Taizu (Cao Cao) helped the Han Dynasty and hired (Wen pin) to attain Taizu. Taizu asked, “why is it so late?” “I can’t help Liu Jingzhou to serve the country. Although Jingzhou doesn’t exist, I’m always willing to defend Hanchuan, preserve the land, live up to the orphans and weak, and die without shame. I have no choice but to do so. I’m really sad and ashamed. I have no face to see my ears early.” Then he sobbed and shed tears. For this reason, Taizu said sadly, “Zhong Ye is a loyal minister.” Be generous to them. Conferring soldiers
Book of Wei, biography of Wen pin, Volume 18 of the annals of the Three Kingdoms
Wenpin, named Zhongye, is from Nanyang. He is a native of Jingzhou. He works under Liu Biao and is an important position. He is independent and defends the north of Jingzhou.
In 208 ad, it was time to test the loyalty of Jingzhou Group employees. Liu Biao died of illness, and his youngest son Liu Cong succeeded him. Before Cao Cao’s army headed south, Jingzhou fell without fighting. When the boss changes, the employees have to reschedule. It is human nature to meet the new boss earlier and strive for a good position in the new group and new pattern.
However, the style of wenpin is different from that of ordinary people. The young leader Liu Cong asked him to join Cao Cao. He refused and said, “I can’t save Jingzhou, and I have no face to meet people, so I have to stay where I am and wait to be punished.” Everyone went north to make friends with Cao Cao, but general Wen stayed where he was, pretended to be ill at home, and waited for old Cao to cross the Han River before he went lazily to meet his new boss. Cao Cao asked him why he came so late, and the civil servant was not polite: “I couldn’t help Liu Biao to serve the country before. Although Jingzhou is gone, I can still stay in my own territory to fight with you again, protect my responsibility, live up to the orphans and weak masters, and feel at ease when I die underground. I didn’t expect that all my plans would fail. I am sad, angry and ashamed to see you today.” The implication is that I don’t want to see you.
Cao Cao is very rare for this kind of attitude, because it shows his loyalty in a high-profile and effective manner, and also creates an atmosphere of sadness. Of course, this sadness comes from the heart, which means that loyalty comes from the heart. After all, Cao Cao, the traitor of the generation, is not so easy to deceive. Cao Cao was moved. His nose was sour and he said, “general Wen, loyal minister.” So they treated each other with generous gifts. Not only that, they also granted him military power to continue to guard the northern territory of Jingzhou.
The objects of loyalty can be different, but the essence is the same. Everyone needs them.