Chapter 4 The Broken Tools

More than 100 years have passed from the entry of Wuhu into China at the end of the Western Jin Dynasty to the reign of Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

For more than 100 years, the various ethnic groups in the north have been in turmoil of mutual conquest and vendetta killing. At the same time, in the course of mutual conquest, the various ethnic groups in the north also realized that it was impossible for anyone to exterminate the extinct ethnic groups, and that if they wanted to maintain the country they had conquered, they must pay attention to absorbing the advanced elements of the foreign races and use them for our own use.

A country without cultural support, no matter how strong it is, it is only a flash in the pan.

Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty gradually realized this in the practice of his administration. He knew very well that governing the Northern Wei Dynasty required not only martial arts, but also culture and education, that is, to promote rituals, music, and laws to transform the people, so as to maintain social stability and promote social production.

In order to promote the reform of sinicization, in 429, Tuoba Tao reorganized the government agencies, officially restored the central administrative system of the Wei and Jin dynasties, and set up official positions such as left and right servants and scholars.

Servant shot (pu ye), servant is the meaning of the supervisor, the ancient heavy military, the main shooter is in charge, so the chief of the officials is called the servant shot. After the Wei and Jin dynasties, the servant shot was equivalent to the status of the deputy minister, second only to Shang Shuling or Lu Shang Shushi (Premier of the State Council). But in reality, the servant shooter is basically equivalent to the prime minister. Why?

Because the status of Shangshu Ling or Lu Shang Shu Shi is too heavy, the emperor does not like the power of ministers to be too centralized, so the position of Shang Shu Ling or Lu Shang Shu Shi is generally vacant, and the servant presides over the work as a deputy, which is the actual prime minister. Servant shooting and Shangshu are typical Han official positions.

In 431, after Tuoba Tao won a series of military victories in the north, such as defeating Rouran, lowering the high chariot, and destroying Hu Xia, he put forward the strategy of "Yanwu Xiuwen". How do I revise my text?

Tuoba Tao chose Han Confucianism, which had lost its charm in the north for a long time.

Tuoba Tao respected Confucius, advocated Confucianism, and used Confucianism to rule the people's thoughts

Absorb the intellectuals of the Han nationality landlord class to participate in politics, and use the knowledge and experience of the Han intellectuals to govern the country and secure the country. These intellectuals mainly include: Fan Yang, Lu Xuan, Bohai Gao Yun, Zhaojun Li Ling, etc. Among them, there is a Han intellectual who is most respected by Tuoba Tao, until he is promoted to Situ and ranks as the third duke.

Cui Hao.

Since the formation of the gate valve system of the Wei and Jin Shi clans, there have been many wealthy families in the Han nationality. During the two Jin Dynasty, in addition to the four high gates of Wang, Yu, Huan and Xie, there were also Lu and Zhu in Yangzhou. By the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the three families of Qinghe Cui, Fanyang Lu, and Xingyang Zheng were born.

After the rebellion of the Eight Kings of the Western Jin Dynasty, the smoke of Wuhu entering China swept across the land of northern China, and at this time, the major scholars in the north were divided into two factions in order to survive.

One faction chose to cross south and follow Sima Rui to the south to establish the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The representative families are: Langyu Wang's family, Chenjun Xie family, Yingchuan Yu family, etc.

The other faction is more home-loving, believing that it is possible to survive and continue to be rich by staying in the north. The representative families are: Qinghe Cui family, Fan Yang Lu family, Xingyang Zheng family.

Cui Hao, that is, the representative of the Cui clan of Qinghe, a native of Wucheng, Qinghe County (now Qinghe County, Hebei), the seventh ancestor Cui Lin, the official of Cao Wei worshiped Sikong, and was named the Marquis of Anyang Pavilion.

In the generation of Cui Hao's great-grandfather Cui Yue, the Cui family began to serve the northern aliens. Cui Yue is the long history of Situ Right of Later Zhao Shihu. Cui Hao's grandfather, Cui Qian, is the waiter of the Houyan Huangmen. Cui Hao's father, Cui Hong, known as the prodigy of Jizhou, the Northern Wei Dynasty, the official to the Ministry of Shangshu, and the title of White Horse Gong.

Cui Hao's paternal cow is not bad at all, and his mother is from the Fanyang Lu family. Cui Hao can be said to have gathered the essence of the two major scholars in the north, and he can be described as a genius.

When he was a teenager, Cui Hao read the subset of classics and history, and he was also quite accomplished in astronomy, yin and yang, and the works of the hundred schools of thought. has a good family background, and is still so diligent, but still makes ordinary people live?

Family background can't be compared, IQ can't be compared, compared to appearance? I'm sorry, Cui Hao's appearance is also first-class, with a handsome face and outstanding posture.

Such a person can only be described as incurable. Cui Hao is also quite conceited - compared to Zhang Liang.

At the age of 20, Cui Hao served as the Tongzhilang and Writer Lang of Emperor Daowu of Wei Daowu, often accompanied Emperor Daowu, and became the emperor's personal secretary.

