In the spring of the seventh year of Lu Zhaogong (BC535), the Zhanghuatai Complex, which had been built for several years and cost the whole country, was finally completed. King Chu Ling said: "I am a great Chu, and I have built the first in the world with the power of the whole country." Bugu is willing to share the inauguration ceremony with the princes of the world, and to show the majesty of a great country; But if you don't have a valley and are afraid that the princes won't come, what good way do the doctors have to drag one or two over? ”

Xue Qiqiang said: "The minister can invite Lu Hou." King Chu Ling then sent him to Qufu. Xue Qiqiang saw Lu Zhaogong and said: "Back then, Lu Xianjun Chenggong said to my first doctor Ying Qi (Ling Yin Zizhong): 'I have not forgotten the friendliness of the first king, and I will make Heng's father (that is, Gong Heng, Lu Chenggong's brother, see the previous part of "Shu Alliance") to come to Chu State, so as to pacify Lu State Sheji and pacify the people of Lu State. Ying Qi accepted the order of Cheng Gong in the 'Shu Alliance', and reported to the gods of the ancestors in the temple.

Later, the king of Gongwang led Beiwang, looking forward to Lu Jun coming to our country day and night, but he has not been able to do so. The state of Chu has gone through four generations of kings from the communist king to the widowed king, but the king of Lu still has not exerted any favor to our country; During this period, only Xianggong participated in the funeral of King Kang (Xianggong also humiliated my former king with the expulsion ceremony of his courtiers), and at that time, Gu (Jia Ao) and the doctors even lost their plans for Sheji because of their grief, and they had no leisure to thank Xianggong for his favor.

"Today, if the prince can personally raise the jade toe, deign to meet the widow, and illuminate the Chu State with kindness, in order to verify that what Cheng Gong said in the Shu Alliance is true, the widow will receive great favors, and how dare he expect the Lu State to fulfill the Shu Covenant (send hostages)? At that time, the ancestors of Chu State, ghosts and gods will be favored by the princes, where will only the widows benefit? If the prince does not come, the minister will set a date with the prince, and then the widow will take the jade bi to Shu to meet the prince and marquis, so as to ask the prince to fulfill his promise. ”

The "Shu Alliance" is a great shame in the diplomatic history of the Lu State; The people of Chu poured the moldy and hairy cold rice back into the pot and fried it, which was to use the humiliation and fear of the Lu people to force Lu Zhaogong to comply.

Lu Zhaogong broke out in a cold sweat after hearing this, and had to prepare to set off immediately. Before he left, he dreamed that his father, Xianggong, was sacrificing to the god in charge of the road, and the next day he told the content of the dream to the doctor Zishen. Zishen said: "The prince still don't set off. Xianggong dreamed that Zhou Gong sacrificed to the god of the road before he traveled, so he set off for Chu; Now that the Marquis of Jin dreamed of the sacrifice of Xianggong, he still didn't want to go. ”

Zifu Huibo said, "You can do it." At that time, Xianggong had never been to the Chu State, so the Duke of Zhou sacrificed to the road god to guide him (for the exile of the Duke of Zhou, see "The History of the Exploration of the Chu State") "Travel; Xianggong has already been to the state of Chu, so isn't it very reasonable to guide the prince?

At the beginning of March, Lu Zhaogong set off from Qufu with Meng Xizi. When the team marched to Zheng Guo, Zheng Jiangong held a banquet to entertain Lu Zhaogong and his party at Shizhiliang outside Xinzheng City.

As Lu Zhaogong's ceremonial official (the ceremonial officer is equivalent to the master of ceremonies, issuing corresponding instructions in the holding of different ceremonies), this Meng Xizi did not receive a good education in etiquette and music since he was a child (because the heir established by Meng Zhuangzi was his brother), and he was unable to fulfill his duties. Fortunately, Lu Zhaogong was accustomed to all kinds of etiquette (Jin Pinggong once praised him for "knowing etiquette"), and he was able to complete the procedure independently without Meng Xizi opening his mouth, but those present were still surprised by the ignorance of Lu Guoxiang's courtesy. As the old saying goes, "All the rites of the week come out of Lu." "If even the people of the Lu country abandon the Zhou rites, what country in the world can keep the Zhou rites? If everyone abandons Zhou Li, won't the world become a huge jungle full of fierce beasts and poisonous insects?

