More than 70 years ago, Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, cut off the last remnants of the overlord of Western Chu and unified the world. On the one hand, it inherited the county system of the Qin system, and on the other hand, it divided the princes, and in the territory of the world, the counties and feudal states ran in parallel.

The children of the royal family surnamed Liu plus eight kings with different surnames divided nearly 40 princes in one go. On the one hand, this is for reward, and on the other hand, it is also for the need to stabilize the world.

However, we can share in the suffering, not the blessings! This iron law seems to apply to any dynasty. After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, there were not a few years of hard work, and the Weiyang Palace and the local princes began to be suspicious of each other, and the killing machine suddenly started!

Of the eight kings with different surnames, none of them were spared. From the fifth year to the eleventh year of Emperor Gaozu, in just five or six years, Zang Di, the king of Yan, Han Xin, the king of Chu, Zhang Er, the king of Zhao, Peng Yue, the king of Liang, Yingbu of Huainan, Wu Rui, the king of Changsha, Han Wangxin, and the second king of Yan, Lu Xuan, either died or fled, and were all eradicated.

It seems that if you don't have the surname Liu, you won't have the same heart as yourself! Liu Bang learned a lesson, killed the white horse as an alliance, and set a rule for future generations: "If you are not the king of the Liu family, the world will fight against it!"

Then, he divided the fiefs of these destroyed kings with different surnames among his sons. In this way, the princes and kings occupied a large area of the world, almost more than half. At that time, there were more than 50 counties in the country, and the vassal states accounted for nearly 40, and there were only more than 10 counties under the jurisdiction of the central government. On the territory of the Han Dynasty, a small half of the central and western regions directly belong to the Weiyang Palace. Most of the northern, eastern, and southern regions belonged to the princes.

Han Gaozu originally thought that relying on family affection and blood ties, he could make the foundation firm and the society forever, but the ruthless reality shattered his dream.

When these princes and kings were first divided, they were either young or fledgling, and there was nothing to worry about. But by the time of Emperor Wen, the power of the princes and kings had swelled rapidly, and the big ones crossed states and counties, embraced dozens of cities, and the palace officials were no different from Chang'an. What's even more excessive is that several of the larger vassal states, without the decrees of the Han Dynasty, have made their own sets, and the power of life and death is in their hands, which is even more majestic than the emperor.

It can be said that the period of Emperor Wen of Han's reign was a process of constant struggle with local princes and kings. This involved a lot of his energy, and the government and the opposition were panicked and worried. If there were no internal troubles, presumably the achievements of this benevolent emperor would be even more brilliant!

In such a situation, when he saw Jia Yi's "Public Security Shu", his heart was undoubtedly happy. In his recital, this scholar vividly illustrated the situation in the world faced by the imperial court, and the biggest hidden danger was that the princes were the troubled party.

The relationship between the princes and the Weiyang Palace is as thick as a person's calf and waist, and his fingers are as big as his thighs, so that the proportion is out of proportion, and even daily life is difficult, let alone agile action. If one or two fingers twitch, the body and mind will not be at peace, and if it is not cured as soon as possible, it will inevitably become terminally ill, and even if Bian Que has superb medical skills, he will not be able to bring the dead back to life.

Therefore, for the first time, this hot-blooded scholar put forward a proposal to weaken the power of the princes and consolidate the central power.

However, his policy of economic and national policy was not put forward at the right time. It can be said that the fire has not arrived, and in the end it died without illness, and people died in politics.

By the time of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, the conflict of interests and various contradictions finally caused a general outbreak between the imperial court and the princes and kings.

Compared with Jia Yilai, Emperor Han Jing's teacher Chao Cuo, but he was an out-and-out hardliner. A "policy of cutting feudal domains" finally triggered the rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms that swept the world.

This rebellion, which lasted for more than three months, caused irreparable damage to the development of the Han Dynasty. It can be said that the force is too strong, the heat is too old, and it is made into a sandwich rice. Although the rebellion was quelled and the first evil was eradicated, the contradictions between the princes and the Weiyang Palace were not settled, but were only deeply hidden.

These past events, as the heir to Jia Yi's mantle, the master father Yan, naturally knows very well. He has gone through the world, and there is a word called "inseparable relatives", which he understands more thoroughly than anyone else. After all, the surname Liu broke the bones and connected the tendons! Those things in the royal family, whoever gets in and gets in is unlucky, Jia Yi's exile, Chao is wrong, is the best example!

He looked at the high-spirited appearance of the young man on the edge of the cloud cliff, but he was deeply worried in his heart. He knows a lot about Yuan Zhao's temperament, and since he has begun to do something, he must have considered it in detail, and it is difficult for others to convince him.

It's just that this time is more dangerous than what he has done before. Did he really think it all through?

"Since ancient times, there has been no intimacy, and the royal family is even more affectionate, you have to keep this truth firmly in mind! In any case, putting your own safety first is the most important thing you should do. As for the rest, everything must be premised on this...... Do you understand? ”

Looking at the distance between him and the feast, he didn't expect anyone to hear him, but the master finally said what was in his heart.

