After Cao Shen became the prime minister of Qi, he summoned local elders with high moral integrity and a group of intellectuals, and humbly asked them for advice: How to pacify and manage the people well? How can we govern the country well? Hundreds of people were summoned back and forth, and they said everything, and they came up with a variety of methods. There were different opinions, which made Cao Shen at a loss, and it was difficult to make a decision for a while.

Cao Shen heard that there was a Gai Gong who lived in Jiaoxi (Jiaozhou, Shandong) who was proficient in Huang Lao's doctrine and had the talent to govern the country. Cao Shen immediately sent someone to respectfully invite Gai Gong with a generous courtesy. After Gai Gong came, he suggested to Cao Shen that the current governance of Qi should adopt a quiet and inactive approach, the so-called 'governing the Tao is noble and quiet and the people are self-determined', in modern terms, it is not tossing, and the wrong hand on the government is replaced by the hand of the market.

Cao Shen experienced the harsh and brutal rule of the Qin Dynasty and had a deep understanding of the people's suffering, and Gai Gong's words were very much in line with his heart. He left Gai Gong as a consultant, and he gave him a very high salary, and even let the main house he lived in ask Gai Gong to live. Cao Shen governed the country of Qi according to the concept of quiet and inaction, the economy was quickly restored and developed, the society was stable, and the life of the common people was getting better and better.

Cao Shen's actions fell into the eyes of Prime Minister Xiao He and was recognized by Xiao He from the bottom of his heart. Xiao He and Cao Shen have been colleagues since they were young, and they had a good relationship when they were small officials in Pei County. After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the meritorious heroes were divided into meritorious officers, and after Liu Bang's decision, Cao Shen ranked second, ranking behind Xiao He, and the two had an unpleasant quarrel.

A group of generals represented by Cao Shen were not convinced, and privately discussed: "Xiao He has always guarded the rear, and he has never been on the battlefield with a real sword or a real gun, so why should he have the greatest credit!" ”

Cao Shen secretly competed with Xiao He. When he saw that Prime Minister Xiao He did his best, formulated rules and regulations, and recuperated with the people, the huge country gradually recovered its vitality and showed a momentum of sustained upward development. Cao Shen secretly admired in his heart. In the nine years that he has been the prime minister of Qi, Cao Shen's set coincides with Xiao He's advocacy of inaction. The two people are thousands of miles apart, but they have opened their hearts to each other and cherish each other.

In July 193 BC, Xiao He finally fell ill due to his advanced age and perennial hard work. When he was critically ill, Emperor Liu Ying personally came to visit and asked who would succeed him.

Liu Ying asked tentatively, "Is Cao Shenxing?" ”

When Xiao He heard this, he was very excited, he struggled to get up, saluted the emperor, and replied: "Your Majesty can get Cao Shen to be the prime minister, even if I Xiao He dies, I have no regrets!" ”

When the news of Xiao He's death reached Qi State, Cao Shen told his secretary: Hurry up and pack up, I will go to Beijing to take over as prime minister. A few days later, sure enough, the envoy came and summoned Cao Shen back to the capital. Cao Shen succeeded Xiao He as prime minister, and all affairs did not change, and he fully complied with the regulations formulated by Xiao He before.

As the saying goes, there are three fires when a new official takes office. Cao Shen also burned three fires. First, select elders who are not good at words and are steady and kind, and appoint them as officials of the Prime Minister's Office; second, to remove those pretentious officials who are bent on seeking fame; The third handful, drink! Cao Shen himself drinks every day, and when someone comes to visit, he invites them to drink.

Everyone gradually got used to the style of the new prime minister. The back garden of the Prime Minister's Mansion is close to the officials' dormitory, and the officials who live in the dormitory drink all day long, some singing, some shouting, and the sound is very noisy. When Cao Shen heard this, not only did he not stop it, but he joined in, held a feast, and drank with his subordinates for fun.

When the matter reached Liu Ying's ears, Liu Ying wondered, "Is it to bully me when I am young and look down on me?" ”

Cao Shen's son Cao Ying worked as a middle doctor next to Liu Ying, and Liu Ying instructed Cao Ying: "Ask your father when you go home, don't say that I asked you to ask." ”

When Cao Ying came home from vacation, he turned Liu Ying's meaning into his own words to persuade his father. Cao Shen was very angry when he heard his son's words, he slapped Cao Jiao's 200 boards and scolded: "Hurry up and go into the palace to serve the emperor, it's not your turn to talk about major events in the world!" ”

When the dynasty was dispersed the next day, Liu Ying left Cao Shen behind and reproached him: "Why did you beat Cao Shen so badly!" I asked him to advise you. ”

Cao Shen took off his hat and apologized, and asked, "Your Majesty thinks that you can compare with the first emperor in terms of Shengming heroics?" ”

Liu Ying was honest and replied: "How dare I compare with the first emperor!" ”

Cao Shen asked again: "Your Majesty looks at me and Xiao He, who is capable?" ”

Liu Ying smiled slightly, shook her head and replied, "You don't seem to be as good as Xiao He." ”

Cao Shen revealed the mystery at this time, and he said: "Your Majesty is very right. Emperor Xian and Xiao He stabilized the world, and the decree has been clear, as long as we follow these systems to do it, isn't it okay? ”

Liu Ying suddenly realized and said, "That's right! Prime Minister, you can have a good rest. ”

This is where the famous idiom 'Xiao Gui Cao Sui' comes from. What Cao Shen followed was not Xiao He's law, what he insisted on was resting with the people and doing nothing. This set of statecraft was suitable for the social situation in the early Han Dynasty, which had just stabilized. After a long period of war, the common people need to be stable and do not want endless changes.

Therefore, Cao Shen could only toss the big and small officials, and guide the officials to use all their excess energy on drinking, so that they would not have nothing to do to harass the people.