Tuoba Jue was wise in the early stage, tyrannical in his later years, and the people around him were often beaten and killed, but Cui Hao, who was in his early 20s, had never been punished. After Tuoba Jue was slaughtered by his son Tuoba Shao, in 409, Emperor Tuoba of the Ming Yuan Dynasty ascended the throne. The secretary of the previous leader, is it still used by the successor?

use, not only use, but also more reuse. Because, Cui Hao's other skill is greatly appreciated by Tuoba Hei.

One day, a rabbit appeared in the harem, and Tuoba asked Cui Hao what the omen was. Cui Hao, who is familiar with the Book of Changes, pinched his fingers and calculated: The country next door is going to send a beautiful woman to His Majesty.

Not long after, Emperor Yao Xing of Later Qin sent a few beauties to Tuoba Hei.

Tuoba was completely subdued. Business ability determines status, Tuoba heir worships Cui Hao for the doctor to sacrifice wine, and gives the lord Wuchengzi, Cui Hao can often teach Tuoba heir scriptures, understand yin and yang.

Cui Hao only understands secretarial work?

Liu Yu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty represented the Later Qin Dynasty and borrowed the road from the Northern Wei Dynasty, which almost everyone opposed. Cui Hao supports alone: Now we have a threat from Rouran in the north, if we go south to defend Liu Yu, Rouran in the north will take advantage of the situation. It's better to let Liu Yu in and block his back road, so that Hou Qin can be weakened and Liu Yu can be hit.

Tuoba Si adopted the opinion of the minority obeying the majority, refused to take advantage of the road, and sent a large army to the Yellow River to spy on Liu Yu. As a result, Liu Yu's "Moon Array" showed its might and beat the Northern Wei cavalry to the head.

After Liu Yu's death, Tuoba Hei felt that the opportunity had come, and planned to take advantage of the situation to go south and seize Luoyang, Tiger Prison, Huatai and other important towns. Cui Hao's opinion? Resolutely opposed.

Tuoba heir: Yao Xing died that year, and Liu Yu took the opportunity to go north to destroy Later Qin. Now that Liu Yu is dead, isn't it just right to take the opportunity to destroy the Southern Song Dynasty?

Cui Hao: Yao Xing died, the two sons fought for power and profit, and there was civil strife that made Liu Yu take advantage of the loophole. Now that Liu Yu is dead, has the change of throne caused civil strife?

With the tone of rhetorical question, Tuoba thought twice. Tuoba still insisted on the southern expedition. Cui Hao retreated and begged for the second: since he had to march south, he would first kill all the way to the Huai River, take down the territory north of the Huai River first, stabilize it, and then slowly seize the cities of Slip Terrace and Tiger Prison, Liu Song naturally could not rescue.

Tuoba stubbornly hit the slippery table, but was frustrated and suffered heavy losses.

Only then did he realize that the truth is sometimes in the hands of a few. Cui Hao is this key minority.

Tuoba had just realized this truth, but he died. Cui Hao has won the trust of the two emperors of the Northern Wei Dynasty in a row, and what will Cui Hao do under the next new emperor?

Next, Cui Hao reached the peak of his life under the third emperor he accompanied.

The new emperor is called Tuoba Tao, Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Cui Hao served in the three dynasties of the Northern Wei Dynasty, was resourceful and decisive, helped the Northern Wei Dynasty to destroy the Helian clan in Guanzhong, drove Mobei Rouran in the north, and made many meritorious deeds, which played an important role in the unification of northern China by the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Tuoba Tao once pointed at Cui Hao and showed off to the newly surrendered Gaoche chiefs: Don't look at this person as a weak scholar, but he is far better than tens of thousands of armor soldiers.

Tuoba Tao also convened all the ministers to admonish: In the future, everything that is a major military plan that you cannot decide should first consult Cui Hao's opinion before it can be implemented.

Tuoba Tao sometimes went to Cui Hao's house to discuss matters with him, and ate home-cooked food at Cui's house during dinner, and the relationship between the monarch and the minister was extremely harmonious.

Cui Hao has a high emotional intelligence, and as a Han servant of the Xianbei Northern Wei Dynasty, he pays great attention to maintaining the dominant position of the Xianbei people.

Once, a man named Feng Hanjiang died, and his family asked Cui Hao to write an epitaph. As soon as Cui Hao heard the name of the deceased, he immediately became alert.

"Xinjiang" is the ancient writing of "strong", and "Han Xinjiang" is connected together, which becomes the meaning of "Han people are strong", which is naturally easy to cause the taboo of the Xianbei nobles, the ruler of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

When the epitaph was completed, it was discovered that the name of the deceased had changed to "Feng Daijiang". Cui Hao changed the character "Han" to the character "Dai". This change is amazing.

The word "generation" is a pun, that is, "Han" and "Xinjiang" cannot be written together, and other words should be found instead, and the original name of the Northern Wei Dynasty "Dai" is cleverly pointed out, which has become the meaning of "the country is strong and prosperous".

Xianbei people read the epitaph written by Cui Hao, and they all praised it again and again.

