Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 335 This dog is even better at licking than I am!
July 17th, the second year of the Han Dynasty.

Henan Yin, Kaifeng County.

It was early autumn, and the sweltering heat had not yet subsided. Liu Bian rode a strong white horse under the blazing sun, following the Zuowuwei Battalion on the official road at a leisurely pace.

The sunlight made the black armor and banners scorching hot, but the guards of the Left Guard Battalion continued to march in silence, with only the dull thud of their footsteps and the friction of their armor being heard.

The carriages and pedestrians who were originally traveling on the official road, upon seeing the emperor's entourage from afar, quickly retreated to the sides of the road to make way. No one dared to stop and watch, and no one dared to delay even for a moment.

Although the official roads of the Han Dynasty were open to the common people and merchants, they could not be obstructed from using them by officials for any reason and had to give way immediately.

Although most common people did not recognize the emperor's ceremonial guard, they recognized weapons and knew that it was an army marching.

If one unintentionally obstructs the postmen or county officials, at most one will only receive a few lashes or be fined some money, but if one dares to hinder the army's advance, one will be killed.

Even if there were any audacious fools, they were quickly dispersed by the officials stationed along the way.

As the emperor, it was unthinkable for him to travel incognito.

If he dares to travel incognito today, tomorrow ministers will line up to commit suicide in the palace to remonstrate with him.

This opportunity to go down in history has been handed to us for free. I wonder how many people will be tempted to make a big splash and secure their family's reputation for hundreds of years.

Even if Liu Bian intended to do something during his inspection tour of Chenliu Commandery, the itinerary had already been issued in writing, and the princes, prime ministers, governors, and prefects of the prefectures and commanderies along the way were all aware of it, so as to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings and to promptly welcome and pay homage to the emperor.

Liu Bian slightly turned his head, his gaze passing over the fine dust rising from the roadside and looking at the field about ten zhang (23 meters) away.

The lush green rice paddies stretch out in all directions, with glimpses of golden rice ears already beginning to emerge.

In the area where the eastern part of Henan Yin and the western part of Chenliu County meet, there is a river that starts from Junyi County of Chenliu County in the north, crosses the State of Chen, and reaches Xiang County of Runan County in the south. It connects with the Honggou River system and eventually flows into the lower reaches of Yingchuan, irrigating a whole area of ​​paddy fields.

Therefore, there are also paddy fields here, with irrigation ditches crisscrossing the fields. The turbid water from the ditches is drawn into the fields by wooden scoops, flowing gently and nourishing the rice.

Moreover, it was early autumn in July, when the rice was in the process of heading and flowering. The rice ears, which shimmered like golden grains in the sunlight, were gradually becoming fuller, but not yet fully full and mature.

Between the paddy fields, a farmer walks barefoot, his raincoat draped diagonally over his shoulder. He bends down to pick an ear of rice from the lush green stalks, plucks off a few grains, carefully separates them with his rough fingers, and examines the plumpness of the grains, his brow furrowing slightly.

During the Little Ice Age, the climate was erratic and did not necessarily follow the solar terms. The Han calendar issued by the imperial court alone was far from sufficient for farming.

Therefore, farmers who depend on the weather for their livelihood rely on the experience passed down and accumulated by their elders, and use this most simple and unadorned method to determine the harvest time.

Realizing that the rice was far from ripe, the farmer sat down dejectedly on the edge of the field, leaned back, rested his head on the edge, picked up a blade of grass from his mouth, and hummed a tune indistinctly while gazing at the sky.

Occasionally, a cloud would peek through the sun, bringing a moment of shade, but the blazing sun would soon return. The farmer looked up at the blinding sun, muttered a few curses, pulled his straw hat over his face, and seemed to want to take a short rest on the edge of the field.

But farmers in the fields are never idle. After a short while, he sat up again, stepped barefoot into the paddy field, bent down and skillfully pulled up a few weeds. Several fish slid silently past his feet, and from the depths of the paddy field came the occasional croaking of frogs and calls of ducks.

