamboo slips, and saw that the words in the text were humble, and there were such words as "the emperor of Han, my father-in-law will do it", "my son, dare to look at the emperor of Han", and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.The Xiongnu is the imperial court's confidant, and they have been attacking for years, but there is such an attitude one day.Then I was at a loss again, if this is the case, why did the emperor choose himself to be the envoy of the Han Dynasty?
"You may be wondering, since this is the case, who can't be the envoy of the Han Dynasty in front of you? Why should I choose you?" the emperor said, "This is the second thing I want to say. I want you to go there, not for Reciprocating courteously with over there—anyone can do this kind of official paper, but I want you to use your status as an envoy to do a special thing—to find something.”
Looking for something?Su Wu was stunned.
The emperor took a deep breath, and his voice began to become a little hesitant: "In the past few years, some things have happened in the palace. You may not know it well, and you probably won't believe it, but it did happen... Four years ago, Do you still remember the fire at Bailiangtai? In that fire, something, a very important thing... disappeared. I don’t know if it is still alive, but if it is, it must be there The Huns..."
The emperor's words were very confusing, Su Wu was confused and said: "Your Majesty, I... don't quite understand."
The emperor also seemed to feel that his words were a bit lost, so he stopped and put his hands on his forehead, as if trying to sort out a train of thought. "You get up first, let me think about it." The emperor waved his hand, walked slowly to the outside of the hall, stood still on the jade steps at the entrance of the hall, and looked into the distance.Su Wu followed his gaze and saw two stone figures standing by the Kunming Pond in the rain.
After a long time, the emperor suddenly stamped his feet, as if he had made up his mind, and said, "Forget it, let's start from the beginning." The emperor pointed at the two stone figures, "Do you know who it was made for?"
Isn't that the Morning Glory and the Weaver Girl?It's been there for years.Who was it made for?It seems to be...is...
There was silence in Lingbo Hall.A breeze blew, and the wind was mixed with the scent of osmanthus wood from the pillars of the palace, and a few strands of spring rain.The singing of the kabuki in the distance is also like the spring rain, ethereal and intermittent:
Kunming Pool, Lingbo Hall. The fifty-seven-year-old emperor stood in the hall, leaning on a jade stick, facing the almost endless Kunming pool of more than 300 hectares, his eyes were a little confused.He casually wore a light yellow robe with dogwood pattern on the floor, without a crown, his expression was old and tired, and he completely lacked the coercive power that made the officials panic in the court. It started to rain with a patter of rain.The drizzle like ox hair drifted with the wind, covering the 300-hectare Kunming Pond with a faint veil.On weekdays, the Longshoulou boats with phoenixes, colorful flags and endless drum music are now silent. Like the tall Yuzhang Terrace, they stand silently in the steam-filled pool. The stone-carved whale lies quietly on the bottom of the water, as if I am also afraid of disturbing this delicate and peaceful scenery. In this silence, the low-pitched singing of Yuefu kabuki came faintly from a distance:
Yes, you guessed it right, it is Mrs. Li, the unique woman in the world. What separates the Cotton Glory and the Weaver Girl is just a shallow Milky Way, but what separates Li Yan from me is the boundary of Yin and Yang. In retrospect, everything that year is still vivid in my mind, as if in front of my eyes. That day at the eldest princess's mansion, her second brother Yannian sang her "one look at the city, and then the country". It was so apt.This pair of eyes can no longer be found in this world, they can really turn everything in the world into powder in just a few glances. It's not that she has a lot of content in her eyes, quite the opposite, she's the only woman I've ever met who looks at me with clean eyes, which is why I have special favor for her, it's just that many people Don't understand this. I remember that time I took a hairpin from her head and scratched her scalp, but the next day all the women in the harem went to buy jade hairpins and put them on, so the price of Chang'an jade skyrocketed overnight.It's ridiculous. Is it the hosta that I love? Ah Yan is a unique woman who never asks for anything for herself, so I just ignore it.I thought that I would have a chance sooner or later, but I didn't expect that death would come so soon, turning the acquiescence in my heart into eternal regret.But when her life was about to come to an end, she was suddenly afraid of losing my favor.In order to let me remember her most beautiful time, she said nothing to let me see her appearance.At that time, she was dying, and the imperial doctor said that she could no longer bear any stimulation. I couldn't bear to hurt her, so I obeyed her, but I left endless regrets for it. After her death, this regret was like a maggot attached to the bone, gnawing at my heart from time to time.From the portrait of the Jiaofang Palace in the Central Palace to the stone statue of the Morning Glory and the Weaver Girl by the Kunming Pool, everything reminds me of the unique woman who once existed. I will never see her again and that is where my pain comes from. I have the greatest power in the world, I can stop rivers from flowing, I can level mountains and rivers, I can make thousands of people live or die - as long as I want.But why can't I dominate the life of my beloved?Why