Chapter 6 Know what your opponent likes

Zuo Zongtang entrusted Hu Xueyan to do things, of course he must first understand Hu Xueyan's character.There is no better way to understand who a person is than to talk.From the conversation, we can thoroughly understand the thoughts of others.Before the two trust each other, everyone is also finding out each other's temperament to see if the personality is suitable.In order to develop his career, Hu Xueyan has also worked hard to understand his opponents and do what he likes. Let us see how Hu Xueyan caters to others from the relationship between Zuo Zongtang and Hu Xueyan. Zuo Zongtang is a scholar, but he is a very unlucky scholar. He took the exam several times, but he was only a jurengong. This is the thing he regrets the most.The examination system at that time was divided into several levels. The lowest level was the examination held in the countryside, and those who passed were called Juren.

Juren had to take the general examination held in the capital the following year, and those who passed the examination had to take the palace examination again, and those admitted in the palace examination were called Jinshi.The first place in the Jinshi examination is called the number one scholar, the second place is called the second place, and the second place is the Tanhua. Contemporary high officials are promoted in this way, such as Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang.Only Zuo Zongtang was special. He was just a Juren, and he couldn't even pass the Jinshi exam.According to general habits, Zuo Zongtang cannot hold high positions.Because of the chaos in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Manchu Qing government could no longer cope with the ups and downs of the local turmoil, so it had to rely on the power of local organizations to eliminate the chaos in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.Zuo Zongtang is such a person who was promoted by military merit.

Hu Xueyan didn't read much, so if he talked about reading with Zuo Zongtang, he wouldn't be speculative at all. Fortunately, he was willing to learn, and often talked with friends who had read to learn knowledge. Once, when the two talked about their future, Hu Xueyan said: I want to do big business.Because when I looked in the mirror, I realized that I didn't look like official material.Hu Xueyan intends to praise Zuo Zongtang.Everyone's achievements are obtained through hard work. Of course Zuo Zongtang has such a status, it is not easy, but among his peers, there are often people who are more successful than him, but what about those who are lower than him?But he is not qualified to talk to him.In fact, successful people are very eager for the appreciation and approval of others.It's a pity that the boss won't praise him, and the wife around him takes it for granted and won't praise him either. As for the followers and friends?I want to praise my boss, but because of my identity and status, I can’t speak out. From this analysis, successful people are lonely. They always hope that others will recognize their achievements and say a few words of praise.

You are so capable, you have many powerful bureaucratic friends, right?Zuo Zongtang asked, he wanted to know Hu Xueyan's background. Although they are friends with me, I will not curry favor with them.Hu Xueyan said, now, I just want to curry favor with one person.Having said that, Hu Xueyan deliberately stopped to see Zuo Zongtang's reaction. Like a child looking forward to the candy from his father, Zuo Zongtang continued to ask: Who do you want to curry favor with? Who else, of course, is an adult.Hu Xueyan said, I did not curry favor with you to be an official.Hu Xueyan had already explained this point, and now he emphasized his tone in order to open Zuo Zongtang's heart and make him accept himself.People who are good at negotiating and selling, if they want to make the other party accept themselves, there is no better way to let the other party know that they have nothing to ask of him.

I repay the Lord for two reasons: the first is to drink water and think of the source. I was able to return to my hometown of Hangzhou.Your Excellency has avenged us, the whole people are really grateful, even the dead are comforted.Hu Xueyan had already praised Zuo Zongtang to the sky, and then he said: The second point is to repay the kindness of knowing you.It is my good fortune that the adults hit it off with me at first sight Zuo Zongtang couldn't bear it anymore, and quickly said: "Brother, you are too serious, you are too high for me."Although it is a humble word, Zuo Zongtang seems to be worthy of it.Everyone also likes to be flattered by others.

This is the truth, with the shrewdness of adults, you must be able to see it.Hu Xueyan knows people very well, knowing that more flattery is beneficial, so he repeatedly emphasized that this is not a random boast, and he said: I also have some ambitions, and I want to do something to make my ancestors proud.According to my experience, to be successful, there must be two foundations: the first is one's own ability, and the second is opportunity.I met the adults this time, so I have seized the opportunity. Your character is very straightforward, and you are very close to me.Zuo Zongtang is highly praised, what is your career goal?Please speak and listen.

