Chapter 8 Chapter Eight Special Envoys from the Six Kingdoms Chu Palace Discusses the Cooperation

When Mrs. Jiang was buried, Zhaoyang disregarded the opposition of his tribe and released the boys and girls, and replaced them with chariots and horses and pottery figurines. Zhaoyang is Lingyin, and Zhaomen is a prominent family. This move is tantamount to announcing the abolition of the system of human sacrifice to the ancestors.People have been martyred for a long time, and the people of Ying rushed to tell each other, rejoicing.The families of the thirty-two boys and girls were even more grateful. They put on sackcloth and filial piety for Mrs. Jiangjun. Not only did Zhaoyang's move win the hearts of the people, but he did it wrongly, and unexpectedly won the praise of King Wei of Chu.On the second day after the mother's funeral, Prince Huai and the courtiers of King Wei came to the door and brought a gold plaque with the inscription "Honest Virtue Zhichun".

Xing Cai was hanging a golden plaque with his servants, when the gatekeeper led a man in black hurried in.The man in black walked up to Xing Cai, whispered for a while, then took out a letter from his sleeve, and presented it with both hands. Xing Cai was shocked. Zhaoyang had just sent off His Highness and ministers when Sibai Xiang Lei came to visit.Zhaoyang happily turned back to greet him, and went back to the living room with him to arrange refreshments.Xiang Lei came here to watch the night for his aunt. As soon as he came in, he changed into sackcloth and started to go to the mourning hall.

Zhaoyang picked up the teacup, took a sip, and looked at him sideways: "Cousin, why don't you take a sip, before it's too late." Xiang Lei heard the sound of his words, turned around and sat down, picked up a cup, but didn't sip it, looked at him with a confused expression, and asked tentatively: "Looking at my cousin's complexion, it seems to be a good thing?" "Well, it's a good thing." "What's the good thing about asking my cousin?" Zhaoyang briefly recounted the matter of His Highness sending the plaque, and finally said with a smile: "Hey, I really have to thank Su Zi for talking about it. He came to express his condolences that day and asked me to change my customs and release virgins. To be honest, I was unhappy in a thousand, and dissatisfied in ten thousand, but the situation at that time could not be controlled by my cousin. One was that it was a hindrance to the faces of the princes and grandsons of the countries, and the other was that Suzi’s tongue was really strong. My cousin couldn’t argue with him. I had to agree. Unexpectedly, after the whole incident, Jing Min didn't say thank you, even His Majesty..." He stopped talking, took another sip, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Congratulations, cousin!" Xiang Lei cupped his hands to congratulate, "This matter is indeed worthy of great congratulations. Brother Yu will send a book to my father. These days, he has been bored on the left and heart on the right. He has been nagging that we are not for my aunt. It is not filial for a pedestrian to die. If my father knows that His Majesty personally envoys His Highness to send a plaque to praise his filial piety, what should he think?" "Well," Zhaoyang nodded, "I have to explain this to my uncle, please cousin." Xiang Lei got up, fixed the family letter on the desk next to him, summoned the accompanying servants, and ordered him to send it back to his house as soon as possible.Seeing him sitting back again, Zhaoyang praised: "My cousin is really fast and resolute in doing things!"

Xiang Lei smiled, took a sip from his cup, and sketched for a while: "My cousin just mentioned Su Qin, and my brother Yu also remembered something. When my brother came over just now, I met Zuo disciple on the road. He said that Su Zi went to Zhanghuatai yesterday. .” "Oh?" Zhaoyang was taken aback, and pretending to be calm, he picked up the teacup, "How did he get there?" "It was His Highness who led him there, along with Zuo Sima Quwu and the envoys of the Ba Kingdom. I heard from Zuo Tu that Su Zi is really a stranger. He saw through Cang Wuzi's tricks as soon as he arrived at Zhanghuatai. In anger, His Majesty beheaded Cang Wuzi on the spot—"

Before Xiang Lei could say the word "Shou", the tea set in Zhaoyang's hand fell to the ground with a "bang". "Cousin?" Xiang Lei was at a loss. Zhaoyang said anxiously: "Quick, what else is Zuo disciple saying?" "It is said that His Majesty listened to Su Zi and joined the kiss." Zhaoyang was stunned for a moment, took a long breath, and shouted out, "Come here!" Just at this time, Xingcai walked to the door and responded across the door: "The old slave is here!" Xing Cai approached, and was about to kneel down to pay respects, Zhaoyang waved his hand and said, "Quick, please Chen Shangqing!"

Xing Cai didn't seem to hear it, he still knelt down and kowtowed: "My lord—" "Are you deaf? Go, please Chen Shangqing!" "My lord," Xing Cai hesitated when he saw Xiang Lei was there, "Chen Shangqing is gone!" "Gone?" Zhaoyang couldn't believe it, "Where did he go?" "Go back to Qin!" Zhaoyang was dumbfounded: "Go back...to Qin? Why didn't you come to say goodbye to such a big event?" "My lord—" Xing Cai glanced at Xiang Lei and stopped talking. Seeing the clue, Xiang Lei cupped his hands and said, "Cousin, it's getting late. Brother Yu is going to talk to my aunt." He left the living room and hurried towards the mourning hall.

Seeing him walking away, Xing Cai just took a step forward and whispered: "My lord, it is His Majesty's strict order that His Highness sent someone to escort Mr. Chen out of Ying. Mr. Chen can't say goodbye at all. However, before Mr. Chen left, he secretly asked Mr. Someone present a secret letter from the lord." He took out the letter from his sleeve and presented it with both hands, "Please read it, lord." Zhaoyang received the secret letter, saw that it was still tightly sealed, opened it up and read it carefully, dropped the letter on the ground with a "slap", squeezed through his teeth: "This bitch!"

Xing Cai's heart twitched: "My lord, Chen... What's the matter, Mr. Chen?" "Bitch dog!" Zhaoyang was furious and shouted, "From today onwards, you will call him a cheap dog!" "Dare to ask my lord, what happened to the cheap dog?" Zhaoyang pointed to the ground: "Look for yourself!" Seeing Xingcai bent down to pick up the letter he dropped on the ground, the internal fire could no longer be suppressed, and he exploded like a crossbow, "Since then, the dog has come to make me, and I will see it. He is a confidant, but what happened? He was thinking hard to encourage me to attack Wei, just to contribute to his state of Qin! I listened to him everywhere, but what happened? I don’t want to tell you how many times I hurt him, but how dare I trick my mother into eating it? The elixir, the first mother of the strange way——" suddenly realized something, "What Cangwuzi? This dog knows that this person is a fake fairy, but he deliberately used it to deceive me. I... I am blind! Mother... Mother, are you right? The filial son has harmed you, mother..."