can't I get what I want most? My life is smooth, there is no goal that cannot be achieved, and there is nothing that cannot be done. I hate this state of powerlessness! I also know that the dead cannot be brought back to life, and that my hopes are unrealistic, but I also feel that my request is not extravagant. I just want to see Ah Yan one more time—even just one, not a lifeless portrait, but real flesh and blood Ah Yeon, to make up for the regret that I didn't get to see her face before she died. I long for a miracle to happen, and I want to use the power of the emperor to create a miracle! I started to publish the list, offered huge rewards, and promised staggering high-ranking officials and generous salary, just to find a strange person who would let me and Ah Yan meet again. And then, you know, I found it, and that was Shao Weng, an alchemist.I named him General Wencheng. I know how many people outside are snickering and criticizing.Since ancient times, there has never been an emperor so stupid that he appointed an alchemist as a general.However, that night, when he performed spells on the Tongtiantai of Ganquan Palace, he really, really attracted Ah Yan's soul! OMG, that's enough! Don't talk about conferring a general, but conferring a king or marquis, so what?Since ancient times, how many princes and generals have there been in the world?How many masters are there who really know how to summon spirits? ... The rain gradually became denser.The emperor stopped for a while, held his hand on the jade staff and let out a slight breath, the breathing speeded up because of the excitement gradually eased. However, the water in Kunming Pool began to stir uncomfortably. The head and tail of the huge stone whale in the water seemed to be swaying slightly, giving people the illusion of becoming a living thing.Looking far away, all the palaces and palaces in Chang'an have been hidden behind the white rain curtain, only the majestic and towering Yuzhang Terrace is still hidden in layers of rain and fog, like a mirage appearing in the sky. The scene in front of him was as unreal as the story told by the emperor. "Your Majesty," Su Wu couldn't help saying, "The alchemist's technique is nineteen deceitful. It's really unbelievable to summon souls, attract ghosts, and possess spirits..." Before he finished speaking, Su Wu suddenly stopped talking. Are you dizzy today? The emperor is a good witch, and he is most afraid of his ministers to slander alchemy. Even Ji An, who is famous for being outspoken and dare to advise, has never argued with the emperor on this kind of matter, not to mention that this matter is also related to Mrs. Li, who the emperor cares about most.Who are you?How dare you say such ignorant things!He couldn't help feeling a little regretful. "Presumptuous!" Sure enough, the emperor slammed the jade stick in his hand and said angrily, "I can't