When Zhu Xiang was put into the prison van, he was not too depressed. Instead, he felt a sense of relief that "it has come as expected".
The elders have tried their best to save him. According to normal logic, if he had kept a low profile and not sought an official position, he should have been able to escape this disaster and achieve the achievement of "tricking the King of Qin to be included in the Chinese textbook."
But Zhu Xiang was overly pessimistic, he always had a feeling that things would not go so smoothly. If everyone followed normal logic, Zhao Kuo would not have replaced Lian Gong to go to Changping.
But no matter what the future holds, before anything happens, Zhu Xiang must live as happily as possible and cherish every day he spends with people who value him and who also value him.
When Zhao Sheng came, Zhu Xiang felt much better than he had expected.
They were quite polite to me and were willing to wait in my home instead of bringing people to capture me in public.
When he saw them about to kill someone, Zhu Xiang was frightened. When the prisoner van was moving, he kept shouting to the back, "Everyone go back," and "I'm fine."
When he saw Lin Xiangru and Lin Zhi, Zhu Xiang could no longer calm down.
"Mr. Lin, it's cold, please go back." Zhu Xiang was so anxious that he yelled, "Lin Li! What if Mr. Lin catches a cold and gets sick!"
Lin Li smiled bitterly: "My father has given his orders, what can I do as a son?"
Lin Xiangru said, "I'm dressed warmly and have a heater in my arms, so I'm fine. Sit a little closer and don't lean against the railing of the prison car, as it will snow."
Lin Xiangru's voice was very calm, as calm as if his heart was dead.
After Zhao Bao was appointed by King Zhao, he hurried to Lin Xiangru's house and told Lin Xiangru about the matter.
He also told Lin Xiangru the reason why King Zhao did so.
Lin Xiangru was silent for a while, then smiled bitterly and said, "If someone falsely accuses you and me, will the King of Zhao directly order someone to find out the truth, or will he first put us in jail and then investigate?"
Zhao Bao frowned and said nothing.
Lin Xiangru said: "He still looks down on Zhu Xiang. Zhu Xiang has done so many things, why does he still look down on Zhu Xiang? Do you know? Zhu Xiang met the King of Qin in Changping. The reinforcements that helped Bai Qi were brought by the King of Qin himself."
Zhao Bao looked at Lin Xiangru in disbelief.
After another long silence, Zhao Bao murmured, "I see, so the King of Qin went to Changping in person."
Lin Xiangru said, "Zhu Xiang said that although he could see that the King of Qin's kindness was a fake, during the months of Changping, the King of Qin had been very kind to him and treated him like a son or nephew... or perhaps better than a son or nephew. Zhu Xiang even quarreled with him on purpose, just like he did with me and Lian Po, but the King of Qin did not get angry. At most, he would hit him on the head with his own hand to make him shut up."
Zhao Bao's body trembled slightly: "King Qin..."
Lin Xiangru said, "Lord Xinling personally brought the letter from the King of Wei to Handan to invite Zhu Xiang to go to Wei; Lord Chunshen and the King of Chu also planned to send a prince to Handan; Qi, Yan, and Han were all interested. The King of Qin even promised in person that if Zhu Xiang did not return to Handan, he would go directly back to Xianyang with him and immediately make him a lord. But Zhu Xiang still came back. Why do you think he came back?"
Zhao Bao closed his eyes and said painfully, "Because of you. You did him a favor."
Lin Xiangru thought to himself, not only that, he was also afraid that if he went to Qin, the foolish King of Zhao would vent his anger on Xue and Zheng'er.
"Yes. He is a good boy who knows how to repay kindness. If I hadn't restrained him, he would have been treated well by the monarch no matter which country he went to." Lin Xiangru said, "I thought that when the King of Zhao saw so many monarchs fighting for Zhu Xiang, he would realize the importance of Zhu Xiang and be willing to treat him well. But our King of Zhao probably thinks that other monarchs are fools and he is the smartest."
Zhao Bao asked, "Lin Qing, are you disappointed with your Majesty?"
During the Warring States Period, monarchs and scholars were on the same side, and it was common for officials to resign and flee. Only the Qin State was harsh, and it was difficult for officials to escape from the Qin State. Therefore, in the minds of scholars, the Qin State was a well-deserved tyranny.
In Zhao State, if Lin Xiangru was disappointed with King Zhao, he could leave easily.
"Aren't you disappointed?" Lin Xiangru said, "If it weren't for the benefactor holding my hand and telling me to assist him well, I would have been disappointed long ago. But, I feel sorry for the benefactor. I have tried my best, but I can't have the slightest influence on him."
