The emperor sentenced Wei Zi to death.

China people pay great attention to face, and they will pay attention to face and ostentation and extravagance in everything they do, and this form has been completely rooted in the social and psychological construction of culture. Face is formed and expressed in the process of interpersonal communication. Face is situational and changeable, and it is also the embodiment of a person's dignity and self-esteem. Face is a person's self-image, and face is a symbol of valuing virtue over profit. .....................................................................................................................................................

This situation is especially common among relatives, but, you know, in ancient times, "saving face" had other meanings. The so-called "saving face" of the ancients is different from the face-lifting now. It means that after some officials commit capital crimes, they can't forgive them, but they can't lose half a point on their faces. Even when they are dying, they want to preserve their dignity, not to mention the face given by the emperor.

However, this tradition did not exist at the beginning. Speaking of it, it all started in the early Han Dynasty.

With the assistance of ministers, Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang beheaded the White Snake Uprising and unified the whole country. But after he ascended the throne, he was always uneasy, fearing that the king he recruited would rise up and rebel after his death. At that time, his sons can't play with them. Wouldn't that be like following in the footsteps of Qin Keqing II? Therefore, Liu Bang simply decided to brutally kill the heroes who fought the world together at that time.

Later, when he came to power in Lv Hou, his cruelty was even worse. He once created the famous "hostage-taking" incident. She cut off her hands and feet, gouged out her eyes, cut off her nose, made a stick, and put it in a vat, leaving it waiting for death in pain and despair. That Lv Hou's son Hui Di saw this behind the scenes and lamented his mother's cruelty, even the emperor didn't want to do it.

This situation didn't change until Emperor Wen's time. He made an unwritten rule: "All ministers who commit capital crimes are not allowed to extort confessions by torture, and they must take their own lives. Even if they die, they must die with dignity." This tradition has been used by later generations, and few people have broken this rule.

In fact, what really played such a big role should also be attributed to an old meritorious figure in the Han Dynasty: Jiang Hou Zhou Bo.

Zhou Bo, originally the military commander of Liu Bang, followed Liu Bang along the way and finally laid a solid foundation. When Lv Hou was in power, he assumed the post of Prime Minister. After Lv Hou's death, he mastered the military power and together with Chen Ping put down the "chaos of all roads". After that, all Wang people were killed, and it was decided to be the emperor instead, that is, the famous emperor of China.

After Emperor Wendi ascended the throne, considering his achievements, he appointed Zhou Bo as the first prime minister. Frequency is so beautiful that he is even cocky. Every time Wendi got up and sent him away, he had to watch him leave. It can be said that it gave him a high honor. However, as the saying goes, "everything must be missing, and the extremes must be reversed." Frequency is obviously aware of this.

Just one day, someone around him advised him, saying, "You are a founding hero. Moreover, you not only killed Lv Hou, but also established a new monarch. But now you are a very important person. On the surface, you have unlimited scenery. In fact, you are at the forefront and may be killed at any time. " This statement really coincides with Zhou Bo's idea, so Zhou Bo resigned from the above table, and Emperor Wu readily agreed.

However, this is not over yet. Although Zhou Bo gave up power, considering his influence, Emperor Wendi still didn't trust him. At that time, many governors were supposed to leave Beijing for fiefs according to regulations, but most of them coveted the prosperity of Beijing and were unwilling to leave the power center. Emperor Wen of Han took this opportunity to propose to Zhou Bo: "You are a founding hero and respected. Please bring a good start. "

After the frequency arrived at the fief, Emperor Wendi finally breathed a sigh of relief, but the frequency was not practical.

He thought to himself, "Emperor Wen of Han has troubled himself so many times, and his mind is deep, which is really beyond his expectation. I'm afraid he still can't reassure Emperor Wendi. " Therefore, the more he thought about it, the more afraid he became. Finally, he got a heart attack. So that every time a local official visits him, he thinks that Emperor Wen of Han sent someone to take his life. Every time he meets an official, he always arranges his servants to be fully armed to prevent accidents.

