Chapter 2 wedge

In the autumn of 362 BC, a rare and vicious battle was fought in the Shaoliang Mountains on the west bank of the Yellow River. The war is over.In the autumn twilight, the infantry and cavalry in red armor had retreated to the southern hills outside the main battlefield, and the character "Wei" on the big banner was still faintly visible.The hilltop to the north of the main battlefield was covered in darkness, and the corps with black flag armor lined up neatly under the banner of the "Qin" character. They looked angrily at the Wei army on the hilltop to the south, ready to charge again at any time.The Wei army on the hill to the south also regrouped into two cavalry formations, and looked at the Qin army on the hill to the north angrily, also ready to charge at any time.The blood-red sunset was gradually fading, and the two sides were facing each other like this. Neither side retreated, nor did any side rush to kill, and neither side competed for the numerous corpses and discarded chariots on the main battlefield in the valley.Just like two fierce tigers staring at each other, no one can leave the battlefield first.

This is a strange war, there is no winner or loser, and both losers. The Black Legion, led by Qin Xiangong Yingshi Xie himself, beheaded 50,000 Wei troops in half a day of fierce battle.His son Ying Quliang led three hundred dead men, charged straight into the center of the enemy line, and captured the commander of the Wei army, Gong Shucuo, in one fell swoop!According to the scale and evaluation criteria of the early Warring States period, this is a huge victory.Surprisingly, Wei Jun not only did not break up after the commander was captured, but turned back desperately in an attempt to snatch the commander back.Qin Xiangong saw three hundred dead soldiers of his eldest son Ying Quliang fall into the vast ocean of the red Wei army. In desperation, he swung his long sword and personally led five thousand elite cavalry into the enemy's line to meet his son.The two armies met, and the morale was greatly improved.Ying Quliang took the lead and led the dead to break out of the encirclement.Qin Xian blocked the attack after making a decisive decision. Seeing that he was about to leave the Wei army, he was shot in the back by a cold arrow.Qin Xiangong pierced his heart and lungs, let out a low growl, and almost fell off his horse.At this time, Ying Quliang had already handed over Uncle Zuo to the general of the rear army, and led the dead to fight back.Under the leadership of Ying Quliang, the Qin army charged and killed the Wei army three miles away.When I came back and looked at my father-in-law again, the arrow on Qin Xiangong's vest had penetrated more than five inches, and a black halo had already oozes out around it.The doctor accompanying the army was sweating profusely, but he didn't know what to do?

Qin Xiangong's complexion was sallow, and he lay down on the army couch and said in a low voice: "Quliang, withdraw the troops... Liyang." Then he passed out. "Is it a poisonous arrow?" Ying Quliang burst into tears, but did not panic. The imperial physician nodded hastily: "This is Wei Guo's Wolf's Poison Arrow, which is hard to understand for a while." "Do you dare to remove it?" "Shoot the arrow quickly, the iron cluster penetrates more than five inches, and it cannot be pulled out." The imperial physician shook his head.

Ying Quliang looked around at the generals in the tent, cupped his hands to a mighty general, and said, "Brother, break the arrow." The young general is the concubine son of Duke Xiang of Qin and the eldest brother of Ying Quliang, named Ying Qian.The crescent-shaped long sword in his hand was extremely strange and rare. Hearing Ying Quliang's greeting, he walked behind his father-in-law, drew out the long sword and stood still, his hands trembling slightly.You must know that the arrow tuft penetrated into the flesh, and the point where the arrow shaft received the force was the wound on the vest. If the arrow shaft was shaken to drive the arrow tuft due to carelessness, the father-in-law would be in immediate danger of his life.Besides, the weapons of the Wei state are extremely finely crafted. The long arrow shafts are made of high-quality hardwood, and they have been painted with tung oil lacquer several times. They are so shiny and smooth that ordinary swords are hard to use.Even though this crescent moon sword is a magic weapon, but it has never cut the shaft of such an arrow, do you know what happened?Yingqian was so nervous that his head was sweating, and he prayed secretly in his heart: "Tianyue Sword, Tianyue Sword, save my father's life." With concentration, he raised the Tianyue Sword and waved it lightly, only to see a ray of light flicker— —The blade has not yet touched, and the shaft of the arrow has been cut off silently by the sword energy!Yingqian stretched out his left hand, grabbed the broken arrow shaft in the air, and looked at his father-in-law, but he didn't notice it at all.Yingqian let out a long sigh and couldn't help but fell into the tent.

