Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande, was the founding monarch of the Shu Han regime!

Liu Bei, also known as Xuande, was a famous figure in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He was the founding monarch of the Shu Han regime during the Three Kingdoms period and was known as Emperor Zhaolie of the Han Dynasty in history.

Regarding Liu Bei's life experience, everyone must know that Liu Bei is a descendant of Liu Sheng, King Jing of Zhongshan, and the uncle of Liu Xie, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, so Liu Bei is also called Uncle Liu Huang. If you ask what Liu Bei did before he started his army, everyone will probably blurt out: \\\'\\\'Liu Bei was weaving mats and selling shoes. \\\'\\\' Is this really the case? Did Liu Bei really make a living by weaving mats and selling shoes when he was young? Nothing could be further from the truth!

Liu Bei is definitely not a hawker who weaves mats and sells shoes!

1. Although Liu Bei lost his father when he was young, he lived together with the Liu clan and had no worries about food and clothing

As we all know, Liu Bei is a descendant of Liu Sheng, Prince Jing of Zhongshan, and a member of the royal family of the Eastern Han Dynasty. imperial clan. Although this line of blood was already in decline by Liu Bei's generation, a skinny camel is bigger than a horse, and a declining noble is also a noble!

Although several generations of Liu Bei’s ancestors no longer have the status of royal relatives, they are all from official families and have been officials for generations. Liu Bei's grandfather Liu Xiong was once recommended as Xiaolian, and he was promoted to the county magistrate of Fan County in Dongjun (now Fan County, Puyang City, Henan Province). Liu Bei's father Liu Hong was also recommended as Xiaolian. Unfortunately, Liu Hong died early and did not take up the post. Official position.

The fact that two generations of Liu Bei's direct ancestors were recommended as Xiaolian shows that Liu Bei's family is definitely not a poor family. Because during the Eastern Han Dynasty, especially in the middle and late Eastern Han Dynasty, the quota of local Xiaolian was basically in the hands of local powerful men. The Liu family, who came from a royal family, must have been a large local family at that time.

Two generations of Liu Bei’s direct ancestors have been recommended as Xiaolian!

Since Liu Hong died young and never held an official position, Liu Bei had no chance to be recommended as Xiaolian. Not being recommended as Xiaolian meant that he had no chance to directly become an official ( You have to work hard on your own).

Although Liu Bei cannot directly become an official, this does not mean that Liu Bei's family situation has plummeted to the point where he has to rely on weaving mats and selling shoes\\\'\\\' Make a living. This is because the aristocratic families in the Eastern Han Dynasty always stayed in the countryside and lived together, and the Liu family was no exception.

"Book of Shu: Biography of the First Master" records that \\\'\\\'Deran's father Yuan Qi often gave money to the First Master, and Deran and others. Yuan Qi's wife said: \\\'\\\'We each have a family, how can we always be evil! \\\'\\\'Yuan Qi said:\\\'\\\'Having this son in my sect is very rare. \\\'\\\' This sentence means\\\'\\\'Liu Deran's father Liu Yuanqi often supported Liu Bei and received the same treatment as his son Liu Deran. Liu Yuanqi's wife was dissatisfied with this and said: \\\'\\\'We are not a family, how can we do this often? \\\'\\\'Liu Yuanqi said: \\\'\\\'There is a child named Liu Bei in my Liu clan. He is definitely not an ordinary person! \\\'\\\'

Liu Bei's uncle Liu Yuanqi regarded Liu Bei as his own son and often supported Liu Bei

From this record, it is obvious that the Liu family lived together as a clan. Because Liu Bei's uncle Liu Yuanqi often supports Liu Bei and is treated the same as his own son. Even if the other elders of the same clan cannot treat him as their own, they can at least ensure that Liu Bei has food and clothing, and that Liu Bei does not have to be poor. The children also plowed the fields themselves to support their families.

All in all, Liu Bei, who was born in the Liu family of Zhuo County, even though his father died when he was young, he could still have enough food and clothing under the protection of his clan, and his living standard could at least reach the level of a well-off society now! In addition, the following events further prove that Liu Bei's living standard is far higher than that of most people at the same time!

Liu Bei’s living standard is at least well-off!

2. Although Liu Bei was young, he was still able to study abroad with the support of his uncle and become a disciple of famous teachers

During the Han Dynasty, reading, literacy, and education had always been the training model of the aristocracy. , it is difficult for poor children to receive a good education from beginning to end due to family difficulties. The Eastern Han Dynasty was no exception. The right to education has never been available to poor children, and the study tour experience that required huge sums of money was not something ordinary families could afford (the cost of study tours during the Eastern Han Dynasty was equivalent to studying abroad in modern times) ). In other words, if a character is able to receive education and travel around, it means that he is at least well-fed and well-off.

Liu Bei is such a character. Not only can he receive education, but he has also traveled around to study.

Liu Bei not only received education, but also traveled around to study!

"Book of Shu: Biography of the First Lord" records that with the support of his uncle Liu Yuanqi, Liu Bei, who was only fifteen years old, went on a study tour with Liu Yuanqi's sons Liu Deran, Gongsun Zan and other figures, visiting famous teachers. In the end, all three of them became disciples of Lu Zhi, a man of great influence in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and became his direct disciples.

The financial resources and connections required for such study tours are far beyond what ordinary families can support, and even exceed those of ordinary wealthy families.