tell if it's true or not? If you haven't experienced it yourself, don't jump to conclusions! You haven't seen Ayan, but I have. It wasn't a séance, nor a possession, but Ayan herself was recruited! It's true, there is no falsehood! I watched her pace back and forth in the curtain, watched her sigh softly, and watched her stare back... ...God! I will never forget that scene. Let me tell you, it is definitely not my hallucination, nor is it an illusion created by the young man!" Su Wu was startled. That is how the matter?How did Shao Weng do it?He found a substitute exactly like Mrs. Li? But now is not the time to speculate, the emperor is in a rage, he can only kneel down and kowtow: "Yes, Your Majesty calm down, I will die..." The emperor took a deep breath and said after a while: "Forget it, get up." He dared not stand up. The emperor looked at him with a frown, and then said after a while: "It hasn't changed at all... Sigh, I really don't know whether to say you are honest or stupid! You, you never thought about why you were transferred to Is it the garden stable?" Su Wu was stunned, and raised his head to look at the emperor for no reason. "These ten years of horses have been raised for nothing!" The emperor shook his head and sighed, "Everyone knows that I believe in alchemy. Even if you don't believe it, you will at least pretend to believe it in front of me. Only you, even I don't even pretend to pretend. I know you are kind and loyal, but why don't you agree with me a little bit when it comes to the things I value the most? In the affairs of the ghosts, if you believe in it, it will work, and if you don't believe it, it won't work. A person who doesn't believe in ghosts and gods By my side, the gods will not appear. How can I use you?" What? ! Su Wu only felt that his mind was buzzing again. More than ten years of official career, just to punish him for not believing in those pretend tricks?He suddenly couldn't laugh or cry. "However, this is also very good." The emperor waved his hand and said, "What I want now is you. If it weren't for this, you wouldn't be here today." Su Wudao: "I don't, I don't understand..." The emperor said: "It's nothing. I'll ask you first, do you know how the sorcerer who conjured up souls—Young Man, died later?" Su Wu didn't know why the emperor suddenly asked this again, and said, "The young man... died of poisoning by eating horse liver by mistake." The emperor stared at him and said, "Really? Tell me the truth, what does the outside world say about this matter?" His heart skipped a beat. Since the emperor asked this question, he already knew about it, so he could only say: "There are rumors outside... that the young man was... executed by His Majesty." The emperor nodded and said: "Yes, I killed him, the rumor is true. Then, do you know why I killed him?" Su Wudao: "It's because... his alchemy is not effective." The