In the eyes of the supreme ruler, no matter how popular a person is, he is just a tool, and there will always be a time when he is scrapped, and Cui Hao finally died tragically in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Who is the murderer?

It was Emperor Taiwu of Wei who put him to death.

Cui Hao was deeply favored by Tuoba Tao, and he recommended a large number of Han intellectuals to enter the center of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and the Sinicization reform touched the interests of many Xianbei nobles, and was gradually accepted by many Xianbei nobles

Grudges.

Han officials have a long history of fighting with Xianbei nobles. Just before Tuoba Tao conquered Helian Xia, the high-level leaders of the Northern Wei Dynasty fought fiercely whether they conquered Xia first or Rouran first.

Cui Hao advocated the first conquest of the Xia Kingdom, while the Xianbei nobles advocated the first conquest of Rouran. In fact, both of these propositions have their own truths, just like whether it is better to play at home or away in the knockout round of football, there is no conclusion.

Cui Hao's proposition is out of public intentions, while the proposition of the Xianbei aristocracy is more out of selfishness.

The Xianbei nobles took a fancy to the cattle and sheep on the pastures of the Qianli grassland in Mobei. They tasted the sweetness from the two conquests, and wanted to grab the third time. This was very important to the officials of the Northern Wei Dynasty, who did not pay salaries from the central government and relied on robbery and rewards.

There is also a third proposition - to conquer Liaodong Yanguo first, of course, this is a minority, and only two people support it, one is Shangshu Ling Liu Jie, and the other is Shangshu's left servant to shoot An Yuan.

Liu Jie is a Xiongnu, and An Yuan is a native of the Western Regions (Islamic race, Caucasia), but both have the same experience from their ancestors, and both served as officials in Murong Yanguo. Returning to their hometown and returning to their hometown, this may be the motive for the two of them to advocate cutting Yan.

As a result of the controversy, Tuoba Tao adopted Cui Hao's proposition, because Cui Hao once again used his expertise to persuade Tuoba Tao.

Fortune telling. Cui Hao showed his fortune-telling skills in front of Tuoba Tao and the ministers, and then came to the conclusion: If you go on an expedition, you will destroy Great Xia.

When you see a rabbit, you can count that there is a beautiful woman to pay tribute, and Cui Hao's divination ability Tuoba Tao has long heard of it. This hexagram gave him full confidence, and then there was a surprise attack on Tongwancheng, destroying the Helian Daxia Kingdom entrenched in the pass, and the Huns never established a regime in China again.

However, there was a high-ranking Xiongnu official in the Northern Wei Dynasty who made efforts for this. This incident occurred during the battle of Tuoba Tao against Rouran.

The conquest of Rouran is also the result of Cui Hao's battle group Xianbei: there is civil strife in Liu Song in the south today, and his vitality is greatly damaged, and now he will not take the opportunity to clean up Rouran in the north, and when Liu Song eases up, we will suffer from the enemy.

In 443, Tuoba Tao decided to divide his troops into three routes to attack Rouran. The Eastern Route Army was led by Tuoba Tao's younger brother Le'an Wang Tuoba Fan, the Western Route Army was led by Tuoba Tao's other younger brother Tuoba Pi, and the Middle Route Army was led by Tuoba Tao himself. Tuoba Chen, the king of Zhongshan, led the rear army as the general reserve.

The Tuoba Tao Middle Route Army traveled day and night, and accurately found Luhun Valley, the location of the royal court of Rouran Khan. But after waiting for 6 days, the shadows of the left and right armies did not wait. Tuoba Tao went deep alone, and did not dare to attack rashly, and the Rouran people fled.

What was even more unexpected was that the Rouran people actually took the initiative to attack the grain route of the Northern Wei Expeditionary Army. Tuoba Tao had to retreat from Mobei, passing through the desert, the army ran out of food, and Rouran continued to send light cavalry to harass, and Tuoba Tao lost countless soldiers.

Many strange things made Tuoba Tao suspicious. Cui Hao also felt strange and sent someone to investigate secretly, but he didn't expect to find out a shocking conspiracy.

The mastermind behind all this is Shangshu Ling Liu Jie, a Huns. When Tuoba Tao was still the crown prince, Liu Jie followed Tuoba Tao, and after Tuoba Tao succeeded to the throne, he was named Shangshu Ling.

"Wei Shangshu ordered Liu Jie, a long-time classic, pampered and self-authorized, and the Wei lord was evil ("Zizhi Tongjian" volume 124)", Liu Jie is not low-key, and forms a party for personal gain, coupled with the complete defeat in several strategic PK with Cui Hao, Taiwu Emperor Tuoba Tao gradually regarded Cui Hao as a treasure and Liu Jie as a scumbag.

Liu Jie was annoyed and angry, and took advantage of Tuoba Tao's attack on Rouran, first falsely sent an edict to change the date of the attack on Luhun Valley, and then instigated people to defect to Rouran, telling the enemy the location of the Wei army's military rations, and also intended to send people to attack and kill Tuoba Tao on the way to Tuoba Tao's retreat.