3. Liu Bei has never been a poor boy. He has always made friends with heroes and recruited younger brothers.

Liu Bei has never been a poor boy. "Book of Shu: Biography of the First Master" clearly records: \\\'\\\'The First Master (Liu Bei) was not very fond of reading, but liked dogs, horses, music, and beautiful clothes. He talks less, is kind to others, and does not express his emotions or anger. It is easy to make friends with heroes, and he is eager to join them when he is young. The meaning of this passage is: \\\'\\\'Liu Bei does not like reading, but likes flying eagles and lackeys, likes food with bells ringing, and likes gorgeous clothes. . He has a quiet personality and talks little, treats his subordinates well, and does not show his emotions or anger. He likes to make friends with heroes throughout his life, and local young people rush to rely on him. \\\'\\\'

Liu Bei doesn't like studying, he likes to make friends with heroes; he has slaves and younger brothers under him!

Flying eagles and lackeys, bells ringing for food, and gorgeous clothes, are these things that poor children can come into contact with in their daily lives? Not to mention that Liu Bei also has some servants, he also likes to make friends with heroes, and he also has a group of younger brothers Ma Zai who are attached to him. Do these expenses have to be met by Liu Bei's weaving mats and selling shoes?

When making friends with heroes, you can't just invite them to drink tea at a roadside tea shop. You always need to book a restaurant to eat, drink and have fun! If you want to have a group of underlings following you for a long time, you can't let them drink from the northwest wind. As the boss, you always need to treat guests to dinner from time to time! To say that these expenses are met by Liu Bei's weaving mats and selling shoes is probably the most ridiculous thing in the world!

So what does Liu Bei rely on to meet his expenses of making friends with heroes and raising younger brothers?

How did Liu Bei meet the expenses of making friends with heroes and recruiting younger brothers?

A record in "Book of Shu: Biography of the First Lord" may be able to clear up our doubts. \\\'\\\'Zhongshan merchants Zhang Shiping, Su Shuang and others had accumulated thousands of gold, and they were selling horses around Zhuojun. When they saw something different, they gave them more gold and wealth. The First Master had to use the disciples together. \\\'\\\' What this passage means is that\\\'\\\'Zhang Shiping, a big businessman in Zhongshan County (equivalent to the north-central area of ??today's Hebei Province, adjacent to Zhuo County where Liu Bei lived), Su Shuang was both worth tens of millions, and they both sold horses in the Zhuojun area.

After meeting Liu Bei, they felt that Liu Bei was a strange person, so they often gave Liu Bei money. Liu Bei also used this money to gather a group of subordinates. \\\'\\\'

A wealthy man worth millions often gives Liu Bei free money just because he has met him a few times and thinks he is a strange person? Do you think this story is true? Who would give away his money to others if there was no profit to be gained? At this time, when we think of Liu Bei's previous actions of making friends with heroes and recruiting younger brothers, it is not difficult to find that there must be inextricably linked!

Why would a wealthy man with a net worth of tens of millions give Liu Bei money upon meeting him?

First of all, the horse trading industry that Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang are engaged in is not an ordinary industry. Horses were not only important working animals in ancient society, but also important strategic materials, because war horses have always been in short supply for war preparations. The special status of horses contributes to their high value. "Book of the Later Han: Chronicles of Emperor Ling" records: \\\'\\\'In the first month of the spring of the fourth year of Guanghe (181), Luanji stable chief was first appointed to receive the command of horses from the county. Hao You Gu Que, one horse to two million. \\\'\\\' This sentence means \\\'\\\'In the fourth year of Emperor Guanghe of the Han Dynasty (181), the Eastern Han Dynasty created a new official position called Lu Ji Mang Cheng, who was responsible for Buying and selling horses domestically. Seeing the profits to be made, the powerful powerful people resorted to tricks to monopolize this hugely profitable industry. At that time, the value of a horse was speculated to be two million dollars! \\\'\\\' It can be seen that the horse trading industry was not an ordinary industry at that time, but a monopolistic and huge profit industry!

The horse trading industry was a monopolistic and hugely profitable industry at that time!

Precisely because the horse trading industry is a hugely profitable and monopolistic industry, the big businessmen engaged in the horse trading industry need to manage local heroes so that they do not secretly use tricks. And because Liu Bei has been making friends with heroes and recruiting younger brothers in Zhuojun, he can be regarded as a moderate hero in Zhuojun. This is why Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang felt that Liu Bei was a strange person when they met. Can people who make friends with heroes and recruit younger brothers be ordinary people? This is also the reason why Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang gave Liu Bei free money when they met, because they needed to take care of local heroes!

It was by accepting the protection fees paid by these big businessmen that Liu Bei was able to meet his expenses of making friends with heroes and recruiting younger brothers. expenditure!

Liu Bei relied on accepting "protection fees" to meet his expenses of making friends with heroes and recruiting younger brothers!

Conclusion

Liu Bei has never been considered a poor boy, and his family's financial situation is far higher than that of most families at the same time.

Although Liu Bei lost his father when he was a child, he was still able to thrive without worrying about food and clothing under the protection of his clan. As a teenager, Liu Bei was appreciated by his cousin Liu Yuanqi, who always supported Liu Bei's education and study tours. , Liu Bei was finally able to apprentice under Lu Zhi, a man of great influence in the Eastern Han Dynasty; as he grew up, Liu Bei was good at making friends with heroes and recruiting younger brothers, and finally became a local hero in Zhuo County. Such life experiences and opportunities and connections How can we be considered a poor family? How could Liu Bei be considered a poor boy?

As for the story of Liu Bei\\\'\\\'s weaving mats and selling shoes\\\'\\\' to support his mother and subsidize his family's income, please feel free to laugh after reading it, but don't take it seriously. !

References

(Western Jin Dynasty) Chen Shou wrote: "The Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms Shu", edited by Zhonghua Book Company in 2011.

(Southern Song Dynasty) "Book of the Later Han" written by Fan Ye, proofread by Zhonghua Book Company in 2012.

Zhang Zuoyao: "The Biography of Liu Bei", People's Publishing House, 2004 edition.

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