The generals in the tent also gave a soft "ah" at the same time. Ying Quliang was as calm as usual, and ordered: "Teacher immediately. Who wants to end the queen?" Ying Qian jumped up, "I'll come after the end. If you don't kill Wei Gou, Ying Qian will come to see you!" "Brother," Ying Quliang said in a low voice, "my father-in-law is seriously injured. At the moment, the overall situation should be the top priority, and I can't love to fight. If the enemy doesn't pursue me, I won't move. Stand firm overnight and withdraw immediately tomorrow. Don't act rashly. I'm waiting in Liyang you."

Yingqian suddenly came to his senses, "Okay. Brother understands, return to the army tomorrow." Ying Quliang immediately ordered the generals in the tent: "The former army Zi'an opened the way, the chief Shi Gongsun Jia led the Chinese army to protect the monarch, and the rest of the generals followed the Chinese army to protect the king. I led three thousand cavalry to escort back. Immediately pull out the battalion." All the generals agreed, and strode out of the tent, the mountains north of Shaoliang suddenly became tense and busy. Dark clouds cover the moon, and the autumn wind is bleak.The Qin army's position is still high with military lights and the sound of fighting.The Wei army on the opposite mountain is also a bonfire military lamp, and is on tight alert, waiting to regain the commander in tomorrow's fierce battle.The military law of the State of Wei: if the commander dies in battle, the soldiers are not guilty; if the commander is captured, the generals of the three armies and the guards will all be punished with death.Now the prime minister and commander-in-chief's father-in-law Zuo was captured alive by the Qin army, who would dare to withdraw the army if the commander-in-chief was not recaptured?The generals of the Wei State judged that the Qin people were warlike, and the monarch must have become angry after being injured. There will be a revenge war in the future, and there is absolutely no reason to take advantage of the victory and withdraw the army.The most important thing tonight is to recharge your batteries, and tomorrow's battle will be the real life and death.At that time, people were not very good at stealing camps and robbing villages and other small tricks, and they still continued the tradition of decisive battles in the spring and autumn chariot war period. Take the opportunity to attack the opponent's camp.Guard back to guard, that is the inevitable form of a large army stationed, Wei Guo's barracks were quickly submerged in the endless snoring.

The sun is rising, and the autumn frost is crystal clear.After Wei Jun buried the pot and made a full meal, the remaining 80,000 cavalry came out of the camp to form a formation, preparing to launch a deadly battle against Qin Jun to snatch the coach.According to the rules and traditions, the Qin army should also come out in formation. Both sides marched towards the Central Valley at the same time.Today's events are quite strange, the Qin army's camp is full of smoke, and the battle flags are flying, but it has been a long time since they came out of the camp.The deputy general of the Wei army, the acting commander under his command, is Wei Ang, the concubine younger brother of King Wei Hui.At this moment, he was wearing a red cloak, looking at the Qin army's camp in the distance, and said with a sneer: "Wait another half an hour, and let those poor Qin be full ghosts for a while!"

Half an hour passed, and there was still no movement in the Qin army camp.Young Master Ang raised his sword and yelled: "The Wei army has exhausted its benevolence and righteousness. It rushed up the mountain to destroy the Qin army and kill—!" The antler barrier of the Qin army camp. However, all the Wei Jun knights were stunned, and the roars and killing sounds suddenly froze, and there was a terrible silence. The Qin army's camp was empty and empty.The earthen stove was buried, the tent was pulled out, only the withered autumn grass and false flags swayed in the bleak autumn wind.The only abandoned objects of the Qin army were the banners on the edge of the camp and piles of wet firewood and thick smoke.

"Master Ying! Coward!" Young Master Xi's angry roar echoed in the valley. What Wei Jun didn't expect was that the main force of the Qin Army had already retreated calmly at nightfall and returned to Liyang.Yingqian's broken rear cavalry also quietly withdrew from the battlefield at dawn.When the sun rose, Yingqian's five thousand cavalry had already crossed the Luoshui River and galloped towards Liyang in the southwest.Even if Wei Jun wanted to catch up, it was too late. Yingqian was so anxious that he kept yanking his horse and sitting down, just wanting to rush back to Liyang as soon as possible.According to his heart, he must fight a tough battle, catch the Wei dog who shot the cold arrow, and go back to sacrifice the flag in front of his father-in-law.However, Ying Quliang's exhortations made him terrified and vigilant, and when he thought about it carefully, he was even more frightened.The father-in-law was seriously injured and was in danger, and the status of Ying Quliang's crown prince was not clear, so Anzhi wouldn't there be a change in the elbow and armpit in an instant?Without the cooperation of their brothers, maybe the civil strife in Qin fifty-three years ago would repeat itself again.