This is really, what's terrible? One day, Zhou Bo was really charged with treason! At that time, Emperor Wendi was very relieved about the frequency. He was also very aware of the strength of the frequency and knew that he was unable to resist. However, since someone is suing, why not take the opportunity to make another fuss and get rid of your heart disease completely?

As a result, Zhou Bo had a hard time in prison. He was tortured all day, which completely changed his appearance. Zhou Bo is a born military commander. He is not good at making friends with people. In addition, he was worried that Emperor Wen of Han did it on purpose, so he was on tenterhooks all day. Although I know my innocence, this is a hundred arguments. I'm afraid I will give in to this torture and get a confession.

At this time, Zhou Bo's son sent 1200 gold to the jailer who interrogated him. The jailer looked calm, but he wrote a small line on the back of the bamboo tube where Zhou Bo's confession was recorded: "The princess can prove her innocence." Zhou Bo was overjoyed when he saw this scene. He quickly told the news to his son. Before that, his son married a princess who lived in the dynasty, and now this princess is his lifeline.

At this critical moment, another rescuer of Zhou Bo also stood up. She is the mother of Emperor Wendi, Empress Bo.

After knowing this, Empress Bo kept silent until Emperor Wen of Han paid his respects to his mother, and she flew into a rage, fell off the crown and cursed. He said: "If this cycle really wants to rebel, why wait until now? At the beginning, he killed Lv Hou, and he was in awe of the three armed forces. If there is really infidelity, can you still be an emperor? " This meal made the Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty denounce it, and he dared not speak. He obeyed again and again, and Zhou Bo was acquitted.

Zhou Bo, who walked through the gate of hell once, finally understood the truth that "companions are like tigers". He couldn't help but sigh: "I, Zhou Bo, once commanded thousands of troops and was awesome everywhere, but now I am not as good as a little jailer!" Although Zhou Bo was acquitted, officials at that time were still indignant.

One of them is a talented young man named Jia Yi. Knowing that he had been abused for no reason, he criticized Wendi by innuendo. In his famous "Public Security Policy", he talked a lot about Confucian principles, such as courtesy, justice, honesty and shame. It is said that those who have made meritorious deeds are, after all, people with status. Even if they make mistakes, they should not insult their dignity. They should be made aware of their shame and then change.

Jia Yi didn't dare to mention the name of Zhou Bo, but Emperor Wendi knew it.

Therefore, in the face of such an influential figure at that time, Emperor Wen of Han finally made a rule: "When a loyal minister dies, he is ordered to commit suicide". However, soon after this regulation came down, it met with a "hard nail."

Zhao Bo, the uncle of Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty, killed the messenger and committed a capital crime. He should be beheaded.

However, Zhao Bo was an active minister of Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty and a relative of the country. Coupled with the new rules, Emperor Wendi advised him to commit suicide. It's a pity that this Zhao Bo really cherishes his life and hides in the mansion all day, but no matter how hard he is forced, he refuses to die. Emperor Wen of Han thought of a way. He sent all the ministers of the Qing Dynasty to Zhao Bo's house, dressed in linen and Dai Xiao, to mourn for Zhao Bo. The treatment of this state funeral is really enough to give face, so Zhao Bo went to bite the tongue.

Since then, this rule has been handed down.

Emperor Wen of Chinese made new rules, which were finally influenced by Jia Yi's Confucian Ethics: Qin emphasized the legal system and took officials as teachers. At the beginning of Han Dynasty, Huang Lao's learning was practiced, and the family was self-cultivated, but the legal system was still the same as that of Qin Dynasty. Later, in order to stabilize people's hearts, Confucianism was gradually introduced. By the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Confucianism was introduced on a large scale and gradually developed into "Confucianism outside the country and internal law" ......

It can be said that the change in the way Emperor Wen of Han handled the death penalty of ministers also reflected a gradual process from "Fa" to "Confucianism".