"You don't need to explain. My father doesn't want to accuse you. To be honest, you have done better than my father. Today, Jingchu has not only resisted Cao's thieves, but also annexed Jiangdong and intimidated the Jiaozhou scholar family."
"To be honest, if my father were still in this position, I would not be able to do these things. However, my father has also been the boss. It is inevitable for a boss to be contradicted by his subordinates.
How did you handle it? Send the person home and ignore it? Is what he said wrong?"
"You just said inside that you should go to the backyard. My father heard it outside. Why did you go to the backyard? Did you vent your anger?"
After being scolded by Liu Biao, Liu Cong's old face turned red with embarrassment, "What my father taught me was that the child knew he was wrong."
Liu Biao nodded and continued, "Son, you have made the Liu family's foundation bigger and stronger. My father sees it in my eyes. But as a master, you should not have your own way. The words of the minister may not be unreasonable."
"You can't just stick to your own ideas. You have to listen to advice and be good at accepting advice so you won't make big mistakes. Only then will you make fewer mistakes and win people's hearts."
At the end of his speech, Liu Biao lowered his voice and said, "It doesn't hurt to listen to other people's opinions. You can be blamed if you make a mistake, right? Also, remember to correct your mistakes and don't admit them. The majesty of the master can never fall to the ground!"
"
Liu Cong bowed his hands and said, "My child, please obey your father's teachings."
Mrs. Cai took Liu Biao and consoled her, "Okay, okay, you really scolded Cong'er as soon as you came back. Go see your grandchildren as soon as possible."
After speaking, he turned to Liu Cong and said, "Cong'er, after all, your father has been a Jingzhou shepherd for more than 20 years. He is doing it for your own good, so don't be unhappy."
"I don't dare, I understand my father's intention." When he looked up, Liu Cong noticed that Mrs. Cai had a strand of white hair on her temples!
The life span of ancient people was short, and they called themselves old wives at the age of thirty-six. Mrs. Cai is exactly thirty-six years old this year. In this era without any means of maintenance, her appearance is no longer so young.
Liu Cong's nose suddenly became sour, "The child is ashamed and has to worry about his father and mother."
Seeing Liu Cong's appearance, Liu Biao frowned and said, "Okay, your father is not dead yet. For such a big man, there is one who can cry."
After Liu Biao finished speaking, Mrs. Cai turned around and said, "Let's go see my grandson."
After Liu Biao and his wife left, Xing Daorong came to Liu Cong's side and said, "My lord, which lady's courtyard are you going to? Someone will inform you later."
Liu Cong's sad mood was instantly exasperated by these words. He stared at Xing Daorong and saw his serious and unpretentious look. Liu Cong sighed and said, "Xing Daorong."
"My lord, the end will be here."
"A brain is a good thing, but it's a pity that you don't have one." Liu Cong shook his head and walked away.
"A brain is a good thing, but it's a pity that I don't have one?" Xing Daorong murmured, "That's not right, I have a brain?"
Wang Hua and several other lieutenants looked at each other and smiled without saying anything.
"Prepare the carriage, I am going to Ma Liang's house."
"promise."
Ma Liang sat in the backyard of the mansion, his eyes a little dull, staring blankly at the setting sun on the horizon. He remembered his first meeting with Liu Cong.
"When it prospers, the people suffer. When it dies, the people suffer."
"The king is the boat, and the people are the water. Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it."
Liu Cong, who said this at the beginning, loved the people so much that he could not tolerate any slight treatment towards them, but now...
"Sir, the lord is here."
Ma Liang was stunned for a moment, then stood up suddenly, "What, take me to greet you quickly!"
"No need, Ji Chang, I came to see you." Before he could walk out of the yard, Liu Cong came in.
Ma Liang bowed his hands and said, "I didn't know that my lord was coming, so I missed you from afar. Please forgive me, lord."
Liu Cong stepped forward and helped Ma Liang up personally, "Why should you be so polite, sir? Mr. Guhe has been through thick and thin together. It has been almost three years since we met him in Guizhou."
Ma Liang broke free from Liu Cong's hand and knelt on the ground again, "If my lord comes to persuade me to agree to recruit troops, I will plead guilty to my lord again!"
Liu Cong shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Ji Chang, Ji Chang, what can you say about you when you call me Gu?"
"Even if you stop the recruitment of troops, Gu will still do it. If Huainan is controlled by Gu, Duan Ran can no longer be recaptured by Cao Cao."
Liu Cong of Jingchu, Cao Cao of the Central Plains, Liu Bei of Xichuan, in this era, they are all princes who speak the same thing!
Among them, Liu Cong was even worse than Cao Cao and Liu Bei. He cleaned up all the aristocratic families in Jingchu, and all those left behind were obedient. In the entire Jingchu, there was no longer any voice that could oppose Liu Cong.
"Lord, my lord..."
"Get up." Liu Cong pulled Ma Liang up. "Don't say anything yet. Gu knows what you want to say. You think Gu is too focused on military affairs and relies too much on business. Is that right?"
"I just think that this is against the way of governing the country. Agriculture is the foundation of the country. How can other industries be allowed to be on an equal footing with it? Furthermore, business should not be encouraged and supported by the country in this way. When people are rich, they will have a lot of selfish desires. In this way
If we go down, it will still be the common people who are in poverty."
"As for the military, in troubled times and fighting for hegemony, this is inevitable. I just feel that my lord left too hastily."
Liu Cong smiled bitterly again, Ma Liang really didn't give him any face. He even came to visit in person, but Ma Liang still spoke frankly.
"Come, sit down first, I will talk to you slowly."
"promise."
After pulling Ma Liang to sit down, Liu Cong said, "Sir, do you think Gu has changed? Has Gu's treatment of the common people changed?"
Ma Liang stood up and cupped his hands and said, "I don't dare to think so. In my heart, my lord is the most wise king in the world, a heroic hero who is rare to see in a hundred years."
"As for what my lord asked, I can only say that Jingchu's new policy is still being implemented, and the people have hope for their lives."
Liu Cong waved his hand and said, "Sit down, Sir, there is no need to be so formal. Mr. Gu He is not a king or a minister today, so just treat him as a colleague who has different political views from you. Let's have a good talk."
Ma Liang breathed a long sigh of relief and sat down slowly, "I thank you, Lord, for your kindness."
Liu Cong smiled and said, "Whatever Ji Chang said is just you pointing your finger at Gu's nose and scolding me. As long as your words are reasonable, Gu will not blame you. Zou Ji can still persuade King Qi to accept the advice humbly. Isn't Gu even better than Gu?"
Why don’t you go to the King of Qi?”
"My lord is naturally stronger than King Qi Wei."
"Haha, Ji Chang also started to say these polite words."
Liu Cong laughed and said, "I still remember that at the beginning, I hated people who were full of politeness and sweet words, because I felt that such people could not do practical things and could not really be good to the people."
"It was only after Ke Gu took charge of Jingzhou that he discovered that the simplest thing in the world is the human heart, and the most rare thing is the human heart. People's desires are endless. Even the practical people promoted by Gu now have some selfish motives, not to mention others, etc.
After two or three generations, their descendants will become a big family again."
"Gu can only use laws and policies to restrain them. He wants Gu to change their instincts and make everyone become selfless. Gu can't do it. Ji Chang can't do it either. From ancient times to the present, from the present to the future, no one can change it.