Zhaoyang was in so much pain that he beat his chest and feet, and began to cry. Xing Cai read the letter while listening to him cry.When Zhaoyang's voice dropped, he finished reading the letter, turned his eyes a few times, and saw that the master was still holding his head with both hands, still in pain, and whispered: "Master, the villain has something to say, I don't know if it should be appropriate or not. speak?" "Say." "Reading this letter carefully, what the cheap dog said makes sense. Your majesty almost took the elixir by mistake, so he must blame the lord. It's kind of a cheap dog to let the lord pour dirty water on his head. As for dealing with He Zong, the villain thinks that the cheap There may be merits in the idea of ​​a dog. All nations agree, and there is always a struggle over who is the leader. The cheap dog suggests that the same location will be set in Mengjin—”

"Hmph, this person has sinister intentions and intentionally caused a fight between Chu and Wei, so that the people of Qin could benefit from it." Zhaoyang said angrily, "This bitch, after all this time, still wants to bite people!" "My lord, a cheap dog is not afraid of biting people, the key depends on who he is biting." Xing Cai replied in a dark voice. "Oh?" Zhaoyang heard the voice and looked over. "According to the old slave, the lord can follow the tricks, let him go if he wants to catch him, listen to the dog again, and urge his relatives to join forces with Mengjin, and urge your majesty to let the king of Wei be the leader. Use the power of the six kingdoms, especially the people of Wei, Destroy Qin State first, and then—" Before Xing Cai could finish speaking, Zhao Yang already understood, and punched several people: "Okay!" After thinking for a while, "Well, what a Xing Cai, this plan is very clever! When I hit Xianyang, catch this dog , see if you can peel off his dog's skin, boil his dog meat and drink wine. Then cut off his heart and pay homage to his late mother!" Seeing the master's venomous words, ignoring Chen Zhen's help to squeeze Zhang Yi away and accomplish Ling Yin's achievements, Xing knew that he was still angry, and changed the topic: "My lord, the most urgent thing is——" Zhaoyang raised his head and slowly looked at Xing Cai: "Say!" "I heard from the little black dog of the cheap dog that yesterday, His Majesty ordered the young master Ru to be the deputy envoy of the state of Chu, and to negotiate with the Zongqin country. It is not too late, the lord must make a decisive decision!" "Pen and ink serve!" Xing Cai found pens, inks and silks and presented them, and bowed his hands and waited on one side. Zhao Yang drew up a letter, folded it and handed it to Xing Cai: "Send it to the Deputy Ambassador!" "The villain obeys!" Xingcai turned around and left. As soon as he reached the door, Zhaoyang stopped him again: "Prepare the car, I'm going to Zhanghuatai as well!" "Here!" The young master is born of a mighty king and concubine, with a peaceful nature, no intention of government affairs, and obsessed with immortality and alchemy.King Wei tried his best to cheer up in his early years, complaining about his lack of ambition, and demoted him to the depths of the mountains west of the Xiangshui River.This relegation also took advantage of young master Ruzhi's heart, and stayed in Xiangxi for ten years without complaint or regret.After the destruction of Yue, the successful and famous King Wei got old and became better at immortality, so he thought of his son Ru and issued a decree to recall him.This time in the vertical, King Wei appointed Young Master as the deputy envoy, firstly out of respect, and secondly to support Su Qin. The day after the son was ordered, Su Qin sent an invitation card, inviting him to go to the posthouses of various countries to discuss with the envoys of the five countries about marriage and other matters.The young master had never asked about politics, and he was used to lounging in the mountains, so he didn't know how to deal with it.Looking around, there is no one who can discuss government affairs.I want to go to Zhanghuatai to ask for an order, but I am afraid that my father will scold me.If I want to go to the East Palace to ask questions, I am even more afraid that the prince will laugh at me.The young master was thinking hard all night, but he couldn't find a way to rescue him. He was making trouble for himself. Xingcai sent a secret letter from Ling Yin Zhaoyang, teaching him to do this and that. Young Master Ru has never been used to Zhaoyang, and he has many doubts about what he said in his letter. He pondered for a long time, but still couldn't find it. He walked in the hall for a few more steps, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he drove straight to the western suburbs of Yingdu. In the bend of Lishui River in the western suburbs of Yingdu, there is a sandstone mound, and a strange man named Li Li lives on the mound.The sand and stone hills are shaped like turtles, and Li Yi calls himself Guiqiuzi. When he enters, he will not lose his back for several years, and when he leaves, he will be wild and unruly. . When the son arrived, Li Li, who was dressed in rags, was riding on the branch of a big tree on the back of the turtle, singing loudly, saying: 〖Feng Xi Feng Xi, the decline of He De Can't wait for the comer, can't catch up with the past There is a way in the world, and a sage will become a sage There is no way in the world, and there is no way for a saint to live At this time, only exempt from punishment Blessing is as light as a feather, Mo Zhizhi carries it Misfortune is so serious that Mo knows how to avoid it Already almost, be kind to others Almost almost, drawing the ground and trending Lost in the sun, lost in the