Zhao Bao realized something, his eyes widened: "Zhu Xiang became famous in front of the monarch of another country, was it Lin Qing's scheme?!"
Lin Xiangru admitted, "Yes. You see, as a minister of Zhao, I can get the kings of the six kingdoms to make Zhu Xiang a lord, but it is difficult for the king of Zhao to give Zhu Xiang a real scholar status. Why is it so?"
Zhao Bao didn't know how to answer.
"Okay, the prison cart will probably arrive at Handan city soon, and I should go and see Zhu Xiang off." Lin Xiangru walked into the inner room with his back hunched, and told Lin Zhi to get winter clothes and a heater.
Lin Xiangru regretted it very much. When he had tried to get an official position for Zhu Xiang but failed many times, he should have tried every means to send Zhu Xiang to another country.
He originally thought that Zhu Xiang's status as a commoner would make it difficult for him to be promoted in another country. Zhao State had him and Lian Po to protect him, which was definitely better than being helpless in a foreign country.
Now he really regrets it.
Why was the King of Zhao so stupid? Not only was he stupid, he was also very arrogant and loved to do things that were different from those around him to show how smart he was.
The king of Zhao may think that smart people are always different from others, but he does not know that stupid people are always contrary to the will of the public.
"Lin Qing! With my brother, Lord Pingyuan, and I here, we will never let Zhu Xiang get hurt. I've already taken care of the prison!" Zhao Bao bowed deeply, "Please don't betray your Majesty, Lin Qing!"
Lin Xiangru turned around and said, "Lord Pingyang, it was not me who betrayed the Lord, it was the Lord who betrayed me. He knew that Zhu Xiang was like my youngest son, and when he imprisoned Zhu Xiang to appease others, did he ever think about how to appease me?"
After Lin Xiangru finished speaking, he went back to the inner room to pack his things.
Although Zhao Bao had sent people to take care of the prison, how comfortable could a prison be after it had been taken care of? He had to pack more things, pack more things.
Zhu Xiang was unable to persuade Lin Xiangru, who was accompanying him, so he could only curl up in the prison car, crying silently while holding the stove that Lin Xiangru handed to him.
When he learned that Zhao Kuo would sacrifice hundreds of thousands of Zhao troops, he felt more helplessness and powerlessness than hatred.
This is the era where human life is worthless.
This is a tragic thing that happened in history.
Even though he and Xue were abandoned by Chunhua, and Zheng'er was also abandoned by Chunhua, he just hoped to never see them again, not wanting revenge.
This was the first time he felt such deep hatred and anger towards someone.
Even those who only know a few texts in the Chinese textbook about the Warring States Period know how much Lin Xiangru and Lian Po contributed to the State of Zhao.
Ma Fujun might be comparable to the two elders, but the King of Zhao always used Ma Fujun as an excuse to treat Zhao Kuo well. Then, shouldn't Lord Lin and Lord Lian, who were of the same status as Lord Ma Fu, be worthy of his kindness? !
Zhu Xiang had a hellish joke in his mind. King Zhao, you put me in jail, which is a slap in the face of Lord Lin and Lord Lian!
Pingyuan Jun stopped riding. He also accompanied Lin Xiangru step by step along the prisoner carriage, crying as he walked, as if he was not sending Zhu Xiang to prison, but to burying him.
Zhu Xiang thought, the King of Zhao slapped Lord Pingyuan in the face as well... Oh, I heard Lord Pingyang was also pleading for me, so the King of Zhao's slap covered a wide area.
How could one not be disgusted and angry at such a King of Zhao
When Yu Xin saw this scene, he felt very upset.
He kept asking himself, was he really wrong
He looked at Lin Xiangru's hunched figure, Pingyuan Jun's weeping appearance, and more and more people following the prison car from afar, and his face was filled with sadness.
Seeing this scene, it seemed as if I had become a treacherous villain who persecuted loyal and good people.
Yu Xin dismounted, walked to the prisoner's cart, and said to Zhu Xiang, "If I have wronged you, I will pay with my life."
Zhu Xiang raised his tired face and asked, "What's the point of doing this, other than letting me bear a life?"
Yu Xin frowned: "What do you mean?"
Zhu Xiang said: "Are my thoughts really so confusing to the world? I just treat people's lives as my own. Why can you despise other people's lives so much, and why do you despise your own life so much?"
Yu Xin still frowned and said nothing.
