1, Ceng Zi kills pigs.

Ceng Zi's wife went to the market, and her son followed her and cried. His mother (Ceng Zi's wife) said, "Go back and wait for me to kill pigs for you when I get home." When his wife comes back from the market, Ceng Zi is going to catch a pig and kill it. His wife stopped him and said, "I'm just joking with the children."

Ceng Zi said, "Children can't joke with him. Children are not sensible, but rely on their parents to learn and listen to their parents' teachings. Now you cheat him, you are teaching him to cheat. If a mother cheats on her son, he won't trust her. This is not the way to educate children. "So (Ceng Zi) immediately killed the pig and cooked the meat to eat.

2. The true story of Wei Wenhou.

Wei Wenhou made an appointment with a small official in charge of the forest to go hunting. On this day, Wei Wenhou and civil officials drank to their hearts' content, and it began to rain again. Hou Wen is going to keep an appointment. Officials said, "Today, you drank wine and it rained. Where are you going? " Hou Wen said, "I have an appointment with the little official to go hunting. Although it is fun here, how can I not go to the appointment? " Hou Wen went in person and stopped drinking.

3. Emperor Taizong's way of honesty

When Li Shimin was in office, he was open to his officials and did not cheat. His officials were loyal to their duties and did not engage in the traditional bureaucratic tricks of cheating and cajoling. At the beginning of Li Shimin's accession to the throne, he made great efforts to rectify the bureaucracy and made up his mind to eradicate the stubborn disease of corruption and bribery in officialdom.

In order to find out those corrupt officials who secretly take bribes and may take bribes in the future, Li Shimin asked his cronies to secretly pay bribes to officials of various ministries, and as a result, several corrupt officials were really investigated. When Li Shimin was proud, he told his strategy to an envoy of the Sui Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, the minister threw cold water on him on the spot. He said that your majesty always told his subjects to be honest, but he was the first one to cheat. Fish begins to stink at the head, your subjects will repay you by cheating.

Li Shimin not only didn't get angry, but thought the minister's words had profound wisdom, so he could easily understand this harsh suggestion. On another occasion, Li Shimin ordered 18 years old but healthy men to join the army.

Minister Wei Zhi refused to sign the imperial edict (note that this is Li Shimin's cleverest masterpiece, and his orders have no legal effect without the signature of the competent minister. Except for Li Shimin, no emperor will actively limit his unlimited power).

Li Shimin explained: "This is a traitor who evaded military service and deliberately underreported his age." Wei Zhi replied, "Your Majesty always says that I treat the world honestly and tells people not to cheat.

But you lost your integrity first. Your majesty does not treat people honestly, but suspects others first. "Li Shimin deep thinking, then back down.

4. Establishment of Yan Shu's reputation.

When Yan Shu entered the DPRK, it was at the time of peace, and there was nothing in the world. Officials from all walks of life were allowed to choose their own scenic spots for banquets, and the literati held banquets and parties themselves, so that the pubs on the rostrum set up curtains to provide convenience for feasting and amusement. Yan Shu was very poor at that time, and had no money to go out to play or go to banquets, so she taught poetry at home with her brothers. One day in the palace, the prince was elected as a lecturer, and Song Zhenzong suddenly appointed Yan Shu as an official.

I don't know why, but the minister went to heaven to come back from the dead. Zhenzong said, "Recently, I heard that all ministers in the cabinet are enjoying drinking, and only Yan Shu and his brother are studying behind closed doors. Such a cautious and honest person can teach the prince to read. " After Yan Shu took office, he had the opportunity to meet a saint, and Zhenzong told him the reason for his appointment face to face. Yan Shu's language is simple and informal, and he said, "It's not that I don't like feasting and having fun, but my family is poor and I can't afford to go out to play.

If I have money, I will go to the party, just because I can't go out without money. "Zhenzong therefore appreciates his honesty more and enjoys it more and more quickly.

When Yan Shu was prime minister, his son-in-law Fu Bi was the deputy envoy of the Tang Dynasty, so he asked to resign as the special envoy of the Tang Dynasty. Song Renzong didn't allow him, so Injong trusted him.

5. Ji Bu's The Promise of Gold

At the end of the Qin Dynasty, there was a man named Ji Bu. He kept his word and had a very high reputation. Many people have established a strong friendship with him. At that time, there was even a proverb: "It is better to get a hundred pounds of gold than to keep a promise." This is the origin of the idiom "a promise is as good as a thousand dollars".

Later, he offended Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang and was offered a reward for his capture. As a result, his old friends not only were not confused by the huge sum of money, but also risked the extinction of Jiuzu to protect him from disaster.

A person who is honest and trustworthy will naturally get a lot of help and gain everyone's respect and friendship. On the other hand, if you covet temporary comfort or petty advantages and lose trust in your friends, you will get "benefits" on the surface. But for this benefit, he ruined his reputation, which is much more important than material things. Therefore, breaking a promise to a friend is tantamount to losing a watermelon and picking up sesame seeds, which is not worth the loss.