Please enter the ward
Source: Zhang Yu of the Tang Dynasty "Chaoye Qianzai Zhou Xing" [Original text] Someone told Wenchang's right prime minister Zhou Xing and Qiu Shenji to make a plan, and the empress dowager ordered his minister to pray. Jun Chen and Xingfang condemned the food, and said to Xing, "There are many prisoners who do not inherit, so what should we do?" Xing said, "This is very easy! Take a big jar, roast it around the charcoal, and let the prisoner enter the middle, so why not accept it?" Jun Chen then asked the big jar, and the fire surrounded the method of Xing, and came up to say to Xing, "I have an internal suggestion to push my brother, please enter this jar." Xing kowtowed in panic and concealed his guilt.
[Translation]
When Wu Zetian was in power, he trained many obedient thugs and often monitored the ministers. If anyone opposed her, she would be arrested and tortured and forced to confess, and then sent to death row.
Wu Zetian has two capable generals under his command, one is Zhou Xing and the other is Lai Junchen. They snatched the wind and shadows everywhere, and if there was any movement, they would arrest the other party and torture them severely. Especially Zhou Xing, he was the most vicious, and many upright subjects died at his hands.
Once someone reported that Zhou Xing and a minister wanted to rebel. Because Zhou Xing was the right prime minister, Wu Zetian was furious. She handed over this matter to Lai Junchen and told him to find out the truth.
Lai Junchen had no clue because he knew that Zhou Xing was in a high position and power. If he rashly arrested him now, he would be a warning to the enemy. If he didn't completely defeat him, there would be endless troubles in the future.
Lai Junchen knew that the Empress Dowager had long wanted to get rid of Zhou Xing, but it was impossible to get Zhou Xing to do it with just one letter. After thinking about it, I don’t know what to do. So he tried his best to rack his brains, and finally got it with a thigh, so he did it!
Lai Junchen said he had something to look for Zhou Xing, so he invited him to his home. Seven plates and eight bowls made a table of good dishes, and then took out good wine and two of them ate and chatted.
During the meal, Lai Junchen kept flattering Zhou Xing and praising him. Zhou Xing became more and more excited as he drank, so he became a little bit ecstatic. So, Lai Junchen looked sad and began to ask Zhou Xing, saying, "Brother, I have encountered a difficult problem recently, but I have to ask me for some tips. I must tell you everything and say everything."
Zhou Xing asked what happened, brother, tell me, who will be with us, I will definitely help you if you can help me. Lai Junchen said, some prisoners are too hard-mouthed. I couldn't open my mouth, and I used all the torture instruments, but I didn't use them at all. What to do? Zhou Xing smiled and said, "Brother, you are asking the right person." I will teach you a few tricks. Lai Junchen was so happy that he couldn't stop talking. I heard from Zhou Xing, what's the difficulty? I only use one move, those who are stubborn will definitely beg for mercy. You prepare a large urn, put it on the fire, and then let the stubborn prisoner enter it. Without saying that, he keeps adding the fire. Think about it, who can withstand such a punishment? I guess no one refuses to confess!
Lai Junchen heard this, laughed and clapped his hands and said, it was indeed a good idea! I immediately shouted, "Come on, carry a urn to the yard and put it on the fire!" Then he told Zhou Xing that someone wrote to the emperor, saying that you conspired with others to rebel. The Lord asks me to investigate you! I'm worried that there is no way to let you speak. Since you have come up with such a good method, let you use it first. Lord Zhou, please fall into the trap! When Zhou Xing heard this, he was stunned, sweating heavily, and suddenly collapsed to the ground. Then he said to Lai Junchen, I confess my guilt and I confess!
This is the allusion to ask you to get into the trap. It means that the trap you designed yourself got into it. Later it was extended to set up a trap so that the enemy could find ways to get in.