outside words are naturally much uglier than this, saying that the emperor knew that he mistrusted the bandits and did stupid things. He was afraid of making the world laugh, so he simply killed people to silence them. The emperor said: "No, he did it. As I said just now, he did attract Mrs. Li's soul." He didn't dare to talk anymore, because he really didn't know what the emperor wanted to say.There is no need for the emperor to justify his mistakes in front of such an insignificant man. Fortunately, the emperor didn't ask any more questions, but answered it himself. "I'll kill him, because I can't tolerate a humble charlatan who can summon my Ayan and go away!" The emperor waved his hands angrily, and said loudly, "I just don't understand, Ayan Ruoquan There is a soul, why would you rather obey the orders of a quack sorcerer and never read my painstaking thoughts?! Could it be that my feelings are not as good as a spell cast by an alchemist? If this is the case, I would rather endure the pain of longing than see Ayan Sinking under the control of the magician's forbidden spell. I can't tolerate anyone in this world who has this ability..." The emperor spoke faster and faster, his expression became more and more excited, but his eyes gradually became a little confused. For some reason, Su Wu looked at him, feeling a faint fear in his heart.
I poisoned the young man. I know that this is a matter of breaking the promise of the world.It was I who recruited sorcerers to kill Ah Yan, and it was I who promised a lot of money to let him perform the spell, but it was I who killed him after his spell came to fruition.I told the public that the young man died of eating horse liver. This kind of thing can't be hidden after all, but I can't care less! She is my woman!No one can enslave her or manipulate her, even if it is for my will! I killed the young man, but kept his magic weapon.It was a blue-gray mirror, about one finger thick, with a strange texture, neither gold nor jade, as light as a feather, yet extremely solid.There are countless skilled craftsmen in Shangfang, but none of them can tell what material it is made of.Before his death, the young man confessed that it was made of submerged stones from the deep sea in the north. I know that witchcraft is inauspicious, but I really couldn't bear to destroy this strange object that made me meet Ah Yan, so I decided to temporarily store it on the Bailiang Terrace as a memorial to Ah Yan.The platform is more than seventy feet high and is made of solid cypress. I thought it was the most infallible place.Unexpectedly, one winter night four years ago, a fire burned down Bailiang Terrace! The problem is that the stone mirror is impenetrable by water and fire, even if it encounters fire, it cannot be burned.But I ordered people to sift through every inch of ashes in the fire, but there was no trace of the stone