After the news that Wang Can and Liu Xie entered Xiangyang reached Liu Biao's ears, within a short period of time, neither Liu Xie nor Wang Can arrived. This situation made Liu Biao a little impatient.
According to normal circumstances, it would take two more days to enter Xiangyang, or even faster, within one day, to reach Xiangyang. But now five days have passed, and Wang Can and Liu Xie have not yet arrived in Xiangyang.
The news Liu Biao received was that Wang Can was still on his way here.
This made Liu Biao very confused.
How could they be traveling so slowly? But the news that came back was that Wang Can and Liu Xie were indeed heading south, but they were just stopping and going, so the speed was extremely slow.
It was not until the eighth day that Liu Biao got the news that Wang Can and Liu Xie had arrived near Xiangyang City, and they were less than six miles away from Xiangyang City.
Liu Biao took Kuai Liang, Cai Mao, and the army together and went straight to the tower at the north gate of Xiangyang City.
The army gathered together and formed an array on the tower.
Liu Biao also waited slowly.
Time passes little by little.
Soon after, Liu Biao's eyes fell on the official road outside the north gate, and he saw two figures, riding horses and walking slowly.
The visitors were clearly Wang Can and Liu Xie.
Today's Liu Xie, after the baptism of this journey, has changed a lot. This journey was very difficult, especially when he had to cook for himself, etc., so everything was not easy. But after he got through it, he became a whole person.
People are very different.
He understood the sufferings of people’s livelihood!
He learned about the local situation!
He learned that life is not easy!
The more he sees, the more he can truly understand what this big man's world is like.
Especially under Wang Can's training, Liu Xie's own energy became more and more full, and his martial arts also improved by leaps and bounds. Although Wang Can could not wash away the essence and marrow for Liu Xie, he could dredge Liu Xie's muscles and practice martial arts with Liu Xie.
After being exhausted, Liu Xie's martial arts improved rapidly by relaxing the meridians and activating the meridians.
In this way, although Liu Xie is only eleven or twelve years old, in just a few months, Liu Xie has grown half a head.
Liu Xie followed Wang Can and said, "Teacher, Liu Biao has closed the door tightly. It seems that he is ready to fight to the end."
Wang Can said: "It's just a chicken or a dog."
After a pause, Wang Can said in a deep voice: "The reason why I brought you here, and the reason why I didn't attack Xiangyang City directly, is just to let you see Liu Biao's face clearly. Look, he must have many reasons."
Liu Xie nodded.
When he looked at Liu Biao, disgust flashed in his eyes.
In the past, when he was in trouble in Luoyang, the princes of the world attacked Dong Zhuo, but there was no response from Liu Biao, not even a notice to attack Dong Zhuo, and he could only hide in Xiangyang.
Liu Xie looked down upon Liu Biao like this.
Wang Can rode his horse forward slowly. When he came to the foot of the city tower and was only thirty steps away from the city tower, Wang Can said: "Liu Biao, the emperor came to Xiangyang. Why did you close the city gate instead of going out to greet the emperor?"
Liu Biao was dressed in official uniform, resting his hands on the city wall, and said calmly: "Your Majesty, it's not that I don't want to open the city gate to welcome you, but there are clan thieves who are causing trouble in Xiangyang City. Therefore, I have closed the city gates in all directions.
The bandits are being hunted down."
"Besides this, the clan thieves are also in constant turmoil throughout Jingzhou."
"Your Majesty, please do not linger in Jingzhou."
"Once the clan traitors come and harm His Majesty's life, it will be bad."
Liu Biao said solemnly: "I have been trusted by the late emperor and entrusted with important tasks to take charge of Jingzhou. Now, the bandits in Jingzhou have not yet been pacified. Therefore, I cannot go out of the city to greet you. Please forgive me. After the bandits in Jingzhou are pacified, I will personally
When you remove your armor and return to the fields, you will resign from your post and will no longer serve as the shepherd of Jingzhou."
What he said was watertight.
After Wang Can heard this, he sneered, looked at Liu Xie and said, "Disciple, do you understand the meaning of Liu Biao's words?"
Liu Xiedao: "Disciple understands, what Liu Biao means is that there are bandits in Jingzhou, so he can't open the city to welcome them. He can't live up to his father's trust and respect, so he can't resign as the pastor of Jingzhou, which explains why he
Reasons for disobedience.”
Wang Can said: "Not comprehensive!"
After Liu Xie thought about it for a while, his eyes lit up and he suddenly said: "Could it be that Liu Biao's words are threatening us? The so-called clan traitors are causing trouble, not only harming Jingzhou, but also harming us."
"Of course!"
Wang Can answered with a smile.
Liu Xie gritted his teeth and said, "Liu Biao is really someone who deserves death."
Wang Can said: "This is the so-called loyal minister. He has his own ideas. Even if the court orders it, it is difficult to implement it at the local level. Because there are policies from above and countermeasures from below. Especially Liu Biao, who colluded with the local big families in Jingzhou, including the Cai family in Jingzhou.
, the Kuai family and others opened their eyes for him, and he even had the courage to resist the imperial court."
Liu Xie said: "Along the way, the teacher mentioned local big families and famous families several times. What is going on in these aspects?"