sun, I will walk without harm I walk but bend, without hurting my feet〗 Li Li was very excited, and after singing, he chanted again, and after chanting, he sang again, over and over again, seemingly without end.The young master walked along the path and listened, stopped nearby, and listened for a while, walked under the tree, clapped his hands and shouted: "Sir, what a song!" Li Li also saw Young Master Ru, jumped down, cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Why is the fourth young master here?" "Mr.'s wild song resounds through the sky, and the clouds stop it. How dare you not come later!" The young master bowed back. Li Li smiled heartily, sat down on the floor, pointed to the grass opposite, and said, "Sir, please sit down." The young master sat down and asked with a smile: "Is the song you just sang a new work?" "My lord, you are so proud! How can you compose such a wonderful song, a savage in the grass?" "Dare to ask where this song comes from?" "This is sung by Zhuang Zhou of the Song Dynasty, and the savages are delighted to hear it." "Zhuang Zhou?" Young Master Ru thought for a while, then shook his head, "Wan Sheng has never heard of this man." "You," Li Yue said with a smile, "Have you ever heard of a real person?" "Sir, do you mean the Ancient Realm?" Li Li shook his shaggy hair: "Zhuang Zhou can be said to be a real person in this world!" "My God!" Young Master Ruyuan opened his eyes and stared at Li Li, "Where is the real person now, can I meet you later?" Li Li closed his eyes, held back the young master for a while, opened his eyes and smiled and said, "Is the real person easy to meet?" "Listening to Mr.'s voice, I think you have seen a real person?" "Of course I've seen it!" Li Li closed his eyes again, looking like he was in a fairyland, "Two years ago, the real person traveled south to Xiaoxiang, swaggered across Ying, and passed by this hill. The savage got this wonderful song for a while." The young master said in surprise: "Two years ago, the real person traveled south to Xiaoxiang, wasn't he right at the gate of Wansheng's house?" "Hehehe, fate is far away, and it's hard to meet face to face without fate!" Li Li laughed again. Seeing that he missed the real person, the young master sighed again and again, feeling extremely frustrated. Li Li stared at him for a while, then laughed and said, "Young Master, you are here to visit the real man, right?" Young Master Ru also returned to reality, clasped his fists and said: "What you said is true. Wan Sheng encountered difficulties, so I came here to ask for advice!" "What's the problem?" "Su Zi will unite the six kingdoms and unite the world. Yesterday, the father ordered Wan Sheng to be the deputy envoy to assist Su Zi in visiting the various countries. Wan Sheng trembled and felt uneasy." Li Li laughed loudly: "Such a good job, others can't ask for it, why are you so worried?" The young master furrowed his brows tightly, and sighed: "Oh, I remember that Mr. told the late students, 'Personnel affairs are difficult to plan. If the plan fails, there will be troubles in human affairs. If the plan is successful, there will be troubles of yin and yang. If the plan is successful, there will be troubles from yin and yang. Only those who have both virtue and ability can do it.' Wansheng has little virtue and talent, how can he achieve such a victory? How can Wansheng feel at ease if he does not know this way and seeks this policy? To tell you the truth, Mr. Wansheng has always been pure-hearted and ascetic, and pays attention to diet , the heat and cold inside are evenly balanced. Yesterday was different, Wansheng Shenshi was ordered to drink ice in the middle of the night, tossing and turning on the couch, sleepless, it can be said that the days are like years!" Li Li pointed at the young master, and laughed again: "A man who wants to do something, do it if he wants to do it, and just don't do it if he doesn't want to. Why use the gossip of a savage as a shield!" "Sir, don't blame me," Young Master Ru said with a helpless expression, "Wansheng is worried about advancing and retreating, so I take the liberty to ask you, I hope you can give me some advice!" Li Li suppressed his smile: "Since the young master said so, the savage had no choice but to lie." Coughing lightly, he looked at the young master solemnly, "What you want, the young master, can be done by people. Those who are good at planning people are better than people from Lu. Zhongni. According to Zhongni’s theory, there are two major precepts in the world, one is fate, and the other is righteousness. As the son of the king, you must not ignore your relatives. This is fate. As the king’s minister, you must not ignore Above, this is righteousness. When serving relatives, seeking peace regardless of place, one can achieve ultimate filial piety; Those who can deal with it calmly can achieve the highest virtue, and can be safe from disaster. The young master is caught in a dilemma, and he knows that there is nothing he can do. As long as he can deal with it calmly, he can reach the highest virtue." "Late students just can't deal with it calmly, please teach me sir!" "If you want to deal with it calmly, you must know the way to make it happen." "Please tell me, sir!" "According to Zhongni's theory, the way to make it is to establish trust and rumors. Establish trust and avoid false deeds, and rumors should avoid excessive words. Excessive words spread will be false, false will lead to loss of trust, and loss of trust will lead to disaster." "What is the overflow?" "There are two kinds of speeches, one is the speeches of beauty, and the other is the speeches of evil. Most of the words passed down by the envoys are spoken by the emperor. When the emperor