mirror.Therefore, there is only one possibility, that is, someone set fire on purpose and took advantage of the chaos to steal the stone mirror! I ordered people to search the whole city, and it turned out that on the night when Bailiang Terrace caught fire, a person had left the palace overnight and disappeared.I immediately ordered all counties and states in the world to arrest this person, but he seemed to have disappeared from the air, and no trace of him was found again. He didn't show up again until the second year, when he was already in the Huns, and was named Dingling King by the Huns. Now, I think you can probably guess who that person is?Yes, Wei Li!The traitor who betrayed the country and surrendered to the enemy, and later helped the enemy attack the Han! He used to be a man in the palace like you, I don't know if you...know him? Oh, by the way, you had already been to the garden at that time. The traitor has been in the palace for many years, and he knows the terrain and personnel duties in the palace very well, and he also knows how important Ah Yan is to me. He did it very successfully and presented the Huns with a wonderful meeting gift in this way-until now, I haven't fully recovered from the shock of Shi Jing's disappearance.This, this is like killing my Ah Yan again!It's no wonder that he, a mere knight, was honored as a prince when he arrived there.He is so smart, he will do whatever hurts my heart the most! No!I can not be reconciled!It would be fine if he stole other gold, jade and jewelry, but what he stole was a stone mirror, which was related to Ah Yan's soul!For Ah Yan, I will get back that stone mirror no matter what! But how improbable this is!Given the relationship between the Xiongnu and our dynasty, even if we send people there, we may not be able to find that thing, and even if we find it, we may not be able to get it back. 现在那边居然主动示好，送回了此前扣押的所有汉使。God help me too!我已经宣布，同样释放此前扣押在汉的匈奴使节，并遣使护送他们回去。 我想，你大概已经明白，我要做什么了。是的，我需要一个使臣，一个负有特殊使命的使臣，到那边去找回那面石镜！ 这个人很难选。关键在于，潜英石镜不是一件普通东西，它是术士的法器。 我听说过，巫蛊诅咒不是世间普通的勇武或智慧能克制的，但它会在两种人身上失效：一种是修道之人；另一种就是完全不信的人。朝廷里没有修道之士，所以我选择了你，一个完完全全不信方术、不惧方术的人。并且要你完全出于自愿同意——做这种与方术打交道的事，内心的意愿最重要。 说吧，你愿意吗？
The rain is getting heavier.密集的雨点打在昆明池中，已经听不出噼啪作响的点点雨声，只听到一阵阵或疏或骤的哗哗声。池水一下又一下拍击着石砌的池岸，站在高大宽阔的灵波殿中，也偶尔会被狂风裹挟进来的雨点打到。 他终于明白今天这一切莫名其妙的事为什么会发生了：因为皇帝疯了！ 不，那不是一般的疯狂，那是一种理智和迷乱并存的疯狂！皇帝知道发生的一切，可全都用自己那套毫无理性的念头来解释。 什么关亡术，什么轻如毛羽的招魂石镜，什么夜焚柏梁盗窃法器，简直是白日见鬼！ 少翁如果真是能起死者于地下的神仙高人，怎么会连自己的性命都保不住？ 卫律的叛变明明是起因于李延年的倒台，此事朝廷早有定论。那年他出使匈奴，回来正碰上李家势衰，将有大祸。卫律和李家关系密切，当初得以出使，就是延年兄弟出的力，因惧怕株连，这才叛逃的。 这些都是明摆着的事，皇帝怎么会视而不见？ 问题是现在他该怎么办？接受那个荒唐的命令？ “陛下，”苏武小心翼翼地道，“人死不能复生……” “住口！”皇帝忽然暴怒起来，“你这是什么意思？别以为这世上就你一个明白人，别人都容易受骗上当！朕亲政治国的时候，你还是个三尺孩童！告诉你，朕脑子清醒得很！比任何时候都清醒！” 苏武连连叩首，惶恐地道：“臣不敢，臣岂敢对陛下心存不敬……” “你不敢？”皇帝一挥手，冷笑道，“你已经这么做了！你和许多人一样，别看恭恭敬敬地跪在朕面前，可在心里，你从头到尾就没相信过朕的话！你认为朕是个疯子，你以为朕被李夫人的死弄得神志不清了，以为朕不知道？！好，朕也不强求你相信。你可以当朕见到阿妍只是幻觉，可以当石镜的怪异是朕的幻觉，但幻觉不会焚毁一座七十丈的高台，不会制造出一面石镜再让它失踪！