Fuwu is the same as domestic duck.

But upon hearing the ducks' quacking, the farmer suddenly became alert. He hurriedly grabbed a wooden stick from the edge of the paddy field, waded through the water, and, wading the stick, shouted loudly to drive away the flock of ducks that had wandered into the rice paddy.

This rice-duck-fish symbiotic agricultural system originated from a concept proposed by Liu Bian, a "cloud player".

When it was first implemented, although it effectively reduced the damage caused by locusts and borers and eliminated many insect eggs and larvae, it also caused some losses.

For example, if ducks are released into paddy fields too early, the newly planted rice seedlings are still fragile and their roots are not yet stable. If ducks are released at this time, their webbed feet and pecking movements can easily pull up or trample the seedlings, causing them to "float". The same principle applies to fish.

Therefore, the types of fish and ducks are also important. North of the Yangtze River, the most docile carp is preferred, while the ducks selected must be domesticated ducks, not wild ducks caught in the wild.

Chickens and ducks are omnivores. Wild pheasants and ducks that have not lost their wild nature also eat fish and millet seedlings. However, domestic ducks have been domesticated. During the Former Han Dynasty, many farmers had the habit of raising ducks and chickens. Through generations of selection and evolution, the domestic chickens and ducks of the Later Han Dynasty usually choose to peck at weeds and insects rather than destroy grains.

However, when the rice grows to the heading and booting stages, the collisions of the ducks will damage the rice ears.

Therefore, ducks must not be allowed to enter the rice paddies during the two months before and after the rice matures.

Although herding ducks adds a bit of fatigue and trouble for farmers, it's nothing compared to their contributions to pest control, fertilization, water circulation, and weeding, as well as the extra income that raising ducks can bring.

All these valuable experiences come from the wisdom of farmers who were regarded as ants by wealthy and powerful families.

Liu Bian gently pulled on the reins, and the white horse obediently moved a little closer to the left side of the official road.

Gazing at the vibrant, flourishing landscape that had sprung up thanks to his decrees, Liu Bian took a deep breath.

The air was filled only with the astringent scent of rice leaves and the salty smell of damp mud, but he seemed to smell the fragrance of rice grains in it. With a smile on his lips, he pointed his riding whip at the paddy field ten feet away and said to Lu Cui, the Imperial Secretary who was accompanying him, "Look, this is the beautiful scenery that cannot be seen in the deep palace, and it is also the source of my motivation to review memorials every day."

Seeing that the emperor was in a good mood, Lu Cui immediately cupped his hands and loudly echoed, "This is also the reason why we follow the country. Only a holy emperor like this, who is unparalleled in the world, can bring great order to the world and prosperity to all people!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bian turned his head, pointed his index finger at Lu Cuixu a few times in the air, and a playful smile appeared on his face. He said, "Confucius said, 'When the world is governed by the Way, one should appear; when it is not, one should remain hidden.' According to this, you, Lu Wenwei, are comparing yourself to a wise man who waits for the right time to act?"

“I dare not call myself ‘wise’!” Lu Cui said calmly, without any flattery, and said firmly, “But in the past, the Five Goat Master could not enter officialdom in the State of Yu, was a slave in Jin, and herded cattle in Chu. It was not until he was seventy years old that he met Duke Mu of Qin and was appointed as a senior official, and only then could he display his talents.”

"Without a wise and discerning ruler, what good is extraordinary talent?"

Lu Cui did not hold back in praising the emperor. After a slight pause, he continued, "I have heard that Confucius taught his disciples to advocate teaching according to aptitude, and wise rulers also employ people in the same way. Even petty thieves can be placed in positions where they can play a role, those who are fond of private feuds can fight for the country, the greedy can fill the national treasury, and the mean-spirited can monitor the lawlessness. These are all things that only a sage ruler can do, while an incompetent ruler cannot."

"Is it not because of the imperial decree that I, such an unworthy person, have been appointed to the court and placed in this appropriate position?"