When Zuo Zongtang asked this question, Hu Xueyan should be able to speak directly, but if he did, he was afraid that he would be too blunt and uneducated.Since he made friends with scholars, he has gradually learned some speaking skills from the conversation, and occasionally throws his schoolbag. Have you ever heard a story about Emperor Qianlong going to the south of the Yangtze River to live in Jinshan Temple in Zhenjiang?Hu Xueyan said. Zuo Zongtang couldn't help laughing when he heard this.Why are you laughing?First, Emperor Qianlong went to Jiangnan six times and stayed at Jinshan Temple each time, but Hu Xueyan did not say which time; second, Zuo Zongtang knew all the allusions, but Hu Xueyan explained them to him. tell a story.However, Zuo Zongtang was in a very good mood at the time, and he also hoped that Hu Xueyan would continue, so he asked: Which story?

I don't know either, but I heard from a sworn brother.Hu Xueyan answered. It is said that when Emperor Qianlong traveled to Yangzhou, a great salt merchant in Yangzhou greeted Emperor Qianlong at Jinshan Temple and invited a articulate abbot to accompany him.Emperor Qianlong watched the sailboats passing by the river, and couldn't help asking the abbot: How many sailboats are there in the river?After hearing this, the abbot replied with a puzzling sentence: There are only two ships.Emperor Qianlong was puzzled, and was about to ask questions. The abbot said: "One of the ships passing by is called Ming, and the other is called Li."

Of course Zuo Zongtang knew this story, and he also understood Hu Xueyan's intentions: Hu Xueyan only wanted to do business to make money, and he didn't consider being an official.After Hu Xueyan used this allusion to explain, Zuo Zongtang couldn't help thinking that Hu Xueyan was not a person who had no ink in his belly. It can be seen from this that Hu Xueyan, who does not study much, knows that prosperity depends on ability, and nobleness depends on reading. Although he is busy and has no time and energy to study, he is good at making friends, learning from others, and absorbing knowledge.To climb up, after all, you must know how to speak a set of respectable philosophies, so that people will not find it annoying.

However, I think that what the abbot said may not be all right.What Hu Xueyan said made Zuo Zongtang feel astonished, and Hu Xueyan said: The boats on the river come and go, both for fame and profit. Having said that, it went a step further, and Zuo Zongtang couldn't help but think that this friend in front of him was very creative. You said that fame and fortune are the same thing, which is a little new.I believe you also have some unique insights!Zuo Zongtang asked with great interest. I'm just talking nonsense.Hu Xueyan said, I often think that in life, we only seek fame and fortune. As businessmen, we believe that we seek fame first, because we focus on gold-painted signboards. Once we have a reputation, it is like digging a golden mountain.Therefore, we work very hard to establish reputation. With reputation, business will naturally prosper in the world, and the name is well deserved.Therefore, I believe fame and fortune are one and the same thing.

It's very interesting that you said that you deserve your name and you deserve your name.Zuo Zongtang said, besides doing business, it is also useful in other aspects, right? Of course, the same is true in officialdom.Hu Xueyan said, for example, if a person has grades in studies, before the exam, the examiner also wants to know in advance and accept him as a student. Speaking of this, Hu Xueyan knew that he was excited for a while, and he overdid it, and fell into Zuo Zongtang's taboo.Zuo Zongtang failed many times in the exams. Hearing the name of Jinshi and Hanlin made him feel very sour. This example was poorly explained. Fortunately, Hu Xueyan's mind turned quickly, so he immediately borrowed his strength and said something else to flatter him. Take my lord as an example. Hu Xueyan said that back then, my lord was very capable in handling affairs in Hunan. Everyone knew that there was a Master Zuo, even the emperor. Do something for me.If you don't become an official, you will be dead, and if you do, you will be in charge of the platform.This is a record break. No one has just entered the official career and became a governor all at once.Isn't the lord's kindness well deserved? With such a handful, Zuo Zongtang seemed to have risen to the height of the blue sky, and he was really a little ecstatic. He unconsciously twirled the white mustache around his lips, and said: Although the old man praised him, it is the truth.This old man is the first one to take up this important task. This kind of odd number has made a lot of black air for the frustrated scholars in the world.Come, come, let me toast you. In this way, the friendship between Zuo Zongtang and Hu Xueyan has improved a lot.If Hu Xueyan hadn't studied for many years, read more books, and listened to other people's stories, even though he has the eloquence to praise others, it would only be vague and unrealistic. Book.