Liu Jie was not fighting alone, and his allies included Tuoba Tao's own brother Tuoba Pi, Tuoba Fan, and a large number of Xianbei nobles, who tried to murder Tuoba Tao and support Tuoba Pi.

Of course, there is also a theory that Liu Jie's ambitions were more than that, and he wanted to establish another Liu Xiongnu Khanate.

Tuoba Tao and Cui Hao took decisive measures and issued an edict halfway - the crown prince Tuoba Huang supervised the country and relieved a large number of Xianbei nobles from military power.

After returning to Pingcheng, Tuoba Tao went on a killing spree, and the heads of a large number of Xianbei nobles fell to the ground. Tuoba Pi was "worried", Tuoba Fan was "sick due to a violent disease", and his death was unknown.

With the assistance of Cui Hao, Tuoba wiped out Great Xia, attacked Rouran, cleaned up the interior, and looked around the north, leaving Beiliang in the northwest corner. Attacking Beiliang, it is said that no one is against it now, right?

As a result, the opposition is still very strong, and the representative figure Anxi General Li Shun: I have sent envoys to Beiliang many times, and the place is extremely desolate, there is little water, we are mainly cavalry, what do war horses drink?

Cui Hao shook a book: "The Book of Han" records that the northern cool water and grass are abundant, the products are abundant, and the thirsty horses do not die, nor do they starve to death.

With a theoretical basis, Tuoba Tao attacked Beiliang and once again verified Cui Hao's correctness.

The wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it. Every time you are right and most people are wrong, then you will inevitably be pinched by most people with a magnifying glass to find fault.

1. Destroy the Buddha and invite resentment.

Cui Hao is a Han and a Confucian student, and he has always had a dream in his heart, which is to vigorously promote Confucian ideology and build the Northern Wei Dynasty he worked for into a powerful Sinicized empire.

After the first round of attacks by the Xianbei aristocracy against the Sinicization reform failed, Cui Hao felt that his ambition could be realized.

The Xianbei conservative forces are still very strong, and they will not be willing to let a Xianbei empire be at the mercy of the Han Chinese, but Tuobatao's butcher's knife makes them realize that their battlefield should not be in the realm of rebellion and usurpation, but should be shifted, to the realm of ideology. They also found the most powerful weapon to fight back in the end.

Buddhism.

Buddhism is a foreign culture, but it has shown amazing vitality in China and all over the world. This happened to be used by the Hu people as a counterattack weapon against the native Confucianism of the Central Plains.

The rise of Buddhism in the Northern Wei Dynasty naturally affected the status of indigenous Confucian ideology in Northern China. Cui Hao didn't see this, but Confucianism is more of a statecraft than a religion, and in order to counteract the influence of Buddhism, Cui Hao is ready to use China's native religion to fight back, which is naturally Taoism.

Cui Hao recommended a Taoist priest to Tuoba Tao, this person is called Kou Qianzhi, who has been cultivating in Songshan for seven years.

In 415, Kou Qianzhi claimed that Taishang Laojun personally came to Songshan to grant him the position of Heavenly Master, and gave him 20 volumes of "Yunzhong Yin Recitation of the Ring of Xinke", becoming the founder of the Northern Heavenly Master's Dao. In 423, he also called Li Puwen, the great-grandson of Lao Tzu, to come to Songshan, personally taught more than 60 volumes of the "Lutu Zhenjing", gave him the secret methods of impeaching and summoning ghosts and gods and Jindan, and asked him to assist the "Taiping Zhenjun" in the north. This Taiping Zhenjun in the north naturally alludes to Tuoba Tao.

In 424, Kou Qian's relatives went to Pingcheng to offer Taoist books to Tuoba Tao.

Respected by the "heavens" as the true monarch of peace, Tuoba Tao is naturally very useful. Later, Tuoba Tao listened to Kou Qianzhi's advice, changed his name to Taiping Zhenjun, and named Kou Qianzhi as a national teacher.

A Xianbei man was actually persuaded to become a Taoist emperor, and Cui Hao's influence in the Northern Wei Empire can be seen.

Cui Hao's head is a little hot, and he wants to strike while the iron is hot and completely eradicate Buddhism.

Tuoba Tao was quite calm at the beginning, Buddhism was tenacious, the believers were very large, and it was basically impossible to completely eradicate Buddhism, and if Buddhism was completely banned, it would increase the factors of social instability.

But one incident finally made Tuoba Tao decide to completely ban Buddhism.

In 445, the Lushuihu people gathered a crowd in Xingcheng (southwest of present-day Huangling, Shaanxi) to oppose Wei and proclaim vassal to the Liu Song dynasty in the south. Tuoba Tao personally led his troops to suppress it, and when he arrived in Chang'an, he found weapons in a monastery, and then suspected that Shamen and Gai Wu were colluding, and he was furious.