In fact, since the late Spring and Autumn Period, due to the increasingly corrupt and degenerate aristocratic life, the nobles generally relaxed the education of the children of the family, which led to a large number of children who did not understand etiquette at all. And this has become a common phenomenon, not only for the Meng family.

Zhanghua Palace is a magnificent palace city, located in Longwan, Qianjiang, Hubei Province, two kilometers long from east to west, one thousand meters wide from north to south, covering an area equivalent to a medium-sized city. There are more than a dozen palaces distributed in the palace city, and the main building is "Zhanghuatai". It is said that Zhanghuatai is ten battles high, and the length and width of the base are fifteen battles each; The palace maid has to rest three times when she reaches the top of the stage, so Zhang Huatai is called the "three rest platforms".

On the day of the ceremony, King Chu Ling and Lu Zhaogong climbed the steps one after the other, followed by the secretary doctor. The roof of the stage has long been arranged with a sturdy, long-haired, thin-waisted retinue of guards and a graceful and slender palace maid. Lu Zhaogong couldn't help but sigh: "What a thin waist palace!" ”

At the beginning of the ceremony, the people present stood solemnly, and the celebrant presided over the ceremony in an orderly manner. Lu Zhaogong's childlike heart is still there, he can't bear the boredom, and he can't stop looking left and right. He looked around, and the rivers and mountains were in full view; There are fishing sails on the river, and there are many cars on the road; The other buildings in Miyagi are as delicate and lovely as models.

Finally, the ceremony is over, followed by a grand banquet and various performances. King Chu Ling was so excited that he kept clinking glasses with the Lu people and the doctors, talking and laughing loudly, and applauding loudly at the wonderful performance. Xue Qiqiang and Wu Ju clapped their hands and applauded, while shaking their heads and sighing.

When King Chu Ling was the happiest, he actually gave the treasure of the town, the Great Qu Bao Bow, to Lu Zhaogong. When the sun sets, the Chu people light the torch and set the court on fire, and the firelight illuminates the entire palace as if it were day; People continue to drink heartily. The banquet lasted until midnight, and that night King Chu Ling and Lu Zhaogong stayed in the dormitory on the stage.

At noon the next day, after King Chu Ling sobered up, he found that the Great Qu Baogong was missing, and he remembered that he was happy for a while yesterday, and he regretted it for a lifetime.

Xue Qiqiang saw that he was annoyed, so he went to see Lu Zhaogong. Lu Zhaogong was overjoyed to get the new treasure, and he took the initiative to take out the big bow and show off to Xue Qiqiang under the psychology of being like a child.

Xue Qiqiang hurriedly bowed to Lu Zhaogong and congratulated him loudly.

Lu Zhaogong asked him where He came from? Xue Qiqiang replied: "This bow originally belonged to the ancestor of the Shen Kingdom, and it was obtained from the hands of the Marquis of Shen when King Xianwen destroyed Shen. The monarchs of Qi, Jin, and Yue had coveted Daqu for a long time, and they all wanted to get it from the widows, but the widows all refused. And now this bow is in the hands of the prince, which is really a great joy. From now on, please strengthen your guard to guard the treasure and not let it be obtained by the Qi people and the Jin people. ”

Lu Zhaogong's face changed suddenly, and he threw his bow on the ground in fright. He said, "What a troublemaker! The master is congratulating the widow, and he is clearly mourning! After speaking, he picked up Da Qu and returned it to Xue Qiqiang. Xue Qiqiang used deception to bring it back again.

Because Lu Zhaogong went to Chu to attend the inauguration ceremony of Zhanghuatai, and he did not report to the Jin people in advance, his actions greatly stimulated the sensitive little nerves of Jin Pinggong. Jin Pinggong had hatred in his heart, he wanted to do something to teach the Lu people a lesson, but he couldn't find the fault of the Lu people.