Zhu Xiang looked at Yu Xin and suddenly laughed: "I've heard of you, Yu Qing. You are famous for your loyalty to your friends, and you were even willing to give up your position as a senior minister of the State of Zhao. But, your friend Wei Qi almost beat Fan Ju to death. You hated Fan Ju for forcing Wei Qi to kill him, but shouldn't Fan Ju hate Wei Qi? You only care about your friend's life, not how many innocent lives your friend has killed. In your eyes, people's lives are indeed different, so you can't understand me, you can't understand me, hahaha!"
When Yu Xin heard Zhu Xiang humiliating Wei Qi, he drew his sword in anger.
His sword was blocked by a young man.
Yu Xin glared: "Who are you? He insulted my friend, I will kill him!"
The young man took off his hat to protect himself from the snow, and there were beads of sweat on his face from his fast running.
"Li Mu, the general of Yanmen." Li Mu turned around and blocked the prisoner car with his body. "Zhu Xiang is my friend. If you kill him, I will kill you."
When Li Mu learned that Zhu Xiang had taken the initiative to go to Changping, he kept sending people to write letters to King Zhao, hoping to return to Handan and escort Zhu Xiang to Changping.
King Zhao didn't know the young general Li Mu at all and simply ignored him.
Li Mu again used the excuse of visiting relatives and asked for instructions. After a few months, he finally resigned temporarily and left Yanmen County.
After Zhu Xiang returned to Handan, he encountered a lot of harassment. Li Mu was worried that others would use his dismissal to attack Zhu Xiang, so he lived in Lian Po's house, wanting to visit Zhu Xiang after the storm calmed down.
When Lian Po learned that Zhu Xiang had been captured, Li Mu rushed over on a fast horse and just happened to see Yu Xin drawing his sword.
"Yu Xin! Your friend Wei Qi tried to wrongly kill Fan Ju, and you also want to wrongly kill Zhu Xiang." Lian Po strode over, "You two are really friends. The faces of the treacherous villains are exactly the same!"
Lian Po also drew his sword and shouted angrily: "Come on! Draw your sword! Let's see which one is faster, your sword or mine!"
Lian Po had been on the battlefield for a long time and had an amazing momentum.
Yu Xin could not help but take a few steps back, his hands and feet going limp with fear from Lian Po's angry rebuke.
"Yu Xin, although I protected Wei Qi, I also told the King of Qin that it was indeed wrong for Wei Qi to almost kill Fan Ju unjustly. I only protected him because he was my friend. Wei Qi himself regretted it." Pingyuan Jun Zhao Sheng stepped forward and said, "It is precisely because we are Wei Qi's friends that we should use Wei Qi as a mirror to correct our own behavior. That's all I have to say."
Pingyuan Jun Zhao Sheng waved his sleeves, had the prisoner's car opened, took off his outer robe, put it on Zhu Xiang, and helped Zhu Xiang into the prison. Yu Xin stood in the snow in disbelief.
This is the end of words, and this is the end of friendship.
Did Pingyuan Jun break up with him because of Zhu Xiang
The prison van stopped and the people gathered around quietly.
In the Warring States Period, the elderly were respected, and they did not have to kneel when meeting the king. Judging from the clothes this old man was also a scholar. So he came to ask questions on behalf of the people behind him.
Yu Xin looked at the old man, and for some reason, he was speechless.
"Yes, it was Duke Zhu Xiang." A guard shouted, "Duke Zhu Xiang was wrongly accused. But even if Duke Zhu Xiang really killed Zhao Kuo, shouldn't Zhao Kuo have been killed?"
The official did not speak, but the guard did, which was against the law. Moreover, he was satirizing the nobles and saying that Zhao Kuo should be killed.
So the guard drew his sword after he finished speaking: "My father and brother were both rescued by Duke Zhu Xiang. I was the only one stationed in Handan and did not go to Changping. I escorted Duke Zhu Xiang's prisoner cart and I have no face to see my father and brother again."
After saying this, the guard placed the sword across his neck.
There are many generous and tragic people in Yan and Zhao.
This "士" is not a scholar, but a righteous man.
An unknown guard, who had been silently escorting the prison car, suddenly told everyone loudly that the person in the prison car was the wrongly accused Duke Zhu Xiang, and then he suddenly drew his sword and committed suicide.
It all happened so fast that it seemed like an unreal dream.
Blood flowed, but it was not the guard's blood.
A Zhao man suddenly rushed out and said, "Didn't you hear what Duke Zhu Xiang said just now? Duke Zhu Xiang regards our lives as his own, that's why he went to learn farming and went to Changping. He was unwilling to kill even those who wronged him. If you die here, Duke Zhu Xiang will be sad."