Cui Hao took the opportunity to make a statement, saying that the monastery occupied the land and attached the population, prompting Tuoba Tao to further implement the cruel policy of abolishing Buddhism, and ordered the Shamen of Chang'an to be killed and all the scriptures in the world to be burned. This is how the famous "Three Martial Powers to Destroy the Buddha" in Chinese history began.

In China's feudal history, there were three major events of exterminating Buddha, namely Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty.

Compared with the later generations of Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty who destroyed the Buddha and did not slaughter the monks, the action of destroying the Buddha instigated by Cui Hao was indeed a bit excessive, and even the national teacher Kou Qianzhi, who was highly recommended by Cui Hao, couldn't stand it, he had killed too many monks and begged Cui Hao to stop the destruction of the Buddha. Cui Hao not only did not listen, but strongly advised Tuoba Tao to intensify the crackdown on Buddhism.

For a time, there were many complaints between the government and the opposition, which also aroused strong dissatisfaction from an important person.

Prince Tuoba Huang. At that time, Tuoba Huang was in charge of the country, and he had always believed in Buddhism, and repeatedly went to the table to advise Tuoba Tao, and the edict of abolishing the Buddha was delayed. Shamen, near and far, took the opportunity to escape after hearing the news, and many Buddha statues and scriptures were also hidden. However, the temples and temples established by the Hu kings such as Shi Hu, Fu Jian, and Yao Xing in North China were not spared.

The complete destruction of a religion is an extremely sensitive event in any country in the world, and if it is forcefully implemented, it is often the beginning of disaster, which was finally verified by Cui Hao.

2. Distinguish the surname and the family is taboo

Although Cui Hao serves the Xianbei people, after all, he was born in a Han family, and he always has a different feeling for the Han scholar gate valve system.

In 431, Cui Hao, who was in charge of the Northern Wei Dynasty, engaged in meaningless social activities. The theme of the event is "Distinguishing the Clan", that is, sorting, separating and defining the superiority of the clan.

In the Xianbei country, it is very dangerous to engage in this kind of thing. Because, the history of Xianbei civilization is too short. Lu Xuan, a cousin who is also a scholar with a big surname, sensed this danger and dissuaded Cui Hao from doing something rash, but Cui Hao was stubborn.

Once, a man named Wang Huilong (who claimed to be the grandson of Wang Yu) surrendered from Jiangnan to the north. Cui Hao's brother Cui Tian wanted to marry his daughter to Wang Huilong because he was envious of the nobility of the Wang family. But some people say that Wang Huilong is not like a real disciple of the royal family, so Cui Tian asked a folklore master and his brother Cui Hao to distinguish it.

As soon as Cui Hao saw Wang Huilong, he immediately clapped his hands happily: a real son of the royal family, an authentic noble species.

It turned out that the Taiyuan clan Wang clan (not Langyu Wang's clan, but also a high gate) has been inherited from generation to generation

Nose (sake lees nose) is known as the "King of Lees" in Koto.

Cui Hao himself called Wang Huilong a noble breed at home, which is understandable, but it may be that he has been a favored minister for a long time, and his vigilance against ethnic estrangement has been relaxed, and Cui Hao also praised Wang Huilong in front of the Xianbei ministers in the court, showing off that he had recruited a noble son-in-law.

Xianbei people were originally dissatisfied with Cui Hao's favor, and complained to Tuoba Tao one after another, saying that Wang Huilong had surrendered from the south, and Cui Hao admired him, which meant "despising the country".

Tuoba Tao felt that Cui Hao was also a little excessive, and reprimanded him. Cui Hao hurriedly kowtowed and asked for self-blame, and Tuoba Tao gave up, but the seeds of suspicion against Cui Hao had been planted.

3. The pet resists and is hated

When the crown prince Tuoba Huang was in charge of the country, Prime Minister Cui Hao was in power, because he was favored by the emperors of the three dynasties of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Cui Hao was a little floating, and he always treated the prince with the mentality of an elder.

Cui Hao once recommended dozens of people from Ji, Ding, Xiang, You, and the five states, all of whom started as county guards. Tuoba Huang disagreed: those who were recruited first were also chosen by Yizhou County; has been in office for a long time, and the diligence has not answered, it is advisable to make up for the county first, and replace the new recruits as the officials. and obey orders to govern the people, and it is appropriate to do more things. ”

But Cui Hao was still stubborn, and finally sent the people he recommended to take up the post. forgot his identity as a wage earner and competed with the crown prince, and the result can be imagined.

4. The National Letters Incident was exterminated

In December 439, Tuoba Tao prepared to revise the "Book of the State", and the members of the compilation committee were: Cui Hao, the editor-in-chief, Gao Yun, the deputy editor-in-chief, Zhongshu Shilang, and Gao Yun, a native of Bohai, and Zhang Wei, the editor, a Sanqi Shilang, and Zhang Wei, a native of Taiyuan, all Han intellectuals.

Since it is a revision of history, it is natural to write it according to the actual record, Tuoba Tao asked for this, and Cui Hao and they did the same. They collected the materials of the previous generations of the Wei State and compiled a national history of the Wei State.