Liu Bian was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, reaching out to pat Lu Cui's shoulder forcefully. The flattery spoken by learned people was indeed exceptionally pleasant, even more so than sleeping with concubines.

Moreover, isn't what Lu Cui said the truth?
Those who were fond of private feuds, such as Dian Wei, became generals with great military achievements in the Han Dynasty. Cao Song, a greedy and money-grubbing person, gradually faded out of the power center after the national treasury revenue increased year by year after he became the Minister of Agriculture. Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and Guo Sheng also frequently inquired about the illegal and disorderly conduct of aristocratic families and reported them to the Court of Justice and the Censorate by name.

Although he agreed in his heart, he still had to pretend to be modest on the surface. So Liu Bian waved his hand and declined, saying, "Now the world has only been largely restored to peace, and it is far from being a great era of order. Wenwei should be more pragmatic and not just say nice things to me."

While Liu Bian found the conversation pleasant, Zhu Jun, the Attendant-in-Ordinary beside him, secretly grimaced and clicked his tongue in disbelief.

These pretentious literati really know how to praise the emperor, and they always spout the wisdom of sages.

Ruan Yu, who was also a student of Cai Yong, narrowed his eyes slightly and a faint smile appeared on his lips. He shook his head and almost fell off his horse several times. With the rise and fall of the horse's back, he shook his head and his body, which was quite eye-catching.

"What is Yuan Yu doing?"

Liu Bianming knew that Ruan Yu was deliberately trying to attract attention, but he was still willing to cooperate.

Although Lu Cui and Ruan Yu were disciples of Cai Yong, they completely lacked Cai Yong's integrity and had a strong desire to join the imperial court.

Both of them consistently performed their duties to a high standard, fully recognizing their responsibilities and missions. They were serious and responsible in their work, doing their best to complete every task assigned by the emperor. When encountering difficulties and problems in their work, they dared to face them, were willing to take responsibility, and did not shirk their responsibilities or avoid the important ones.

Most importantly, Lu Cui and Ruan Yu adhered to their principles and maintained their firm stance.

Yes, uphold the principles of being a close advisor to the emperor, be absolutely and unconditionally loyal to the emperor, and remain steadfast in your stance on major issues, always maintaining your loyalty to the emperor.

Therefore, Liu Bian often kept the two men by his side. When he went to Yanzhou for inspection this time, he also specially brought along these two close ministers who came from Chenliu County.

Ruan Yu opened his eyes suddenly, as if the emperor had startled him from a dream. After a moment of calm, he cupped his hands and said, "I have heard that the state has been discussing the people's livelihood, and I have also heard Brother Wenwei's profound remarks. I was moved and came up with a short five-character poem, but I have not yet had time to refine the words and polish the poem."

A five-character fu (a type of classical Chinese prose-poem), or more accurately, a regulated poem consisting of eight lines of five characters each.

At this time, there was no clear distinction between poetry, fu (a type of classical Chinese prose-poetry), and song. Han fu, which combines four-character lines and free verse, such as Qu Yuan's "Nine Chapters" and "Heavenly Questions," were also called Han fu. Even Emperor Taizu Gao's "Song of the Great Wind," which consists of three lines in eight characters, was also called Han fu.

At the beginning of the Later Han Dynasty, Han fu (a type of classical Chinese prose) not only gradually standardized its format, with four-character and six-character parallel prose becoming the mainstream, but also gradually became formulaic in terms of regulated fu, titles, number of characters, rhyme scheme, and tonal patterns.

At the same time, Han fu gradually abandoned the characteristics of lengthy and ornate writing, such as Sima Xiangru's "Shanglin Fu", and was criticized by many literary masters for abandoning the essence and lacking emotion.

Subsequently, literati gradually created new forms of fu (a type of classical Chinese prose-poetry). While retaining the basic literary style of Han fu, they created short fu that were shorter in length, more elegant in style, satirized current events, and expressed feelings and objects. Cai Yong was a pillar of the short fu genre, and nearly half of his literary fame came from the reputation brought by his short fu.

