People living at the bottom of society, because they do not have the advantage of status and the blessing of resources, they need to experience more grievances and sadness if they want to succeed. And it is precisely in such an almost shirtless struggle that those who stand out from the bottom can see the essence of human nature more clearly. For example, Liu Bang's strategist, Chen Ping, is such a person. 
Liu Bang once said after pacifying the world: In the planning and planning of the husband, the decisive victory is thousands of miles away, and I am not as good as the ovary; Town the country, care for the people, give naan, endless food, I am not as good as Xiao He; Even an army of millions, the battle will be won, the attack must be taken, I am not as good as Han Xin. These three are all masterpieces, I can use them, so I take the world. ("Gaozu Benji").Therefore, later generations called Zhang Liang, Xiao He, and Han Xin "the three heroes of the early Han Dynasty". Why is it that in terms of resourcefulness, Chen Ping, who has also made outstanding contributions, can't compare to Zhang Liang in Liu Bang's heart? This starts with the difference between Chen Ping and Zhang Liang's stratagem. Zhang Liang's strategy is more of a "yang strategy" from a strategic point of view. For example, after entering the customs, it was suggested that Liu Bang should not occupy Xianyang and retreat to the hegemony; For example, after entering Hanzhong, it was suggested that Liu Bang burn the plank road to show that Xiang Yu had no intention of the East; For another example, in order to protect the prince, it was suggested that Empress Lu ask Liu Bang to ask the four masters who could not go out of the mountain to assist the prince and so on. Zhang Liang's plans are far-reaching, considered holistically, and can be openly regarded without concealment. Chen Ping's strategy is more tactically forceful, focusing on the "conspiracy" to solve specific problems, and he is often unscrupulous, using more private bribery, such as the "siege of Pingcheng" of the Xiongnu by bribing Shan Yu's wife mentioned in the previous article about Xiahou Ying. The difference in strategy between the two men is obviously closely related to their school experience. Zhang Liang was a Korean nobleman, and later studied the "Art of War"; Chen Ping was born at the bottom and worked hard by various unscrupulous interest exchanges. Therefore, each person has his own characteristics, and each person has his own usefulness. For Liu Bang when the princes were fighting, Zhang Liang had his "Zhang Liang plan", and Chen Ping also had his "ladder over the wall". These two people are his right-hand men, and they are indispensable. But when it came to the founding stage, Liu Bang's position was different. He must establish a correct value orientation: conspiracy can be used privately, but on the surface, it must be a conspiracy. From this point of view, Chen Ping lost to Zhang Liang in meritorious service, and he was not wronged. So, how did Chen Ping's "conspiracy" wisdom come about? We can learn from his upbringing. 
Chen Cheng is a peaceful person, and he is also a native of Yangwu Township. When he was young, his family was poor, he was good at studying, he had 30 acres of land, and he lived alone with his brother and uncle. Bo often ploughs the fields, and makes study tours. ("Chen Chengxiang's Family").Judging from Sima Qian's introduction to Chen Ping, Chen Ping was from a different aristocratic background than Zhang Liang, he was at the bottom of the society at that time, and his parents died early. As a farmer, but not engaged in production, fortunately there is a good brother who loves him and supports him to study around. In the words of the common people now, Chen Ping when he was young was a second-rate son who did not do his job. But we can also say that when he was young, Chen Ping was a motivated young man with lofty aspirations and a desire to achieve a class leap by improving his knowledge. Chen Ping, who is at the bottom and eager to jump, lacks resources and opportunities the most. Therefore, when he reached the age of marriage and was faced with the opportunity to marry the granddaughter of a local wealthy man, he did not hesitate to fight for it. Zhang Cheng's granddaughter has been married five times, but her husband is dead. In the eyes of the people at the bottom, isn't this woman Kefu's life? Everyone avoided it, but Chen Ping was willing. Everyone blames it, and the wise call it! Chen Ping: Has this met true love? Of course not, he just wants to get the resources he lacks through this marriage. In this regard, Zhang Ying, who can be rich in the first side, naturally knows it, but he can also see that Chen Ping is a person who has the ambition to achieve great things. Zhong (Zhang Cheng's son) said: "Poverty is nothing, a county is full of laughter, how can it be a woman?" Negative said: "People are inherently beautiful and as beautiful as Chen Ping, but they are poor and lowly? "Pawn and woman. In order to alleviate poverty, it is a fake loan to hire, and to give wine and meat to women. He admonished his grandson and said: "Don't be poor, don't be careful." A brother and uncle are like a father, and a sister-in-law is like a mother. "Ping married Zhang's daughter, used it for good, and traveled widely. ("Chen Chengxiang's Family").For the Zhang family, this is an investment; For Chen Ping, it was an opportunity to pry the door of a higher platform. This marriage is essentially a combination of ambition and resources, and the Zhang family and Chen Ping each take what they need. 
Why is Chen Ping ambitious? List of high-quality authors Sima Qian also recounted a small thing:In the middle of the society, the flat is slaughtered, and the meat is evenly divided. The father said: "Good, Chen Ruzi is slaughtered!" Ping said: "Wow, so that Ping can slaughter the world, and it is like meat!" ”("Chen Chengxiang's Family").In the ceremony of sacrificing the land god in the township, Chen Ping was able to get the opportunity to slaughter and share the meat, which reflected from the side: Chen Ping has made some good achievements with the help of his wife's resources, at least it has been widely recognized by the villagers. After all, no one anywhere would let a "second-rate" share the sacrificial meat. And he was able to do the work of dividing the meat carefully and appropriately, so evenly that everyone was satisfied. This is actually Tai Shi Gong's writing of "seeing the big from the small". Evenly divided is not to praise Chen Ping for his good mathematics, but to say that he has already grasped the temperament, character, thoughts and other situations of these people in the township, such as Zhang San is greedy, Li Si is honest, Wang Wu is bored gourd, Qian Liu is the most difficult, Liu Qi likes to eat fat, Zhao Ba loves to eat thin, etc. The so-called many mouths are difficult to reconcile, but human nature is knowable. It can be said that at this time, Chen Ping was already able to understand human nature. In the end, Chen Ping's emotion is even more meaningful, just like Liu Bang said when he saw Qin Shi Huang on the way, "The husband should be like this", which is a straightforward expression of his inner ambition. It can be seen that if you want to achieve great things, you must first have great ambitions. This will remain the same for all eternity! End of this article.