Since the state of Qin was conferred by King Ping of Zhou as a vassal in the west for more than 300 years, civil strife rarely occurred.But fifty-three years ago, Qin Linggong passed away, and his son Ying Shixi was only five years old.Duke Ling's uncle, Ying Mourn, relied on his military power, and on the pretext that the king's son-in-law was young, he seized the throne and established himself as the king.Ying Shixi, who was supposed to succeed to the throne, was exiled to the Longxi Valley.Ying Mourning Son is Qin Jiangong, who died after fifteen years in power.Duke Jian's son succeeded him as Duke Hui of Qin.Duke Hui of Qin had been the monarch for thirteen years and died again.His son succeeded to the throne, that is, Qin Chugong.In the second year after Chugong came to the throne, Zuo Shuchang Yinggai staged a coup d'état, drowned Chugong and the queen mother in the Wei River, and welcomed the exiled Ying Shixi back to the capital Yongcheng to become the king.Ying Shixi was already thirty-five years old at this time, and he had been away from the center of power for a long time, and his foundation in Yongcheng was already very weak.However, Ying Shixi honed his tenacious will and deep character in the rough life of a nomad in the frontier, and made friends with many generals in the Qin army.After he came to the throne, he decided to change the poor and weak state of Qin. In the third year, he moved the capital eastward to Liyang, which shocked the whole country.One is that the upper echelons of the aristocratic family feel that Ying Shixi intends to get rid of their control, and the other is that the people of the country feel that they are too close to the edge of Wei's army.At the moment when the government and the people were panicking, Ying Shixi did not retreat in the slightest.He paid homage to the ancestral temple and made a generous oath: moving to Liyang to the east is to regain the Hexi land that Qin State lost in 30 years, drive Wei State back to the east bank of the Yellow River, and drive out of Hangu Pass!Ying Shixi's ambition of revenge cheered up the army and people of Qin State, the people of the country wholeheartedly supported the enemy, and the upper class of the family resentfully remained silent.Also, what reason can the family have to oppose such a feat of revenge that conforms to the people's will?After Wei Wenhou appointed Li Kui to reform the law, the national power of Wei increased greatly, and Wu Qi was appointed as the general to fight against the princes.In thirty years, Wu Qi led the iron cavalry of Wei State to attack Hangu Pass. In sixty-four battles, he seized more than 500 miles of land on the west bank of the Yellow River from Qin State, and compressed Qin State to the narrow strip west of Mount Hua.Hangu Pass fell!The Longmen Ferry in Shaoliang Mountain was also lost!The door of Qin is open!If Wu Qi hadn't been framed by Wei Guoqun and forced to flee to Chu State, Qin State might have been swallowed by Wei State.Even so, Wei State still did not stop encroaching on Qin State.Faced with Wei's offensive, Qin State had no power to fight back.As soon as Qin Chugong succeeded to the throne, he negotiated to abandon Guanzhong and return to Longxi to become a border tribe that was half-agricultural and half-pastoral.