你不是跟太史令熟吗？待会儿问问他去！他亲自鉴定过那石镜的铭文！这世上有些事你永远不会了解，也永远不会明白！” 苏武道：“是，臣愚昧……” 皇帝打断苏武道：“不，你不愚昧，你只是和朕根本不是一类人！算了，朕只问你一件事：到底愿不愿意去？” 愿不愿意？ 中郎将，秩比二千石，持节出使，无上荣耀，他会不愿意？不要说此时局势缓和，就算明知一去不复返，他也愿意啊。被庸碌无为的生活慢慢杀死，难道就好过惊心动魄地死于非命吗？ 可问题是，他明知这是一个乱命，怎能趁着皇帝一时糊涂，窃取本不该属于自己的好运？他没有任何经验，对那边一无所知，万一贻误国事…… “说啊，去不去？”皇帝看出他的犹豫，有些不耐烦了，“朕只要你说实话，不必勉强，也不用担心。不管你肯不肯，朕绝不会怪罪于你。” 不，不能这样。皇帝发疯了，他能跟着一起发疯吗？ 可、可过了这一次，恐怕就再也没机会了。这不正是他暗暗渴盼的命运转机吗？难道他愿意一辈子就待在那个肮脏的马厩，永无出头之日…… “臣愿为陛下做任何事情。”终于，他艰难地道，“可是出使异域，非同小可。臣才具有限，只怕误了国事……” 皇帝一挥手，打断了他的话：“不，用你是朕的选择。误不误事，是朕应该担心的事。朕只问你的意愿，告诉朕实话，你到底愿不愿意？” 苏武道：“臣不敢欺骗陛下，若问臣本心，求之不得。可臣甚至、甚至连一句胡语都听不懂……” “你愿意就行！”皇帝松了一口气，满意地道，“准备一下，下个月就出发。副使张胜懂胡语，熟悉蛮夷事务，和匈奴交涉的事，他会办妥的。记住，朕用你，不是因为你会和匈奴人打交道，而是因为你能和一种奇怪的力量打交道！”皇帝顿了一顿，看了他一眼，眼里有一丝疑惑的神情，“说实在的，朕有时真有点弄不懂你。你父亲和匈奴人打过仗，还在边境做过多年太守，而你居然一句匈奴话都不懂？” 苏武低头道：“是，臣是先父最不成器的儿子。” 皇帝摇摇头，道：“他好像不太喜欢你，从不给你机会放开手脚做事。罢了，现在机会来了，好好把握吧。朕再说一遍，朕不是要你做使节，是要你去寻找一件重要的失物。记住这一点！” 苏武点点头。 好吧，尽力而为，成败由天。他会尽自己的努力做好一个使节，完成这次出访。 至于那个什么招魂石镜，他压根儿就不指望能找到，因为这世界上根本不可能存在这种荒谬绝伦的东西。当然，他还是会奉命去找的，只是为了证明皇帝的妄想的错误。 他不认为皇帝会为了一件不存在的东西杀了他，因为没有一个统治天下的帝王会发疯那么长时间而没人发现，无人谏阻。但愿他归国时，一切已经恢复正常了。
未央宫北，石渠阁。 精心打磨的白石砌成了一条长长的沟渠，从阁前蜿蜒经过。因为刚下了一场大雨，所以渠中清水潺潺，水量比平日大了许多。听说遇上连降大雨的时节，渠中还会有从沧池游来的小鱼，在这森严得叫人喘不过气来的未央宫一带，倒实在是一道颇为宜人的小景致。阁以渠得名，不过，这条石渠的作用却不单是一种装点，更主要是为了防灾——因为这里收藏着整个帝国的历史。 走进阁中，一股竹木的气息就扑鼻而来。 一排排、一列列堆满简牍的书架向阁中深处延伸，一眼望不到头。从开国丞相萧何自秦国宫廷收集来的图籍文书，到此后历年积存的文档秘录，无不汇聚在此。自建成至今，这间巨大的藏书阁还未发生过一起偷盗或火灾。看来当初萧丞相把石渠阁定址在此确有远见——还有比托庇于帝王的起居之所更安全的所在吗？ 苏武站在一排排书架之间，前后左右，触目所见，都是铺天盖地的简牍。对这些东西，他有些敬畏。他虽然识字，但和周围许多将门出身的郎官一样，很少接触这个文人儒生的圣地。 那些厚重的史料，晦涩的古文，对他都是只能敬而远之的东西。 也许只有大名鼎鼎的太史令能读得完那些东西吧。他是当朝最善于与文牍古籍打交道的人。听说他的父亲——前任太史令司马谈，在他十岁前就开始教授他先秦诸子之说。十岁后，又先后师从董仲舒、孔安国研读《春秋》、《尚书》等古籍。所以，二人虽因曾同为宫中郎官、又都是京兆人而交好，但在这位家学渊源、学识广博的同僚面前，苏武总有些自惭形秽。 “没想到，陛下居然选择了你。”太史令捧着一卷丝帛，从两列书架深处走出来，道，“子卿，我真羡慕你。” “羡慕？”苏武苦笑一下，道，“子长，你知道我要去哪里吗？” 太史令道：“知道，而且我曾主动向陛下请命前往，可惜陛下不准。” 苏武吃惊地道：“知道你还想去？” 太史令点头道：“出使匈奴，人皆视为畏途，可在我，是求之不得的美差——我鉴定那石镜上的铭文时就对那镜子产生了极大兴趣，那可真是一件罕见的古物。”说着将手中那幅帛书在几案上铺展开来，坐下道，“子卿，你看，这就是那石镜上的铭文。当年我将之拓印下来，现在石镜失踪，这成了唯一的凭据。” 真有这么件东西？ 苏武惊讶地走过去细看，一看之下，却是一头雾水。 那方锦帛中，印着一圈铭文，个个形状诡异，似字非字，似画非画，一眼看去，竟没有一个是认识的。数一数，这“字”共有八个。 苏武道：“这、这是什么文字？先秦的吗？” “我也说不清。”太史令道，“这石镜极其朴素，没有任何可借以识别的款式纹饰，只有镜背后刻了这一圈镜铭，但字形奇古，似字非字，似画非画，没有一个是在古器上常见的。当年陛下命我识读这些文字，我自负博学，八体精通，可一见这镜铭，还是愣住了。这镜铭文字和我所知道的任何一种古文（作者注：汉朝“古文”是指先秦的古文字，而非文言文）都不同，只能勉强看出它有个别结构接近史籀大篆，但远比它们简易淳朴，又有一丝虫书的古老谲美。我只能肯定，那必是一种比我们现今所知道的古文古老得多的文字，或许就是传说中上古的'蝌蚪书'吧。我费尽心力琢磨了一个多月，才识读出这些字来。” “你读出来了？”苏武惊奇地道，“写的是什么？” “说起来，这文字内容倒平淡无奇，”太史令叹了口气，转身迅速从身旁的书架上抽出一册简牍，打开来道，“居然就出自这普天下儒生都读过的！'天命玄鸟，降而生商'——《商颂·玄鸟》篇的第一句。唉，说穿了一钱不值。” “？玄鸟？”苏武好奇地接过简牍，看着上面那密密的文字，皱起眉道，“子长，你以为人人都像你那么好的学问吗？《五经》我是一看就头痛。这首诗讲的是什么？” “哦，是我想当然了。”太史令搔了搔头，在几案前坐下，道，“不过这首诗还算平直，说的是商朝始祖的传说。相传很久以前，有娀氏有个女子叫简狄，为帝喾次妃。一天简狄和两名女伴沐浴于玄丘水，天上飞来一只燕子，产下一枚鸟蛋，简狄拾起那鸟蛋吃了，就怀孕生下了商朝的始祖契。燕子是黑色的，所以古称'玄鸟'。” 吃鸟蛋生子？苏武觉得有些好笑，道：“子长，你不会就为了这想要去匈奴吧？” 太史令摇摇头道：“不是为了这个。唔……那个人，卫律……他……有些与众不同。” 苏武道：“怎么？你认识他？” 太史令点头道：“很久以前，就在这里，他曾经问过我一些奇怪的问题，令我至今无法忘怀。那时他来这石渠阁借阅一些典籍——你知道，这种藏书阁向来冷清。宫中诸郎，极少会来这里，而卫律是来这石渠阁次数最多的人。他要的书很杂，内容又大多冷僻，这引起了我的注意。后来我特地留意了一下，发现他似乎在找与商朝有关的典籍。商朝史料不多，除《诗》、外，大多散见于先秦诸子的著作中。我因为家传的缘故，对先秦诸子素有研习。有时见他为了查个资料的出处，要翻阅数百石简牍，便忍不住帮他一把。我本跟他不熟，他是个话不多的人，这样一来二去，才有了些交流。在交谈中，我发现他骨子里有一股说不出的邪异之气。后来出了叛逃的事，我联想到他说过的那些话，感到他偷走这面石镜，只怕其中大有文章。” 苏武好奇地道：“他跟你说过些什么？” 太史令看着前方，像是陷入了沉思。隔了很久，才缓缓地道：“他问我，为什么商朝的史料这么少？他说，这石渠阁简牍万千……”