is happy, there are more beautiful words; when the emperor is angry, there are more evil words. Good The Messenger neither preaches good words nor bad words." "If you don't pass on the words of Jun Shangyi, what words should you pass on?" "Pass on the usual words." "What is Changci?" "Remove its pretense, remove its decorations, and it will be the emperor's usual speech. This is one of them." The young master inquired about the following. "The second is that the envoys do not resign." Young Master Ru's eyes widened: "Oh?" Li Li didn't seem to hear his surprise, so he squinted his eyes and said eloquently: "The envoy's eloquent words are extravagant. A good envoy doesn't fight cleverly, and doesn't persuade him to succeed. This is what we call it. Skillful fighters start with yang and end with yin; those who drink alcohol with propriety start with respect and end with chaos; Spread rumors, otherwise disasters will be caused, and this so-called disaster comes from the mouth." "Later, remember it!" The young master seemed to have a sudden realization, he meditated for a while, and then asked, "Although what the master said is wonderful, it is too far away to solve the urgent affairs at hand. Dare I ask you, sir, is there a good way to deal with the immediate matter ?” "Tell me, what is the urgent matter at hand?" "Su Zi invited Wansheng to go to the post office to discuss things with him, but Wansheng didn't know anything about union and unity, and his father and king didn't have a clear order, so Wansheng was confused. However, when Wansheng was leaving the house, Yin sent someone to Send a secret letter to make suggestions for Wansheng. Wansheng is not sure of this person's intentions, so he dare not make judgments, so please guide me!" Young Master Ru took out Zhaoyang's secret letter from his sleeve and handed it to Li Li. "Meng Jin?" Li Lie read the secret letter, frowned, thought for a while, then shook his head and smiled, "Zhaoyang's plan is not an orthodox technique!" "Non-orthodox technique?" Young Master Ru looked bewildered, "This... can it be done?" "Hehehe," Li Ye handed back the secret letter, "The savage gave you a plan. When discussing with the envoys of various countries, you should listen less and listen more. As for Zhaoyang's plan, you will follow suit and just go." If it is not a righteous technique, it is a sorcery.Not only did Li Li not object, but he asked him to act like a cat and a tiger. If the young master was puzzled, he would stare at him and ask.Li Li looked peacefully and looked back with a smile. If the young master saw his steadfast eyes, he could only nod his head and agree: "Since Mr. said so, Wan Sheng will act according to the rules." "Go!" Li Li turned over and stood up, walked to the big tree, and tried to climb up. Young Master Ru blocked the way: "Wait a minute, sir!" "What's the matter, young master?" Li Li ignored him, and Gu Zi climbed up the tree, saying as he climbed. "May I ask sir, where is Master Zhuang now?" Li Li leaned on the branch of the tree, turned his head and smiled: "Song State Mengyi." The young master bowed deeply: "Mr. Xie for your guidance!" The young master returned to Yingdu with ease. The young master just entered the mansion, and the retainers reported that the Zongqin Pavilion had been urged several times by people.If you look closely at the hourglass, the young master sees that it is too early for Shenshi, so he doesn't care about washing and combing, and changes into his official uniform. He drives straight to the post and sees Zhao Guo's deputy envoy Lou waiting outside the door, saying that it is Su Qin and everyone. The son and grandson have been waiting for a long time. When everyone heard the sound, they all came out to meet him. After seeing the ceremony, Su Qin took a step forward, took his son Ruzhi across the two courtyards, and walked into a quiet and elegant hall.There are no soldiers or soldiers in the hall, and there are no servants and maids. There are only flowers, plants, fruits and trees dotted in it. Su Qin came to the front, pointed to the seat and said, "Everyone, today is the meeting of relatives. We all have the same meeting with the Lord, and you can sit wherever you want!" When the voice fell, he took a few steps forward and sat down nearby. Everyone glanced at the round seats, all startled.All countries are the same, etiquette is very important, and the position of primary and secondary is even more sloppy. The seating position is like holding the leader during a sacrifice. All the participants value it.For this meeting, Su Qin is not only the convener, but also the envoy of the six countries, so he should take the lead.The others are all deputy envoys and should sit in the accompanying seats.However, even if you accompany a seat, there are differences between up and down.Su Qin set up this round banquet and gave up the main position on his own. Not to mention the freshness, it is undoubtedly an ingenious solution to the dispute over the position.Although this move was small, it showed Su Qin's magnanimity and wisdom.The deputy envoys of the six countries came to their senses, and they were all amazed, and each found a seat and sat down. The waiter brought the tea, Su Qinpin took a sip, his eyes fell on Lou Huan who was diagonally opposite, and motioned him to preside over the ceremony.The deputy envoys of various countries were either born in the royal family or came from the public family, but Lou Huan, the deputy envoy of Zhao Guo, was the ideal candidate for the host as a minister.In addition, Zhao is the founder of Hezong, and Su Qin wants him to preside over it, and he also intends to repay Zhao Hou. After Lou Huan finished speaking the routine, he took a few scrolls of bamboo slips