At this moment, Qin Xiangong Ying Shixi was so deaf, and swept away the haze, how could he not win the support of the whole country? After moving to Liyang in the east, Ying Shi Xi Xiaoyi and Shi Shi made great efforts to govern, and personally led the army of Qin State and the army of Wei State to start a long-term fierce battle.In the past twenty years, they have fought more than thirty battles, large and small, without losing a single battle.The biggest victory was the Battle of Shimen on the west bank of the Yellow River the year before last. In the first battle, 60,000 Wei troops were wiped out, the Wei people were driven out of Hangu Pass, and the eastern gate of Qin State was regained.Had Zhao Guo not sent troops to rescue the Wei army that time, it is entirely possible for the Qin army to regain all the land in Hexi in one fell swoop.For the great victory at Shimen, the emperor Zhou Xianwang sent a special envoy to congratulate Qin Xiangong, and rewarded Qin Xiangong with a set of noble War God dress - Fufu, which is a commander's cloak with blue battle axes and black and white mysterious patterns embroidered on the most precious colored silk. armor.In this Shaoliang war, Qin Xiangong's original intention was to regain the Longmen Ferry and completely drive the Wei people out of Hexi.If Qin Xiangong hadn't been seriously injured by an arrow suddenly, the Shaoliang War would have been another Shimen victory, and Qin would have restored Qin Mugong's status as a great power in one fell swoop. God, God, do you intend to destroy Qin?Thoughts flashed, and a chill penetrated Yingqian's spine. Yingqian's cavalry is the elite knights of Qin who have been tempered for a long time, and they are experts in long-distance raids.After crossing the Luoshui River, Yingqian ordered a thousand-man team to lie in ambush on the west bank of the Luoshui River. If the Wei army should come after them, they would attack them halfway across the river and force the Wei army to retreat.He himself led four thousand cavalry to gallop non-stop to Liyang. Liyang is a small castle on the north bank of Lishui, only more than two hundred miles away from Luoshui in the northeast.Two hours later, the black archery tower at the east gate of Liyang was already visible in the distance, and after climbing over a mountain ridge, they could enter Liyang City.At this time, Yingqian tied up the horse team, called his lieutenant general and four thousand commanders to the front of the horse, and said generously: "The monarch is seriously injured by the arrow, and his life and death are unknown. It is impossible to guarantee that there will be no accidents in Liyang City. Just in case, I decided to stay. The next 3000 cavalry, together with the 1000 cavalry returned from Luoshui, camped behind this mountain ridge. The remaining 1000 cavalry followed me into the city. At any time within three days, if they saw the smoke rising in the city, they would immediately rush into Liyang .Do you have any other intentions?" "But listen to the general's orders!" The deputy general and the four commanders responded in unison. "Okay! Lieutenant General Jing listened to the order: From now on, you are the commander-in-chief of the garrison outside the city. If there is a change in Liyang, you can use this soldier talisman to mobilize any soldiers and horses outside Liyang, and surround Liyang until the new king wins." Qu Liang ascended the throne safely!" "Jing Jian obeys!" The young and heroic lieutenant took the military talisman with both hands, and shouted passionately: "Show me old Qin, let's go to the national calamity together!" "Jiu Jiu Lao Qin, let's go to the country together!" The four commanders spoke in unison. Yingqian cupped his hands generously, "Your lords swear by my old Qin folk proverbs, and Yingqian is very grateful. If the country is safe, you will make a great contribution. Let's say goodbye, and there will be a later date." Beckoning: "Follow me into Liyang, hurry!" The voice fell, and the horse under his crotch had already galloped out.Behind him, with a wave of his long sword, a thousand cavalry rolled towards Liyang like a storm. When he arrived at the east gate of Liyang, Yingqian saw that the city gate was wide open, the suspension bridge was long paved, and the city head was quiet as usual, so he knew that his father-in-law was still there, so he could not help but let out a long sigh and slowly entered the city.However, Yingqian was more thoughtful and led the cavalry directly outside the gate of the Guofu to wait in line, and he himself entered the palace with the Tianyue Sword in his hand.Yingqian is three years older than Ying Quliang, and is a famous general of the Qin army. Although his personality is like a thunderbolt, he is an extremely insightful and caring person.Qin Xiangong only has these two sons, one heir and the other concubine, but they are both regarded as the backbone of the country, and they are equally valued.Qin Xiangong never made it clear who the prince was.It's just that in people's eyes, because Ying Quliang is the son of a legitimate wife, coupled with his calm demeanor, both civil and military skills, it is natural to think that he is the heir to the monarch.Although Yingqian is vaguely the commander-in-chief of the Qin army, he has great admiration for his younger brother Ying Quliang and believes that he is the prince. Whenever his father-in-law is not present, he will definitely push his younger brother Ying Quliang to be in charge, and he is very careful to protect Ying Quliang authority.At this delicate time, Yingqian felt that he was older than Ying Quliang and had a heavy responsibility. It was difficult for Ying Quliang to