After the revision of the "Book of the State", someone suggested that the "Book of the State" and the "Five Classics" annotated by Cui Hao should be engraved on the stone and a stele forest should be built for passers-by to see.

The princes of the prison country agreed, and Cui Hao was relieved to prepare for the stele forest. There is no record in the history books for what purpose Tuoba Huang expressed his appreciation, but behind this appreciation, there must be a cold and piercing murderous intention.

Tuoba Xianbei people, originated from nomadic people, the history is naturally not culturally splendid, some early history, even ugly and barbaric. As a historical work, the "Book of the Nation" naturally requires a straight book, fully describing the history of the Xianbei Tuoba clan, and preparing it in detail without shying away.

Tuoba Tao's purpose in compiling the history of the country was originally only for the descendants of the royal family to see. Now Cui Hao is three miles east of the Temple of Heaven, creating a stele forest of "National Book" and "Five Classics Commentary", and the project is quite huge. The stone monument is erected next to the thoroughfare, and can be seen by pedestrians.

Not everyone has the broad-mindedness of the Hulunbuir prairie. The Xianbei nobles, who were already dissatisfied with the Han officials filling the center of the Northern Wei Dynasty, were excited when they saw some of their ancestors' disgraceful personal information being disclosed, and went to Tuoba Tao to complain, accusing Cui Hao of intentionally promoting national evil.

This directly took Cui Hao's life.

The official history believes that the reason why Tuoba Tao killed his first auxiliary minister Cui Hao was because Cui Hao killed the Buddha and attracted resentment, discerned the surname and was jealous, and served the favor and resisted the prince, and finally Tuoba Tao was unbearable because of the national letter incident, and had to kill him to calm the anger of the Xianbei aristocratic group and maintain the stability of the imperial power.

Admittedly, this argument is convincing and well-researched. However, I think there is one of the main factors that led to Cui Hao's murder, which has been ignored by the historiographical community.

The most important factor in this is that these Xianbei nobles who sued inadvertently chose the best time to sue.

Don't make promises when you're happy, don't answer when you're sad, don't make decisions when you're angry, although the meaning of this aphorism is self-evident, but everyone is mortal, and few people make decisions that aren't swayed by their personal emotions.

Cui Hao was killed by Tuoba Tao on July 5, 450. The year 450 is a very memorable year for the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

In the spring of 450, Tuoba Tao led a large army south to conquer Liu Song. The Wei army drove straight into the city of Hanging Gourd.

Hanging gourd, now Runan, Henan.

"Notes on the Book of Water" contains: "Rushui hangs in the east of the north of the city, and the shape of the city is like a gourd. Translated into the vernacular, it means: Rushui flows from west to east, turns and flows south, winding east around the city of Runan. Rushui is like a long melon vine, and Runan City is like a gourd hanging on the melon vine, so it is called the hanging gourd city.

Tuoba Tao's 100,000 army did not stop the 1,000 Song troops defending the city at all, but the soldiers and civilians of Xuancheng City, under the leadership of Chen Xian, stubbornly resisted the Wei army. Tuoba Tao's 100,000-strong army besieged for 42 days, losing 70,000 soldiers, but did not capture the small Hanging Gourd City and withdrew his army. The detailed course of this battle has already been described.

In the autumn of 450, Emperor Wen of the Song Dynasty Liu Yilong wanted to "seal the wolf Juxu", and organized the famous Yuanjia Northern Expedition in history.

Although Tuoba Tao counterattacked to Guabu Mountain (now southeast of Liuhe, Jiangsu), he drank the Yangtze River and faced Jiankang, the capital of Liu and Song Dynasty, across the river. However, in the end, the Northern Wei Dynasty could not cross the Yangtze River, and the epidemic epidemic in the army forced Tuoba Tao to withdraw his troops.

On the way to withdraw the army, passing through Xuyi (now Xuyi, Jiangsu), Tuoba Tao relied on the strength of his troops and asked Zang Zhi, the general of the Song army in Xuyi, for fine wine and labor, but he almost drank the urine yellow Daqu sent by Zang Zhi. Tuoba Tao attacked the city in a rage, but did not capture it.

Tuoba Tao became the emperor at the age of 15, and then destroyed Great Xia, Pingbei Liang, conquered Liaodong, and chased Rouran, and made a thousand years of achievements in unifying the north by war, and he already regarded himself as the first person in the universe. Now, at the age of 42, he has entered menopause but suffered this humiliation in the south, and it is conceivable that Tuoba Tao returned to Pingcheng with a sense of disappointment, chagrin and even anger.

Choosing to speak ill of your opponent in the workplace when your leader is in a bad mood may be the most direct and effective way to hit them.

Now, so many angry Xianbei nobles have come to sue Cui Hao, and they are all well-founded, spare you Cui Hao is the father of the Three Dynasties, and Tuoba Tao has to treat him as a precious vase that is broken to vent his anger. For the emperor, no matter how expensive the vase is, if it falls, it will fall, and it is a big deal to change it again. But with that click, the release of negative emotions and the secretion of dopamine are what the emperor needs. No event or person is more important than the emotional value of the emperor, even if it is only his momentary pleasure.