from the side, which were the compendium of the marriage of the six countries.The content of the outline is nothing more than Wutong, Santong, and joint efforts to control the Qin Dynasty. Everyone has long been familiar with it. Lou Huan's reading here is nothing more than a procedure. After the reading, Lou Huan invited Su Qin to speak. Su Qin didn't refuse, and talked about the general trend of the world, the origin of the alliance and its process in a leisurely manner.Among the deputy envoys, only Young Master Ru listened to Su Qin talking about the world and discussing the national economy and people's livelihood for the first time. No matter how ignorant he is of political affairs and people's sentiments, his blood is racing and he has a lot of insights. The next step is to discuss how to meet together.The outline and other countries have already recognized it, and there is no need for disputes. The focus of everyone's attention is only on the specific matters such as the specifications of the meeting, the speeches, ceremonies, time, and place.Gongsun Kuai of Yan State, Gongzi Zhang of South Korea, and Gongzi Ru of Chu State are indisputable in nature. Tian Wen of Qi State is young, but the city is deep. Zhao Guolou Huan and Su Qin have long had a tacit understanding. , all have to ask. Without much trouble, everyone reached an agreement on the specifications of the meeting, the words of the alliance, the etiquette, the date, etc., and only disputes arose on the selection of the site.Gongsun Kui proposed to join in Luoyang and invite Zhou Tianzi to lead the alliance, but was ridiculed by Gongzi Ang and Tian Wen.Lou Huanjian said that the meeting place was set at Mianchi, Xiaoguan, Weiguo, facing Hanguguan, in order to show Qin the prestige of the six kingdoms' kinship, the young master Yang Zhen applauded, and looked eagerly at Tian Wen, hoping to get his support. However, Tian Wen turned his attention to Young Master Ru. Since entering the door, the young master has been sitting upright with his eyes closed, as if he is still in the deep mountains and old forests, and he is not holding a preparation meeting for special envoys from various countries that has a bearing on the overall situation of the world. Su Qin, who had such experience in Ghost Valley, smiled slightly and looked over.The gazes of the other special envoys followed suit. Young Master Ru obviously felt it, and his eyes slightly opened, because it was the first time to speak on such an occasion, his voice trembled a little, but his words were clear: "The state of Chu suggested that the meeting place be in Mengjin." After speaking, he closed his eyes again. If the young master uses "Chu State" instead of "under", everyone will feel the weight of these two words.A few years ago, King Wei Hui ordered the world to be the king of Mengjin. Today, the young master Ru on his own territory is not only the actual host, but also the deputy envoy of the largest country among the six kingdoms. He mentioned Mengjin again. It sent a signal that Chu State intends to let Wei be the host again and be the leader again.Everyone here knows that the young master is not good at government affairs and is not good at eloquence, so this statement is definitely not from the mouth, but from someone. Everyone looked at each other.Even Young Master Ang, who was always about to question him, was still in a daze and didn't express his opinion immediately. There was silence on the court, and the hourglass could be clearly heard. Qi Guotianwen seemed to see the mystery, and agreed first half-jokingly: "Hehe, Mengjin is indeed a good place for the meeting, and even the meeting and the same stage don't need to be built again, just a little repair." Young Master Ang also realized this, and Zhenji shouted: "Wei Guo agrees! In the past, eight hundred princes met in Mengjin to discuss Shang Zhou. Today, the heroes of the six countries will meet again in Mengjin to discuss the tyranny of Qin. How happy it is!" Tian Wen smiled, half teasingly: "There is also the matter of His Majesty the King of Wei's Mengjin Dynasty. How could the general have forgotten?" Everyone laughed. Seeing Young Master Ang's embarrassing expression, Young Master Zhang smiled and changed the subject: "Brother Wei compared Qin Gong to Shang Zhou, isn't he exalting him?" Everyone laughed again. Lou Huan suppressed her smile, and shifted her eyes to Su Qin, the meaning couldn't be more clear.Su Qin glanced over the envoys one by one, still smiling, without speaking. Lou Huan was slightly startled, and called out in a low voice, "Su Zi?" Su Qin looked at Lou Huan, and said loudly, "Deputy Zhao Guo, please speak up if you have something to say!" Lou Xu wanted Su Qin to make a statement, but Su Qin asked him instead, so he murmured, "I—" Seeing the eyes of the crowd, he gritted his teeth, "I think it's not appropriate to set the meeting place in Mengjin!" Young Master Ang's expression changed: "May I ask the envoy of Zhao Guo, what's wrong?" "King Wu made an alliance of eight hundred princes in Mengjin with the purpose of defeating Zhou. The Marquis of Wei made an alliance with all countries in Mengjin with the purpose of respecting Zhou. Today, Su Zi advocated the agreement of the six kingdoms with the intention of ending disputes and co-controling the tyranny of Qin. What Mr. Han said What's more, Qin Gong can neither be equated with Shang Zhou, nor can he be equated with Zhou Tianzi, so it is not appropriate to set up the same stage in Mengjin." Young Master Ang leaned forward and said, "Excuse me, envoy Zhao, according to your suggestion, where is the appropriate place for the meeting?" Lou Huan was speechless: "This—" "Don't tell me it's located in Handan, your country?" Young Master