The water is cold and warm, there is no need to say much, just this sentence, which shows sincerity. Yuan Zhao turned around, his smile as bright as the autumn sun.

"I'm going to send the prince back to the palace in the afternoon, presumably the emperor will definitely ask in detail about Mingyue Tower, how to deal with it, has Mr. taught me?"

Master Father's expression was solemn, slightly contemplative, and then stared at Yuan Zhao's eyes with a serious expression.

From all kinds of deeds, it can be seen that today is a person with great ambitions. Such an emperor would not tolerate an offense to his authority. The contradiction between centralization and the princes and kings must have been very important in his heart. If there is an opportunity, you can take the opportunity to weaken the power of the princes, and even completely eliminate this hidden danger. Then he must be unwanted! Hehe! ”

Yuan Zhao's eyes lit up, and he secretly admired in his heart, looking forward to what he was about to hear. The master father stroked his beard, with a slight nostalgia, as if he remembered some old things.

"If you want to weaken the power of the princes and kings, in fact, the strategy of the first master Jia Taifu is the most feasible. That is, the princes of the public are built and their strength is less! For some reason, the territory of the great vassal states was divided into three, or six, or even ten...... Until they pose no threat to the central power. In this way, the forces are scattered, and it is easy to win over and divide and attack, and no matter how many princes there are, there is no need to be afraid! ”

"Sir! Really...... Ha ha! ”

Yuan Zhao's words were not finished, and he finally heard the wonderful plan of this famous think tank that once left a name in history!

"Huh! This method has been explained by the master a long time ago, but few people in the world know about it. If the princes and kings do not come to trouble you, you will not provoke them. If the grudge formed this time has to be irresolvable, then you should go and give it a go! Whether it is for yourself, the country or for the people, the old man believes that the victorious side will inevitably be in your hands. ”

The eyes of the old scholar in the green robe flashed with light, at this moment, he is no longer a hermit with a peaceful state of mind, but a strategist who dominates the situation!

"If you want to divide the princes, I don't know how to get it?"

Yuan Zhao looked at his indifferent face tightly, and couldn't help but think of a sentence called "The world is full of knowledge, and the practice of human feelings is the article." ”

"It's easy! The world is bustling, just for profit. The red dust is bustling, all for profit! As long as you are tempted by profits, why not ask for it? In the palaces of the princes, there is not only one son of the prince, but the princes have a group of wives and concubines, many heirs, and the huge wealth of the kingdom, who doesn't want to get a piece of the pie? It's just that all along, the son inherited, this is the ancestral system, and others have no choice. If the Son of Heaven Longen, for the sake of these children, he will issue a decree...... Hehe! Little Hou Ye, guess what the result will be? ”

The words are all on this, what else can Yuan Zhao say! Although he had long known that this historical trick came from the person in front of him, he naturally felt different when he heard it with his own ears at the moment.

"Sir's brilliant strategy, far-sightedness, beyond the reach of others! Yuan Zhao admired. ”

His words are very sincere, and they are from the bottom of his heart to respect the wise men of the world.

"Haha! It is not a good thing to get involved in these housework of the emperor after all. However, now that you're on fire, you don't need to be tied back. You know, this is a kind of battle that is even more brutal than the battlefield, either you die or I live. And all of us, of course, hope that you will live well! ”

The master father glanced at him deeply, and his earnest feelings were overflowing. Yuan Zhao bowed and thanked for the grace of teaching. The two returned to their seats and said no more.

The three days were very short, and although Liu Ju and Su Xi were very reluctant, they had to go back to the palace. This time, except for the incident in Mingyue Tower, the rest of them were very happy.

Along the spacious avenue, when he was about to reach Chang'an City, the young guard who followed the prince's carriage on horseback finally mustered up the courage, lifted the reins of the horse, and caught up with Yuan Zhao in front.

"Little Marquis, I don't know if the trip to the Western Regions has been decided...... That, that...... Hey. ”

Yuan Zhao turned his head to look at him, smiled and signaled, and said boldly if he had anything to say.

The chief guard named Zhang Qian breathed a sigh of relief, and his tone gradually became firm.

"My father traveled all over the world in the early years, and he also met Hu merchants in the Western Regions, and I heard them talk about many extraterritorial experiences, and my heart was very yearning, but I was not able to make the trip after all. Later, he pinned this wish on me. I was renamed a 'Qian' character in the hope that one day I would be able to gallop outside the horse and gallop the world for him. Therefore, Zhang has a request, if the little marquis has the permission of the Son of Heaven to preside over the opening of the Western Regions, Zhang is willing to be the forerunner and go west to open the way, no matter the sword mountain and the sea of fire, he will never give up! ”

Yuan Zhao listened quietly, and time seemed to stop here. He was in a trance for a moment, and the curtain of a thousand years of wonderful history seemed to have been slowly opened in front of him. The red dust is rising on Chang'an Road, where the heroes return, singing and singing Yangguan can't stay, Iron Horse goes west, swallowing thousands of miles like a tiger!