On July 5, 450, Tuoba Tao ordered Cui Hao to be killed.

When sent to the south of the city for execution, dozens of escorted Xianbei soldiers, in full view of everyone, took turns to urinate on Cui Hao in the prisoner car, and screamed.

Cui Hao's face was like ashes, and he was killed after suffering all kinds of insults.

Tuoba Tao also ordered: Cui Hao's Qinghe Cui clan, no matter how far or near, in-laws Fan Yang Lu, Taiyuan Guo, Hedong Liu, etc., must be wiped out.

In ancient China, the most painful thing in life was: there was a relative who was an official, you may never have been exposed to him, and he didn't even remember who you were, but when the emperor punished him for the nine clans, he always remembered you.

The official history analyzes the causes of major events in history, and generally analyzes them from the perspective of historical background and court secrets. The results of the analysis seem reasonable, but people are the creators of history, and the unknown emotional changes of the supreme ruler may be the biggest cause of these events.

Soon after Tuoba Tao killed Cui Hao, he toured Yin Mountain in the north and learned that Li Xiaobo, the Duke of Xuancheng of the Northern Wei Dynasty, was ill, and Tuoba Tao sighed: "Li Xuancheng is a pity!" ”

It was also corrected: "I lost my words, Cui Situ is a pity, and Li Xuancheng is sad" ("Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 125"). At this time, Tuoba Tao had shown remorse for killing Cui Hao, and he should have calmed down from his anger at the humiliation of Zang Zhiqi Huang Daqu. However, how deep and heavy can this remorse be? Unknown.

More than ten years ago, the author was fortunate to participate in an investigation and study activity organized by his unit to go to a famous mountain. After going up the mountain, the study tour was relaxed and enjoyable. Early one morning, when I was strolling in front of the memorial hall at the site of the conference, I suddenly remembered the conference that caused a sensation in the whole country decades ago.

The meeting was originally a light-hearted, lively and lively "fairy meeting" that held meetings during the day and danced at night, without a little tension, why did it suddenly become a criticism meeting after ten days? When everyone tacitly regarded this conference as a fairy meeting to relax their minds, you are as stubborn as a cow and write an inappropriate and ruining "X letter" of speech......

Of course, these are just a roaming of the reins of a man riding a wild horse of thought, and there is no sense of disrespect for the official history, and the cause of this incident is, of course, subject to the official historical record.

But Lao Wang believes that the emperors of the feudal era, pay attention, are talking about the emperors of the feudal era, who can kill anyone to eliminate the threat to the imperial power, such as Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang; You can kill anyone to prove the correctness and orthodoxy of your usurpation or restoration, such as Ming Yingzong killing Yu Qian; It is also possible to kill anyone for the face of imperial power, such as the Wanli Emperor for Zhang Juzheng's descendants; can even kill anyone for the catharsis of his own little emotions, such as Tuoba Tao to Cui Hao. All feudal and dictatorial dynasties can be eliminated, and there is no need to look at the ancients. Now we watch the so-called ancient official historical dramas with relish, but in fact, people who watch real history have chills down their spines.

Tuoba Tao once again went on a killing spree in the prison incident of national history, but one person survived, he was Gao Yun, the deputy editor-in-chief of the "National Book" and the waiter of the Chinese book.

Cui Hao wanted to engrave the national record into a forest of steles, and Gao Yun was against it, but Gao Yun was still arrested after the incident.

Because Gao Yun once served as the teacher of the crown prince Tuoba Huang, Tuoba Huang intended to protect him. On the night of Cui Hao's arrest, Tuoba Huang recruited Gao Yun into the palace for the night, and took him to see Tuoba Tao early the next morning, when Gao Yun did not know that Cui Hao had been arrested.

When he arrived at the gate of the palace, Tuoba Huang instructed Gao Yun in advance: When you see the emperor in a while, listen to me in everything, if the emperor asks, you just need to answer according to my words.

Seeing Tuoba Tao, Tuoba Huang took the first step: Gao Yun is usually cautious in doing things, and the affairs of Guoji are all decided by Cui Hao, please spare Your Majesty Gao Yun's death.

Only then did Gao Yun know that --- Cui Hao had an accident.

Tuoba Tao asked Gao Yun: Are the national records all written by Cui Hao?

This is not nonsense, ask knowingly, Cui Hao can write so much alone? Gao Yun replied truthfully: Among them, "The Story of Taizu" was written by Lang Deng Yuan, and "The Story of the First Emperor" and "The Present Record" were jointly written by me and Cui Situ.

If Gao Yun only said this, it just proved that he knew that Tuoba Tao was knowingly asking, so he could only answer truthfully. Then the latter sentence can fully prove Gao Yun's upright character.

Gao Yun continued: But Cui Hao's official duties are busy, and he is only the editor-in-chief of the National Records, and I have done more specific writing work than Cui Hao.

Tuoba Tao changed color: In this way, your sins are more than Cui Hao, how can I spare you!