Ang leaned back and laughed aloud. Lou Huan blushed, and turned his gaze to Su Qin again. Su Qin coughed lightly, and calmed down and said: "Special envoys, it is our mission and even more our duty to discuss the unity of the world here. Our words and deeds are all related to the world's major affairs and the safety of the people. Don't make jokes and hurt people. Be kind!" His gaze swept to Young Master An, and then to the envoys one by one, seeing that all of them were straightened up, and said again, "The six countries should respect each other and understand each other as the premise, and seek common ground while reserving differences in everything. Discuss and discuss together. Regarding the location of the meeting, the special envoys of Yan State proposed to set it up in Luoyang, the special envoys of Zhao State proposed Mianchi, and the special envoys of Chu State and Wei State proposed to set it up in Mengjin. If you have any other suggestions, please express them here.” Everyone shook their heads. "Since there are no other proposals," Su Qin pointed to several cases, "we will choose one of the three places mentioned above. There are seven of us in total, and those who agree with more than four people will decide the location. Let's talk about Luoyang first, and those who agree will give two Fingers, like this—" Stretch out two fingers, then put them down, and glanced at everyone. Only Gongsun Kuai raised his hand and stretched out two fingers in the same way. Su Qinhou said for a while: "The second is Mianchi. Those who agree will raise their fingers." Lou Huan and Gongzi Zhang slowly raised their hands. Su Qin said again: "It's Meng Jin again, and those who agree will raise their fingers." Young Master An, Tian Wen, and Young Master all raised their fingers.Su Qin thought for a while and stretched out two fingers.When Gongsun Kuai saw Su Qin raised his hand, he also changed his mind.When Young Master Zhang saw it, he quickly raised his hand.Only Lou Huan hesitated for a while before slowly stretching out his two fingers. "Since you all agree," Su Qin withdrew his finger, "the meeting place will be in Mengjin. The auspicious date is the autumnal equinox. The ceremony will start at Mao and the leader will be held at noon. Other related matters are subject to what was agreed today. Please come back Your Majesty, seek common ground while reserving differences, and work together to achieve the great cause of unity!" "Your respect!" After everyone left, Lou Huan approached Su Qin: "Su Zi, do you...really agree with Meng Jin?" Su Qin frowned and did not speak for a long time. Lou Huan muttered in a low voice: "You are a special envoy, who can say anything about any location?" "Hey," Su Qin sighed, "If everything in the world can be decided by me, why should we travel around and join forces? Since it is a joint alliance of various countries, how can I just say a place?" Lou hurriedly said: "Just now, if you don't raise your finger, they won't be able to make up four people." "As far as the six countries are concerned, Qi, Chu, and Wei are the most powerful. The three families recommended Meng Jin. If I don't raise my hand, where do you think it will be? The address of the alliance cannot be determined, how can we meet? We can't concentrate on it all the time. Spend it on this." "Release Mengjin at the same address, and you can't invite Emperor Zhou. What will the world think of it? Besides, Wei Dehuizi and Pangzi are powerful again. All six countries will go to Mengjin. Will King Wei-" Lou Huan stopped talking. . "What you said is that this is exactly what I am worried about. But the matter has come to this point, even if the meeting place is not in Mengjin, what should happen will still happen." Lou Huan was silent. When the young master returned to the mansion, he pondered for a long time, got up and went to the Prince's mansion, and reported in detail all the matters agreed on that day. Sending away Prince Ru, Prince Huai ordered Jin Shang to summon Zuo Sima Quwu, Right Sima Jingcui, Qu Gai, Qu Ping and seven or eight capable close officials for advice.Everyone also knew about He Zong's success, and the crowd was excited.Qu Wu's eldest son, General Pi Qu Gai, who has been guarding Xiangyang, couldn't hold back, and said firstly: "Your Highness, God has given me this opportunity, the last general asks to attack Qin and recover our lost land!" "What General Qu said is true!" Prince Huai was also in high spirits, "Shang Yu's shame will not be snowed, and my heart will be restless! Now the opportunity has come, and this palace invites you to agree on a perfect plan. " His eyes swept over everyone one by one, "Everyone is the arm of the palace, and they are all familiar with the people of Qin, so if you have any good strategies, just tell them." A few young people chattered and talked about the strategy of conquering Qin, and gradually formed a consensus, that is, when the countries were united and the Qin people were unable to look south, the troops were divided into three groups, all the way out of Wancheng, and westward from Nieyang; All the way out of Rang, go north from the Tuanshui River Valley; all the way out of Junling, go north along the Danshui River Valley, attack Xi and Yu with pincers, and then the three armies from east to west, go straight to the middle, capture Wuguan, and then sweep the entire valley. Several young people offered advice and suggestions enthusiastically, but Zuo Sima Quwu sat upright with his eyes closed and did not say a word from the beginning to the end. Prince Huai couldn't hold back any longer, and turned his gaze to him: "Old General, you have fought against the Qin people for many years, and you are familiar with Shang Yu, so you must have