As a direct disciple of Cai Yong, Ruan Yu was naturally skilled at composing short poems.

Liu Bian smiled and ordered Ruan Yu to recite the "unfinished" short poem he had mentioned, saying, "A thousand-gold fur coat is not made from the armpit of a single fox. Yuan Yu is quick-witted and talented, but Wen Wei (Lu Cui), Zheng Nan (Shen Pei), Zi Xu (Du Xi), Kong Ming (Hu Zhao), and others are also good at poetry and prose. You may recite it, and I will discuss and polish it with you."

Ruan Yu feigned shyness, hesitated for a moment, and then stretched out his arms and called out.

"The magnificent Heavenly Gate opens, and the Great Han Dynasty is destined for greatness."

"The green canopy tours the nine provinces, but people in the east and west resent it."

"A scholar will die for his confidant; a woman will play with her lover."

"If kindness and righteousness are properly extended, how can others cause chaos?"

Upon hearing the poem, everyone sighed with regret, marveling at Ruan Yu's talent and feeling ashamed of their own inferiority. They were both fortunate and saddened to have lived in the same era as Ruan Yu.

I am fortunate to have met such a rare talent as Ruan Yu, but I am also saddened that I am unable to write poems that surpass his and will forever be inferior to him because I am living in the same era as this talented man who inherited Cai Yong's talent in poetry and prose.

Even Liu Bian sincerely praised Ruan Yu's talent.

The opening of the majestic palace gates symbolizes the Han Dynasty's restoration in accordance with the Mandate of Heaven.

The monarch's chariot toured the nine provinces of the world, and the people sincerely submitted to him, whether in the East or the West.

A man dies for a man who knows himself, and a woman looks good for a man who pleases her.

When kindness and morality are widely spread and reach the world, how can others disrupt the country?
The poems and essays not only praised the current rule of the Han Dynasty, in which the emperor was loved by all the people, and thus the Han Dynasty would be restored in accordance with the mandate of heaven, but also comforted him, saying that since he, as the emperor, spread education, and widely bestowed benevolence and kindness, even if there were some ungrateful traitors like Liu Chong who caused trouble, they would not be able to disturb the world.

Even if Ruan Yu did not compose this poem on the spur of the moment, the fact that he wrote such a timely poem on only ten days after leaving Luoyang truly demonstrates his remarkable talent.

However, in a moment when no one was paying attention, Lu Cui and Ruan Yu, the two fellow disciples, quickly exchanged a glance, their eyes clashing and almost sparking a flame.

Fuck!
This dog is even better at licking than I am!
(4242 words)
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PS: In the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208 AD), Cao Cao planned to kill Kong Rong and ordered Lu Cui to fabricate charges against Kong Rong. Lu Cui presented several charges against Kong Rong, which shows that he had no integrity or backbone.

In 214 AD, Lu Cui was transferred to the position of Cao Cao's secretary and also gained the favor of Cao Pi, demonstrating Lu Cui's exceptional flattery skills.
As for Ruan Yu... his attitude can be summarized as "arrogant at first, then obsequious".

Cao Cao sent men to summon Ruan Yu, but he fled to the mountains. Cao Cao then ordered the mountains to be burned, which is why Ruan Yu was able to take up a government post.

Because Ruan Yu had refused to serve in the government many times before, Cao Cao arranged for him to play music in the band during a grand banquet, hoping to curb his arrogance. Unexpectedly, Ruan Yu was proficient in music and spontaneously played the strings and sang the poem "The magnificent gates of heaven open, the great Wei responds to the appointed time".

On the one hand, he praised Cao Cao's achievements, and on the other hand, he expressed his willingness to serve Cao Cao. Therefore, Cao Cao was overjoyed and appointed him as the chief strategist of the Sikong Mansion, in charge of the secretariat. Together with Chen Lin, he drafted official documents and proclamations. Many of the proclamations in Cao Cao's army were written by him and Chen Lin.

(End of this chapter)