Wang Can said: "The power of local big families is intertwined. For example, the Cai family in Jingzhou, the officials from various places, and the county magistrates at the bottom are all their officials. Under such circumstances, even if the court recruits officials and promotes filial piety and integrity, it is
These people have priority. Over time, all the people in the world will be members of aristocratic families. If the imperial court wants to issue an order, can the imperial decree be implemented without the consent of the aristocratic families?"
"cannot!"
Liu Xie also shook his head and answered.
"Yes! No!"
Wang Can nodded and said: "So this is one of the root problems, and it is also something that needs to be solved in these six years."
Liu Xie said: "How to solve it?"
Wang Can said in a deep voice: "Use the method of imperial examination to break the monopoly of aristocratic families. The imperial court no longer selects talents through examination, recruitment, and promotion of filial piety and integrity, but through the method of opening up subjects to select scholars. In this way
, not only the poor scholars in the world, but also the children of other aristocratic families, will break the monopoly through this channel. The imperial court formulates the categories of assessment, and the imperial court selects talents under relatively fair conditions, so that meritocracy is selected.
, can we break the monopoly."
Liu Xie nodded in understanding.
Wang Can continued: "You have to remember that under any circumstances, it is inappropriate for one family to dominate. When playing chess in the world, the main thing is balance and the way of yin and yang. For example, local officials, such as Zhou Mu's family
If the emperor is alone, then all the military and political power rests with the state pastor, and the emperor of the court has high prestige, so no one dares to cause rebellion. Once the central influence of the court declines, local rebellions may occur."
"The rights of the emperor are actually the same."
"If you are a sage and wise king who knows how to restrain your rights, it will have no impact."
"But once a foolish king has too much power and arbitrarily deals with court officials and kills loyal people, it will also lead to chaos in the country."
Wang Can said: "At its root, it is still a matter of balance. Going back to the aristocratic families just mentioned, if in the world, people from aristocratic families are serving as officials, they pay attention to their family, country and the world, and they consider their family first.
Considering the imperial court, if things go on like this, the country will lose its generals, and when the powerful families take over the power, it will also lead to the poor princes not being able to succeed."
Liu Xiedao: "The disciple understands what the teacher said."
Wang Can nodded and said no more.
At this time, his eyes turned to the tower and fell on Liu Biao. Wang Can's eyes were as sharp as knives, and his sharp eyes seemed to pierce Liu Biao's heart, making Liu Biao's heart tremble.
When Liu Biao saw Wang Can and Liu Xie murmuring, he snorted and continued: "Your Majesty, it's not that the old ministers don't welcome you, it's that there is no peace in Jingzhou. Please, your Majesty, return to Luoyang as soon as possible. The emperor of a country, if you no longer
In the imperial capital, if there is a young person in the world who is detrimental to Your Majesty, wouldn't it be a bad thing?"
Wang Can took the words and said: "As long as I am here, who can do harm to the emperor?"
Liu Biao said: "There are no absolutes in this world."
Wang Can said solemnly: "As long as I am here, it will be absolute. In addition, you mentioned that there are bandits in Jingzhou. It doesn't matter. You are not capable enough to pacify the place. I will arrange someone to serve as the governor of Jingzhou to clean up the situation."
Thieves."
Liu Biao had a dark face and said coldly: "Wang Can, who do you think you are? Hum, your words cannot represent the emperor. I will not tolerate you running wild in Jingzhou."
Wang Can said: "Are you angry out of shame?"
Liu Biao flicked his sleeve and said: "Wang Can, you are arrogant and I don't care about your fault. Now, take Your Majesty and return to Luoyang immediately. Otherwise, if something happens in Jingzhou, it will be your responsibility."
Wang Can said in a deep voice: "I said, nothing will happen, so there can be no problems. Now, I want to ask you one thing, whether you want to open the city gate. If you don't open the city gate, I will go to the city."
Liu Biao said in a deep voice: "If you want to go to the city, I will follow you. I am on the top of the city tower, waiting for you to come."
After Liu Xie heard this, he said happily: "Teacher, this Liu Biao must not believe you, that's why he said this. I guess when the teacher comes directly to the city, he will be scared to death."
Wang Can said: "I don't know if I scare him to death. But now, I will definitely go to the city."
As soon as he slapped the horse's back, he jumped up into the air and stood there. Then, step by step, he steadily climbed up to the tower in the sky. When he saw this scene on the tower, everyone's eyes widened.
Liu Biao was stunned.
Kuai Yue opened his mouth wide.
Cai Hao was so frightened that he sat on the ground, his body shaking inexplicably.
Flying!
Wang Can actually flew up.
Liu Biao turned his head, looked at Kuai Liang, and said: "First, first, sir... what should I do with this?"
At this moment, Liu Biao was panicked.
Liu Biao never thought about it. Originally, he thought it was impossible for Wang Can to kill more than a thousand cavalry with one sword. But now that he saw Wang Can flying through the air, he believed it in his heart and was extremely panicked.
Kuai Liang was trembling inside.
In his life, he has met countless people, and even countless knights, and knows that it is impossible to fly over the walls. Under such premise, he cannot imagine that a person can actually fly.
This is too scary.
Kuai Liang swallowed hard and said, "Master, I don't know either. Now, let's see what Wang Can says."
Liu Biao nodded with difficulty. (To be continued)