“这石渠阁简牍万千，”卫律道，“上至尧舜，下迄周秦，皆有史料留存，唯独商朝这一段，不但正史匮乏，就连野史逸闻也寥寥可数，这是怎么一回事？” I nod. 我知道，他不是在炫耀自己对商史的熟识，而是实实在在很困惑。 因为这困惑我也曾经有过。 你知道，我这些年在编撰《史记》，而商朝是让我感到最头疼的朝代。 商朝统治六百多年，历经三十余位帝王，除了开国的商汤、亡国的商纣，几乎全是面目模糊、毫无特征。我写史喜欢刻画人物，商朝却时常使我觉得无从下手。摆在我眼前的，只有一个个干巴巴的以天干命名的符号：外丙、小甲、中丁、外壬……我知道他们的世系更迭，却不知道他们的形貌、性情、喜恶、功过。 只是若非以治史为业，很少有人会注意到这个现象。卫律是来这石渠阁的人中，唯一一个提出这疑问的。我不由得暗赞他眼光敏锐，问道：“足下怎么会想到问这个？” 卫律翻着几案上刚看完的那几册简牍，道：“没什么，就是疑惑。我记得商的先祖契任职司徒，掌管教化百姓；云'唯殷先人有册有典'，可见其文教之昌盛。这样一个朝代，历史却几近空白，难道不是一件很奇怪的事情？” 我点头沉吟道：“不错，商史匮乏，我也感觉到了，我修史之时，也曾为此烦恼过。也许是时日太久，导致史料遗失的缘故吧。” 卫律不置可否地笑笑，道：“还有，商朝文字，最可信的，当是见诸《尚书》的那几篇吧。而就这《尚书》中流传下来的那仅有的几篇商朝文诰，语言都艰涩难明，什么'卜稽曰其如台'，什么'猷黜乃心，无傲从康'，几乎无一字能以今义解读。这又是何故？” 我又是一怔。《尚书》文字晦涩，世人皆知，尤其涉及先商的篇章，多少饱学之士穷一生精力钻研此书，也未必能读得懂，却从没人想过问一句：它为什么这么难懂？ 我沉思了一会儿，道：“'尚'者，上也。想来既是上古之书，年深日久，自然晦涩难懂。” 卫律摇头道：“语言文字，总是一脉相承的。商人遣词造句，为什么会和我们现在所用的相差那么大？太史大人，你不觉得，那些文字的怪异艰涩，已经超出了时间久远可能造成的语言的变异？” 我被他说得也有些疑惑起来，道：“你是说……” “我想，”卫律若有所思地道，“有没有可能，这是周武王故意造成的结果？” “周武王？”我大感意外，道，“这跟周武王有什么关系？” 卫律道：“武王灭商后，曾借着大封宗亲功臣，将周语作为雅言雅音，在各诸侯国推广。也许，周朝正是要借着这种手段，使得殷商的语言文字逐渐变成无人知晓的死文字，从而断绝殷商文史典籍的传承！” 我心中一惊，隐隐感到此人话里有些令人不安的东西。 我道：“你、你怎么会这样想？周朝为什么要这么做？武王伐纣，是以有道伐无道，何至于对前朝戒惧至此？” “不错，”卫律耐人寻味地道，“问题就出在这里。一方面，说是民心所向，前徒倒戈，兵不血刃就入了朝歌；另一方面，却对一个声名狼藉的前朝如此戒备防范，连语言文字都要禁绝。恐怕商周鼎革的那段历史，并不像我们通常所知道的那么简单！” 我倒抽了一口冷气：“你知不知道你在说什么？殷商无道，周武王吊民伐罪，世人皆知……” “世人皆知，世人都看见了吗？不说别的，此书就与这世传的正史多有矛盾。”说着，卫律拿起几案上一册简牍，道，“根据此书的记录，从文王到武王，对到底要不要伐纣这件事，其实一直带有很深的疑虑。文王托言吉梦，宣称'受商之大命于皇天上帝'，如果真是天下苦商久矣，何必挖空心思造这样的舆论？岂有宣告自己继承一个臭名昭著的王权统绪以争取民心的？武王出征之前，做了一个噩梦，便惊恐地对周公说：'呜呼，谋泄哉！今朕寤，有商惊予。'不是堂堂之鼓，正正之旗吗？怎么听起来好像见不得光的密室阴谋？武王几次与周公交谈，都提到'天命'一词，言语中既敬又畏，并且是畏的成分居多，以致需要周公多次开导解释，才能把那种深切的恐惧压下去。我很好奇，他到底在恐惧什么？他说的'天命'究竟是什么？在三分天下已有其二的情况下，难道说还有什么不可测的力量可能使父子两代的努力毁于一旦？” 我看了看那册简牍，松了一口气，道：“你怕是言过了。这部《周书》我看过，用语虽古，但所记之事耸人听闻，和传世的《尚书·周书》出入太大，不太可信，十有八九是后世伪托。” “伪托？”卫律笑了笑，用一根手指轻叩着几案，悠悠地道，“到底什么是真，什么是伪？你是史官，应该比我更清楚，所谓的'史实'是怎样打造出来的。拿着史笔的，都是最后的胜利者。商周之交的那段历史，是谁记录的？还不是西周的史官！文王武王，是自古以来被奉为楷模的明君圣主，几乎有如完人。这形象从何而来？食君之禄，自然忠君之事，根据需要取舍材料，抑扬涂饰，也是题中应有之意……” 我猛地站起来，忿声道：“并不是所有的史官都像你以为的那样！” 卫律看了我一眼，笑道：“好吧，是在下失言。不过，抛开那些真假难辨的定论，只以一个正常人的常识来判断：赤雀丹书、飞熊入梦、白鱼入舟、火流王屋……这吉兆也太多了吧？到底是天降祥瑞，还是对手实在太强大了，以至必须百般捏造、托言神迹，才能打破民众根深蒂固的恐惧，鼓动起事？武王牧野誓师，列举商纣王三大罪状：听信妇人谗言；不祭祀自己的祖宗；不任用自家兄弟。多么奇怪，讨伐一个不共戴天的敌手，理由竟是对方亏待自己人！设身处地地想想，周武王到底为什么会作出如此异常的宣战誓言？一切事后看来反常的东西，在当时必然有足够的理由使它显得正常。《牧誓》的字里行间，给人一种强烈的感觉，武王要讨伐的对象，拥有时人心目中不可撼动的正统地位，以致以任何借口向之宣战，都是大逆不道的行为。唯有谴责他背弃了自己的宗族和祖先，才能证明征伐的正当！ “再看那一道道颁行天下的号令文诰，遣词行文中，周也从未否定商的正统地位，举事之前，称受商之命于皇天上帝。灭商之后，说'皇天上帝，改厥元子'，总之反复强调这不是改朝换代，而是奉天命继承商的大统。 “武王进入朝歌后，首先做的，不是除恶务尽，斩草除根，而是安抚商的贵族遗老：释放佯狂被囚的箕子，修缮王子比干的坟墓，甚至把殷商遗民都封给了纣的儿子武庚！对一个恶名昭著的旧政权，为什么不能正大光明地取而代之？为什么要这样处处施恩事事示好？就算周王仁义谦退，那些殷民难道没脑子吗？舜避帝位于尧子丹朱，天下人都知道丹朱不肖，不朝丹朱而朝舜，禹避帝位于舜子商均，天下人不朝商均而朝禹。商朝遗民难道不知道他们的前朝旧主何等罪恶滔天？怎么不自发地弃武庚而朝武王？ “不惟如此，周初甚至还发生了管蔡之乱。管叔、蔡叔是文王之子、武王之弟，