After blocking the guard's sword, he clenched his bloody hands and cupped his fists to Yu Xin: "I am Bofu of Zhao. I killed Zhao Kuo. Everyone who has returned from Zhao can prove it. Please bring my head to report to the King of Zhao."
"Bofu, didn't you stay in Changping?" A Zhao person squeezed into the crowd, "Why did you come back?"
"I came back quietly after hearing rumors in Handan that Duke Xiang had killed Zhao Kuo." Bofu smiled when he saw his former comrade. "I killed Zhao Kuo. He fed the horses with fodder, and we had to eat the meat of our comrades who died on the battlefield to avoid starvation. We finally found the potatoes left by Duke Lian, and were able to fill our stomachs, but he wanted to destroy them. He also said that he would kill Duke Xiang, who taught us how to grow potatoes, when he returned to Handan."
My uncle sneered and said, "I don't know what that lunatic Zhao Kuo was thinking. I only know that he deserves to die!"
Zhao Bing clenched his teeth and let out a hissing sound from his throat, as if he had encountered something extremely terrifying.
His body was shaking more and more violently, and his fists were clenched tighter and tighter.
"Yes, Zhao Kuo, damn it!" He squeezed out these words from between his teeth, then waved his fist vigorously, his face flushed, "Zhao Kuo damn it! Zhao Kuo damn it! I was also responsible, I killed Zhao Kuo too!"
He actually did not participate in the killing of Zhao Kuo, but he walked in front of Bofu, patted his chest fiercely and said: "Take my head to see the King of Zhao, I killed Zhao Kuo! He deserves to die!"
"I also had a part in it." Another Zhao soldier came out, "I also killed Zhao Kuo!"
The King of Zhao summoned all the men from all over Zhao to go to Changping. There were not many Zhao soldiers from Changping living in Handan, because most of them had to guard Handan. The Zhao soldiers from Changping who had returned to Handan City had all arrived in such a short time, just when Zhu Xiang was imprisoned.
"I killed Zhao Kuo, so what?! We had food and horse meat, but he forced us to eat dirt and human flesh! Doesn't he deserve to die?"
"Your Majesty is incompetent and unjust, persecuting Duke Zhu Xiang, who saved 150,000 Zhao people, and treating Zhao Kuo, who buried 400,000 Zhao people, with kindness!"
"Take my head and release Duke Zhu Xiang!"
"You evil villain! You persecuted Duke Xiang of Zhu. Your ancestors will be disgraced! Your descendants will be despised by others!"
"Ugh!" The old man who asked the question suddenly spat at Yu Xin's face, then leaned on his crutch and sat down on the snow.
He cursed loudly: "Come on, use your sword to kill Er Weng! Er Weng's blood will attract wolves to devour the organs and souls of the evil villain!"
"Duke Zhu Xiang is wronged!"
"Release Duke Zhu Xiang!"
"Release it!"
The emotions of the onlookers were aroused. They clenched their fists, protected the Changping Zhao soldiers who were about to die behind them, and shouted angrily at Yu Xin.
The voice reached the prison and Zhu Xiang looked back in confusion.
Zhao Sheng also stopped. He vaguely heard someone shouting "Zhao Kuo deserves to die" and "Duke Zhu Xiang is innocent."
"Oh, does our king want to become the King of Zhao after King Li of Zhou?" Lian Po folded his arms and sneered, "The King of Zhao wants to send people to suppress the angry people? But the soldiers he can send are all his own people. Does he want the guards to kill their own relatives and friends?"
Zhao Sheng's body was shaky, and he said sadly: "I knew it would be like this."
Zhu Xiang took a deep breath and turned around.
"Zhu Xiang, they deserve it, why do you care what they do!" Lin Xiangru shouted angrily.
Zhu Xiang said, "It is the foolish King Zhao who deserves it, not these people who are seeking justice for me. If I don't persuade them to leave, do they really want the King Zhao to order their relatives and friends to kill them?"
After saying that, he walked out of the prison.
None of the guards following him tried to stop him.
"Father, Zhu Xiang is just that kind of person. Don't be angry." Lin Zhi patted Lin Xiangru's back to calm him down as he was stamping his feet in anger.
He knew that his father must be thinking that if there was a bloody conflict at the door, King Zhao would definitely release Zhu Xiang immediately.
But how could Zhu Xiang tolerate the people he rescued dying for him? If Zhu Xiang was such a person, the people outside the door would not have gathered together to die for him.
Zhao Sheng did not go out. He sat down on the ground and cried without caring about his image.
"Is the State of Zhao going to perish? Is the State of Zhao going to perish!" Zhao Sheng cried and cursed, "Zhao Dan! Do you want the State of Zhao to perish?"