a good strategy to defeat the enemy. Can you teach me?" "Reporting to Your Highness," Qu Wu replied, "The situation in Shangyu Valley is dangerous, with many passes. It was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Since the beginning of Shang Yang, there have been four governors, all of whom are cautious, especially the current governor Meng Shao, who is both wise and brave. The generals were selected by Duke Qin himself. The four sons under his knees are all well-read military books, proficient in martial arts, and each has the courage of ten thousand men. Meng Shao took office for six years. He took advantage of the terrain to build barriers and fortifications. Qin Fa, who persuades the farmers to farm and weave, and teaches the people to fight to the death, is my formidable enemy. My minister thinks that regaining the lost land must not be rushed!" Qu Wu's words are to enhance the ambition of Qin people, which is beyond everyone's surprise. Prince Huai took a deep breath, and fixed his eyes on Qu Wu: "As the old man loves you, what should I do?" "Soldiers are not surprising, there is no chance of winning!" "How surprising?" Qu Wu took out a roll of sheepskin from his sleeve and spread it out. It was a sketch of the military situation, densely covered with symbols.Prince Huai looked at it for a moment, raised his head and asked, "I am stupid, please teach me, old general!" "I don't dare!" Qu Wu pointed to the sketch and explained in detail, "Your Highness, please look at it. From here to here, the total length is more than six hundred miles. It is commonly known as Shangyu Valley. This black line is called Shangyu Road, also known as Shangshan Road. From Lantian in the west, Shangzhou in the middle, and Xi and Yu in the east, there are mountains on both sides, with high peaks and deep valleys, and there is no way to pass. If I suppress it with power and compete with Qin city by city, I may win and sacrifice It must be big. In the opinion of my humble minister, I should take advantage of the fact that the six countries are united and the people of Qin have no time to look after them. I will use the three routes discussed just now as a feigned attack. The main force will quietly leave Hanzhong and go north along the Mianshui River. Shuishangyuan, attack Shangcheng directly. If Shangcheng is captured, Wuguan will be destroyed by itself, and the seven towns in Zhong, Yudong, and Xi will all be like turtles in a urn, and Shangyu Valley will fall without a fight!" After Qu Wu finished speaking, everyone present was pleasantly surprised, and Qu Ping's eyes widened, staring at this battle-tested cousin with admiration.Apparently, Qu Wu has already figured out how to recover Shang Yu and avenge his former enemies. "Good strategy!" Prince Huai thought for a while, and saluted Qu Wu, "General Qu is worthy of our Great Chu Kingdom!" Qu Wu kowtowed: "The last general is not talented, I am ashamed to praise His Highness!" "General Qu, please get up quickly!" Prince Huai left the table, pulled him up with his own hands, helped him to sit down, and sighed, "Ah, when Gongsun Yang took me to fight with Ba and Yue, and captured Shang Yugu, father Because of this, the king could not sleep at night, and he worked hard to rule, and finally made my big Chu prosperous, like the rising sun, green bamboo shoots broke the ground, and the year before last, it was even more vast, with a population of one million. The grand occasion is unprecedented. The palace intends to take advantage of the opportunity to recover Lost land, shame on me. General Qu, I count on you today!" Qu Wu choked with sobs and said: "Don't worry, Your Highness, even if the final general is heartbroken, he will defeat the Qin people, regain the lost ground, and live up to your majesty's kindness!" Prince Huai lowered his voice and looked sharply: "My dear friends, what I discussed today is my top secret, no one should let it out! General Qu!" Qu Wu clasped his fists: "The end is here!" "Precisely plan to ensure that nothing goes wrong in this battle, and defeat Qin in one fell swoop!" "The final general will obey the order!" Prince Huai turned to Jing Cui, Qu Gai and several generals: "Generals, prepare for the battle and assist the old general to accomplish this great feat! I will go to Zhanghua Terrace to report to my father!" The generals cheered up: "The last general will get the order!" "And you—" Prince Huai's eyes slowly fell on Qu Ping. Qu Ping clasped his fists: "Qu Ping awaits the order!" "I see that you speak well, behave calmly, and write brilliantly. I intend to entrust you with a heavy job." Qu Ping responded loudly: "Qu Ping will go through fire and water, he is not afraid of anything!" "Young master, if you want to cultivate yourself, you are not good at socializing. You can follow the left and right, assist him in the affairs of the countries, and boost our majesty!" "Ping obey the order!" Prince Huai turned to Jin Shang: "Prepare the car!" Zhaoyang drove straight into Zhanghua Palace, boarded Sanxiu Terrace to ask to see King Wei, but was stopped by guards.Zhaoyang was so anxious that he waited in the side hall until after noon the next day before he could see him. The meeting place is still in Guanbo Pavilion.King Wei of Chu liked to be able to hear the waves in the lake not far away when he was listening to his courtiers' reports.The filial Zhaoyang followed behind the eunuchs, walked to the pavilion step by step, stepped up to the pavilion, and fell on the ground with a "plop", kowtowed heavily, and let out a mournful voice: "Your Majesty—" Hearing this wail, Wei Wang was stunned and stared at him with wide eyes. Zhaoyang cried even more sadly: "Your Majesty—" Because of the distance, King Wei couldn't see