Tuoba Huang hurriedly defended Gao Yun: Gao Yun was stunned for a while and spoke incoherently. I asked him just now, and he said that it was all written by Cui Hao.

Tuoba Tao asked Gao Yun: Is it really as the prince said?

Gao Yun replied: The minister should be punished, but he didn't dare to tell lies, the prince read in front of the minister who had been a teacher for him, and wanted to save the minister's life. The prince didn't ask the ministers just now, and I didn't say anything like that.

Tuoba Tao was greatly surprised, it was really rare for a person like Gao Yun to defend honesty with his life, and pardoned Gao Yun on the spot.

Tuoba Tao also asked Gao Yun to draft a notice to kill Cui Hao, his subordinates, and slaves, a total of 120 people, and exterminate the five clans.

After Gao Yun saw the edict, he never put pen to paper. Tuoba Tao sent people to urge him many times, and Gao Yun asked to see Tuoba Tao.

Seeing Tuoba Tao, Gao Yun said: If Cui Hao has other bigger crimes that cannot be punished, then it is enough, if it is a matter of carving a stele forest, the crime should not be punished.

Tuoba Tao was furious again and sentenced Gao Yun to death on the spot. The crown prince Tuoba Huang begged bitterly, and Tuoba Tao spared Gao Yun.

However, Gao Yun's struggle made Tuoba Tao finally kill only Cui Hao's five clans, and the rest only killed himself.

Afterwards, Tuoba Huang complained to Gao Yun: I made up so many lies to save you, why didn't you follow what I said?

Gao Yun's face was sincere: To do history, you have to truly record the merits and demerits of the emperor and learn from future generations. Cui Hao carved the stone monument, although rash, but after all, he respected history. I'm just like him. Although I am very grateful to you for saving me, Prince, I can't go against the facts to extricate myself, in that case I might as well die.

After hearing this, the prince became more and more respectful of Gao Yun's upright character.

At present, some officials are full of lies and running trains, and they should really make a statue of Gao Yun and put it at the door of organs at all levels to warn them to truly establish the concept of governing for the people and seeking truth and pragmatism.

Tuoba Tao was short-tempered in his later years, killed too much, and often regretted it after killing people. Due to the harsh punishments, there have been several times of political chaos in the country. In the end, this generation of heroes actually died at the hands of a small person.

Everyone has Kou in their hearts, and this Kou is the seven emotions and six desires. They often suppress their lust and are not released, and when they are released, they are extremely terrifying. For example, the eunuch group, they all have sexual desire, but they are suppressed and have nowhere to release, so when this group does evil, it is much more terrible than ordinary people. The villains of this group in history are: Zhao Gao, Zhang Rang, Su Wen, Bian Lingcheng, Li Fuguo, Liu Jin, Wang Zhen, Tong Guan, An Dehai, etc. As for Wei Zhongxian, he still has some ability to govern. And Gao Lishi and Li Lianying didn't do much evil.

There was also such a eunuch in the Northern Wei Dynasty, named Zong Ai. This person has done something shocking to the past and the present in the position of no root, surpassing the previous peers without roots. First, he was the first eunuch in Chinese history to be crowned a king, and was named the king of Feng Yijun; Second, he is the only eunuch in history who killed two emperors in a row.

In 452, Zong Ai framed many of the prince's palace officials, and Tuoba Tao killed them all, and the prince Tuoba Huang also died of fear. Because he was afraid that Tuoba Tao would find out about his false accusation, Zong Ai made the first move and found an opportunity to slaughter Tuoba Tao first.

History can always give birth to coincidences, and shortly after the death of Tuoba Tao in the north, Liu Yilong, the Song Wen Emperor of the Liu Song Dynasty in the south, also died soon at the hands of his own son.

History is always so strikingly similar, Tuoba Tao's previous life appeared more than 500 years ago.

This person's name is Liu Che, yes, it is Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. The similarities between the two:

1. Tuoba Tao was called Emperor Taiwu, and Liu Che was called Emperor Xiaowu (Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty), both of which were famous for their military exploits.

2. Tuoba Tao once set foot in the desert north and eliminated the biggest northern trouble. Liu Che sent an army to attack the Xiongnu in the north and eliminated the Xiongnu, the largest northern plague.

3. Tuoba Tao killed Cui Hao, the minister in charge of history, and Liu Che castrated Sima Qian, the Taishi Ling who was in charge of history.

4. Tuoba Tao indirectly killed the crown prince Tuoba Huang (died of fear) because of the false accusation of the eunuch Zong Ai, and Liu Che also indirectly killed the prince Liu Ju because of the false accusation of the eunuch Su Wen (he committed suicide due to the evil of witchcraft).

After Tuobatao's death, his son Tuoba Yu succeeded to the throne, but was killed by Zong Ai only 8 months later. In the palace, Shangshu Yuanhe and others supported Tuoba Huang's eldest son Tuoba Huang to ascend the throne, that is, Emperor Wencheng of the Northern Wei Dynasty. After Tuoba Jun ascended the throne, Zongai was eradicated.