Lian Po patted Li Mu on the shoulder and said, "Let's go out too. Don't let Zhu Xiang get hurt."
Li Mu clenched the sword in his hand, his eyes filled with pain.
His family has been generals in Yanmen County for generations, guarding the Great Wall to resist barbarians, and his feelings for Zhao State are unquestionable.
But faced with such a King of Zhao, can these "swords" really defend the State of Zhao
"Let's go, one step at a time." Lian Po walked out with firm steps.
Li Mu followed with his head down.
Zhu Xiang walked out of the prison gate and said to the people who quieted down when they saw him: "If you die for me, it means I killed you. I killed you! I only want to save people, not kill people. Please go back! Don't tarnish my pursuit!"
"Duke Zhu Xiang!" Bo Fu squeezed over and knelt down. "I was the one who killed Zhao Kuo. I cannot let Duke Zhu Xiang be wronged for me!"
Zhu Xiang's hands were tied in front of him, so he couldn't help Bofu up. He could only sit in the snow opposite Bofu and said, "No, Zhao Kuo died in battle. If Ma Fuzi didn't die in the charge against the Qin army, but died in the mutiny of abusing soldiers, and died in my hands while trying to save the surrendered soldiers of Zhao, it would be such an insult to Ma Fujun's reputation."
"Yes." An old woman, supported by a servant, finally squeezed over. "If my son Zhao Kuo died on the battlefield, he died at the hands of the Qin people; if he did not die at the hands of the Qin people, he died at his own hands. No one should be held responsible for his death except the Qin people and himself. This old woman is Zhao Kuo's biological mother. I apologize to Duke Zhu Xiang on behalf of my unfilial son."
Zhu Xiang shook his head: "You have done your duty of persuasion. Even if you are biological parents, you should not bear the faults of your children and grandchildren infinitely."
Zhu Xiang stood up and said, "I'm going in. You all can go back. The King of Zhao will clear my name and I will be safe. Please believe me. Bofu, you must not commit suicide for me."
It was indeed Bofu who chopped off Zhao Kuo's head, but now the Zhao soldiers in Changping are all rushing to admit that they were the ones who killed Zhao Kuo, and the King of Zhao should not arrest Bofu to take the blame.
If the King of Zhao wanted to arrest someone to take the blame, he would have found a death row prisoner to impersonate the Zhao soldier who killed Zhao Kuo; if the King of Zhao wanted to calm the matter, he would have issued a strong order and Zhao Kuo would have been killed by the Qin soldiers on the battlefield, a worthy death, at least he did not tarnish the honor of his father, Lord Ma Fu, at the last moment of his life.
Others could use Ma Fujun's reputation to force King Zhao to punish those who killed Zhao Kuo, and King Zhao could also use Ma Fujun's reputation to make these people shut up.
But King Zhao did not do so.
Zhu Xiang kept bowing to thank the crowd, then walked back to the prison.
Lian Po said, "Go back. Your Duke Zhu Xiang values your lives so much that he will be very sad if any of you dies. So if you love him, don't make him sad."
Lian Po bowed to the crowd, and then he and Li Mu escorted Zhu Xiang back to prison.
The crowd stood in front of the prison for a long time. They stopped making any noise, but they didn't leave either.
The snow covered their heads and shoulders, and from a distance they looked like motionless statues.
Yu Xin wiped the spit off his face. He glanced at the prison door, but instead of going in, he turned around and went to the palace.
He needed to inform King Zhao of this. Things were out of their control, and with Zhu Xiang's reputation, whether he let him go or killed him would affect the morale of the Zhao people.
Yu Xin was very confused. He prided himself on being as talented and intelligent as Lin Xiangru, but now he really didn't know what to do.
When heavy snow covered the entire city of Handan, the people outside the prison finally dispersed, and King Zhao had already learned about this matter.
The King of Zhao was panicking: "What should we do? What should we do? Why are so many people gathering for Zhu Xiang? Could it be that Zhu Xiang is really a spy for the Qin people, and the Qin people sent them?"
Yu Xin, who had always believed that Zhu Xiang should not be reused, was stunned when he heard what King Zhao said.
He raised his head and looked at King Zhao's expression.
In addition to panic, King Zhao's expression also showed anger and disgust.
Seeing King Zhao's expression, Yu Xin finally understood one thing.
The King of Zhao supported him, not because he believed his words. On the contrary, perhaps the King of Zhao knew that Zhu Xiang had made great contributions and had a high reputation in Zhao.
(End of this chapter)