clearly, he only set his eyes on his filial attire, thinking that he was grieving for his mother, his eye circles were also red, he sighed softly, and comforted him: "Mrs. , the end of life, it should be a good death, Aiqing still needs to be mournful and resigned!" Zhaoyang broke down in sobs: "Your Majesty, Wei... Weichen..." "Zhao Aiqing," Wei Wang sighed, "Mrs. Jiang Jun has accumulated blessings and done good deeds all her life. She is virtuous, virtuous, and rich in Kunde. She can be a model of Chu women. After the fairy tour, no one died. Going extravagant and being simple, it can be a model for the world. When people hear about it, they can't help sighing!" Zhaoyang knocked his head loudly, and then wept again: "Your Majesty—" Kneeling a few steps forward, he kowtowed like garlic, "Your Majesty, this humble minister...has committed a felony again, and I hereby take the blame, and beg Your Majesty to punish me!" "Oh?" Wei Wang examined carefully, and only then noticed that Zhao Yang had his hands tied behind his back, and three thorns were stuck on his back, and he said in shock, "Zhao Aiqing, what are you... for?" "Your Majesty," Zhaoyang complained while weeping, "a while ago, my minister believed Qin's envoy Chen Zhen and mistakenly believed in Jianghu rogue Cang Wuzi, and recommended him to Your Majesty. If it weren't for the special envoy of the Six Kingdoms, Su Zihui, who knew the deception, The humble minister almost made a big mistake, the crime cannot be pardoned!" King Wei understood and sighed: "Oh, if it's for this, I should punish you! However, I heard that Mrs. Jiang Jun died after eating that person's elixir for a long time. From this point of view, Ai Qing is not It is understandable to deliberately murder a widow, but be deceived by an adulterer." "Your Majesty," Zhao Yang kowtowed again, "I only want to be loyal, but I can't tell the good from the bad, and I didn't say anything about harming my first mother, this... this..." He hurriedly knelt in front of the minister, put his posture, "draw out Vitex, whip hard, beat me to death!" The minister took a step back and looked at King Wei. “唉，也罢！”威王轻叹一声，“昭爱卿定要自请责罚，你就抽打三下，全他个心意！” 内臣应过，从昭阳背上抽出三根荆条，解去绑缚，撩开孝服，扬起一根荆条，在其裸背上象征性地抽打一下，扔掉，又拿一根，再抽。三根抽完，内臣弯腰扶他起来。 昭阳走到威王前面，正对威王跪下，叩道：“谢陛下不杀之恩！” 威王指着左侧席位：“坐吧。” 昭阳谢过，起身在几前坐下，正要说话，远处传来脚步声，当值内臣禀报合纵副使公子如求见。威王急请入见，公子如见过礼，见昭阳也在，遂在奏报六国特使议定的合纵会同事宜时，特别提道，他已遵从令尹大人吩咐，举荐孟津为合纵会同盟誓之地，六国纷起响应，已经正式确定。 威王征询的目光缓缓转向昭阳：“昭爱卿？” “陛下，”昭阳抱拳解释，“微臣此来，一是向陛下请罪，二也正是奏报此事。陛下，在我大军行将伐魏之时，苏子却来倡导天下合纵，微臣一时没想明白。近日微臣为先母守孝，得暇冥思默想，竟是恍然有悟。” “爱卿有何感悟？” “陛下，微臣以为，六国抛却前嫌，亲如一家，天下从此再无纷争，于我来说，真正是利大于弊。” “爱卿说说，如何利大于弊？” “我可与魏、齐化敌为友，共同对付虎狼之秦。魏报河西之仇，我雪商於之耻，可谓是两全其美之事。” “那……齐人呢？” 昭阳诡秘一笑：“陛下，齐人定在黄池被魏人打怕了，只要魏人要他征秦，想他不敢不征！”压低声音，越发诡秘，“按照苏秦所言，六国合纵，意在制秦。魏、秦因河西血仇数十年，几年前秦人使诈，斩杀大魏武卒八万、夺占河西不说，又乘势攻取阴晋和函谷，尽得河、山天险，迫魏迁都大梁。近年魏国文得惠施，武得庞涓，东败齐于黄池，北却赵于朝歌，南夺我陉山，势力复振，早就寻思与秦人一决高下。今六国合纵，我正可联手齐人，成魏之美，助魏夺回河西。” 楚威王身体前倾：“嗯，有意思，说下去！” “待灭掉暴秦，我可再与齐盟，齐报黄池之辱，我雪陉山之——” 想到郦敧的“非正术也”之言，公子如情不自禁地“哦”出一声，昭阳也趁机打住，目不转睛地望着威王。 威王两眼微闭，陷入沉思，许久，睁开眼睛，转对公子如：“如儿，近几日来，寡人依你所言，清心静坐，可一直坐有两个时辰，仍是心猿意马，攀东扯西，再后来，竟是心乱如麻，如坐针毯，浑身上下无一处舒服，这是怎么回事？” 昭阳见威王没有睬他，反而谈起修心之事，心里打结，又不能表露，只好跟着威王的目光，两眼怔怔地看向公子如。 “回禀父王，”公子如也吃不准威王之意，缓缓应道，“儿臣初修时也是心乱神飞，无法安坐，不到半个时辰就起来了。父王初修就是两个时辰，远胜儿臣矣！” “呵呵呵，”威王乐了，“照你此说，寡人心里踏实了。如儿，关于修身悟真，你又有何感悟？” “回禀父王，”公子如拱手奏道，“儿臣在郢西访到一个奇人。” “说予寡人听听！” “此人居于丽水河湾，号龟丘子，放浪形骸，处事洒脱。儿臣慕名而去，未曾见面，先闻一歌。儿臣驻足听之，甚有感触！” “是何歌谣？” 公子如从袖中摸出一块丝帛，双手呈上：“儿臣唯恐错记，抄录于此，请父王审阅！” 内臣从公子如手中取过丝帛，呈予威王。 威王看过，呵呵一笑，叫内臣转予昭阳：“昭爱卿，你也看看！” 昭阳细看一阵，皱起眉头：“陛下？” “昭爱卿，有话直说！” “陛下，”昭阳吃不准公子如是何用意，扫他一眼，试探道，“微臣以为，此歌似是……似是味道不对，曲辞不敬，有妄议、诽谤朝政之嫌。” “爱卿说说，他是如何妄议、诽谤朝政的？”威王笑问。 “今陛下圣治，天下昌明，歌者却说'何德之衰也'，又说圣人不出，'方今之时，仅免刑焉'，更是妄论！” “既然他是妄议朝政，以爱卿之见，该当如何处置此人？” “微臣以为，当治其诽谤朝政之罪。” “哈哈哈哈！”威王手指昭阳，笑得前仰后合。 吃威王这一笑，昭阳迷瞪两眼，不知所措。即使公子如，也是不解。 威王笑够了，转对公子如：“如儿，吟唱此曲之人，也就是你说的龟丘子，可叫郦敧？” 公子如心内一怔，不无惊奇地望着威王：“是的！父王认识他？” 威王没有回答，又笑几声，看一眼昭阳：“昭爱卿能武不能文，一心只念治兵，闲事管得少，此曲究竟何意，你这给他譬解一番！” 昭阳忙朝公子如抱一拳，自我解嘲：“陛下责的是，微臣是粗人，孤陋寡闻，请公子开示！” 公子如不解上意，又不好推托，只好说道：“我也是听来的，说不好，解不透。大体是说，道或行于未来，或行于过去，不行于当今。在这无道之世，有道之人当明哲保身，谨小慎微，不要执迷不悟，自己为自己画个圈，窝在圈里打转转。” “公子解得好！”昭阳转对威王，尴尬一笑，“陛下，是微臣粗糙，想得歪了。” 公子如仍在记挂心里的谜团：“请问父王，您是如何认识郦敧的？” 威王用手指轻敲几案，模样甚是得意：“呵呵呵，此人既是寡人子民，寡人焉有不识之理？还有，作此歌的不是郦敧，是接舆，而方才你所解释的有道之人，当是鲁人仲尼。不过，据寡人所知，这不是此歌原本。” 公子如、昭阳皆是一震，异口同声：“原歌如何？” 威王似是陷入遐思：“接舆是先祖昭王时人。据传，鲁人仲尼过游我境，接舆过其门，歌曰，'凤兮凤兮，何德之衰也？往者不可谏，来者犹可追。已而已而，今之从政者殆而！'以劝诫仲尼识时务，修真身，不要在是非圈里瞎折腾。若说接舆是昔日狂人，郦敧堪为今之狂人，只是——”盯住公子如，眉头微凝，“郦敧所歌与接舆所歌大是不同，尤其是'来者不可待，往事不可追'一句，将原意颠覆，颇让人浮想联翩，不胜感慨。寡人初闻时，也是吃惊，使人召请郦敧，欲问他个所以然，他却拒不赴召。寡人本欲亲去郊野访他，无奈冗务缠身，未能成行。如儿既已会他，有何见闻，不妨说来听听。” “回禀父王，”公子如应道，“儿臣见面，赞他作得好歌，郦敧却连连摇头，说此歌非他所作。儿臣问他何人所作，他反问儿臣见过真人否。儿臣回他，真人乃上古所有，今世何处去寻？郦敧笑儿臣孤陋寡闻，说作此歌者乃今世真人。儿臣忙问真人是谁，郦敧说，真人姓庄名周，已经得道。” “哦？”威王身子前倾，“这么说，此人已成仙了？” “这……”公子如略略一怔，“庄真人是否成仙，儿臣不知。”略顿一下，“儿臣听闻真人现居宋国蒙邑，甚想赶赴宋地一趟，求证实情，还望父王恩准！” “断不可行！”威王摆手拒绝。 “父王——”公子如再次恳求。 “如儿，”威王摇头道，“列国合纵在即，你是楚国纵亲副使，岂可随便脱身？”勾头思忖一会儿，转对内臣，“既有真人，也不可不访。你这就派两个可靠之人前往蒙邑，设法寻到庄真人，就说寡人请他再游郢地，诚意拜他为国师。” 内臣未及回应，守值内臣在亭下禀报：“启禀陛下，殿下求见！” 威王急道：“宣！” 太子槐趋步上亭，见礼后落座。 威王笑吟吟地望着他：“槐儿，观你神色亢奋，可有大事？” “回禀父王，”太子槐奏道，“六国纵亲既成，儿臣奏请向秦开战，雪我前耻，夺回商於六百里失地！” “槐儿，你且说说，如何开战？” 太子槐瞄一眼昭阳，欲言又止。 威王猜出他的顾虑，笑道：“说吧，这儿没有外人。” 太子槐只得和盘托出屈武之谋：“商於谷地东西长约六百里，形势险要，如一条长蛇。六国纵亲，盟于孟津，吉期已定。儿臣以为，我可大张旗鼓，参与会盟。秦人必定全力以赴应对，我则趁其不备，由汉中悄出奇兵，越少习山，袭取武关、於中，将长蛇拦腰截断，然后据关守隘，东西合围，尽取商於！” “嗯！”威王依旧笑吟吟的，“是谁想出此谋的？” “左司马。” 见谋出于屈武，昭阳暗吃一惊，目光急切地望向威王。 威王捋须，沉吟一时，转向昭阳：“屈将军此谋，昭爱卿意下如何？” “回禀陛下，”昭阳奏道，“微臣以为，此谋甚好，我可一举夺得商於谷地，一雪前耻。只是——”故意顿住，扫太子槐一眼。 “只是什么？”威王问道。 昭阳稍作迟疑：“此谋虽好，却不利于实施。少习山南北两百里，高险奇绝，流水湍急，虫豹滋生，历来为魑魅魍魉所居，人迹罕至，大兵岂可翻越？再说，即使能够翻越，又如何运输辎重？人马辎重上不去，少数尖兵非但夹击不成秦人，反易遭受秦人夹击。做得好，可一战成功；做不好，反遭秦人耻笑。” “依爱卿之计，该当如何？” “眼下六国合纵，亲如一家，秦人纵是一块精铁，也会被碾成粉末。微臣以为，我当致全力于纵亲，与列国一道，协力擒秦，由函谷大道马踏咸阳。咸阳是本，商於是末。只要咸阳在手，区区商於六百里谷地，哪里跑去？” “嗯，”威王轻轻点头，转对太子槐，“槐儿，如儿，昭爱卿，听旨！” 三人皆离席位，跪于地上。 威王目视公子如：“如儿，照会苏子及列国特使，就说六国合纵为一，协力摒秦，寡人此番亲去赴会！” "My son obeys the order!" 威王转对昭阳：“昭爱卿！” “微臣在！” “点三军八万，与寡人同往孟津，参与会同，壮纵亲声威！” 昭阳声音高亢：“微臣领旨！” 威王的目光缓缓落在太子槐身上：“槐儿！” "My son is here!" “坚守郢都，谨慎国事，不可轻举妄动！” “儿臣——遵旨！”