come forward for many things, and he had to bear them all. Therefore, he disregarded the strict order of "no troops stationed at the palace gate" and sent the whole family to the palace. The thousand-death warrior knight stayed at the gate of the palace to watch, and he brought the Tianyue sword into the palace alone. The palace in Liyang is very small and crude, just a large courtyard with six entrances.Not to mention that it can't be compared with the palaces of the six kingdoms of Shandong, even compared with Yongcheng, the old capital of his own country, it is also much simpler and narrower.The only advantage is sturdiness.Yingqian didn't want to meet the ministers of the middle school in the political affairs hall he entered second, he wanted the ministers to think that he was not in Liyang at the moment.He bypassed the main entrance and directly entered the fourth bedroom through the side door. He knew that the seriously injured father-in-law must be healing in the bedroom at this moment.Sure enough, as soon as he entered the side gate, he saw that there were many sentries in the courtyard, and the guards were abnormal, which was obviously very different from the relaxed atmosphere outside the city gate and the palace. Ying Quliang was pacing in the courtyard with a long sword in his hand. Seeing Ying Qian's figure enter with arrogance, he hurriedly strode to meet him. "Brother, you came back just in time, Shaoliang is all right." "It's okay. The Wei dogs must be jumping and cursing. Hey, how is the father-in-law?" "The spirit is better. The imperial physician is trying to dig out the arrowhead. You should go and have a look." "Let's go together." "No. The father-in-law ordered that as soon as the elder brother comes back, go to see him alone." Yingqian was surprised, "This? But why?" "Brother, don't think about it. Father-in-law has his own reasons. Go." "Okay, you wait, I'll come out immediately if something happens." After speaking, he strode into the threshold. Half an hour later, Yingqian walked out of the dormitory, his right hand was wrapped in a white cloth, his face was pale, and his forehead was dripping with sweat.Ying Quliang went up to him in surprise, "Brother, what's the matter?" Ying Qian smiled slightly, "It's okay. A piece of skin was rubbed off when Luoshui crossed the river, and the imperial doctor bandaged it up by the way." Ying Quliang was startled, and was about to speak , but saw the gray-haired old servant Hei Bo hurried over and said in a low voice: "Second Young Master, Your Majesty declares that you come in immediately." Yingqian waved his hand and urged: "Go quickly. I'll do something. Come." He hurried away.Ying Quliang didn't have time to think, so he followed Uncle Hei into the bedroom. The palace was empty, none of the imperial physicians were there, nor was the queen mother and younger sister.Qin Xiangong was lying on the couch, his naked back was covered with a large white cloth, his head was lying on the pillow, his normally dark face was pale and flushed at this moment.Ying Quliang walked quickly to the couch and asked in a low voice, "Father, do you want an imperial physician?" Qin Xiangong moved the big pillow under his chest, put his elbows on the couch, raised his head and said, "Quliang, sit down here. Listen to the father-in-law." Ying Quliang agreed with "yes", then pulled a wooden pier and sat down in front of the couch: "father-in-law, my son, Quliang, listen to the teachings." "Qu Liang, father-in-law's journey has come to an end. Father-in-law didn't make you the crown prince, but he wanted to prevent you from making enemies too early. At present, you have passed the year of crowning, and you are 21 years old. Father-in-law Father confirms that you are the prince, and you will be the king immediately... Don't talk, just listen to father-in-law." Qin Xiangong panted heavily for a while, and fixed his bright eyes on his son, "I want to tell you three important things: first , don’t rush to revenge. For twenty years, Qin State has been impoverished, and what is left to you is a mess. You have to live on your salary and try your best to make the country rich and strong. You can’t fight like father-in-law. Second, treat your subordinates well. Especially The elders of the family, don’t touch them easily. The third and most important one is that brothers must be of the same heart and not fight against each other. This is the blood oath I made Yingqian make. If he has two hearts, you can make the blood oath public to the people of the country so that everyone can get it and execute it." As he spoke, Qin Xiangong opened the dark drawer at the head of the couch and took out a roll of blood-stained white silk. Ying Quliang took it with both hands and shook it away, and the eight blood-red characters came into view impressively - if you lose your younger brother, heaven and earth will perish! "Father, Brother Quliang has always been of one heart and one mind, why torture elder brother like this?" Qin Xiangong shook his head, "Keep in mind, Qu Liang: Sharing virtue is easy, but being of the same mind is difficult, and great virtue is great, and seeking common ground is even more difficult. There has always been turmoil in the office, and it has never been a fratricide? You have to rely on him if you are a wise man. Blood oath, just in case." "Quliang always remembers the teachings of his father-in-law: to make the country rich and the army strong, to treat his subordinates kindly, and to be of the same mind as brothers. If he fails his father-in-law's painstaking efforts, his sons and ministers will be ashamed to see their ancestors." Qin Xiangong looked at his son quietly, and suddenly hissed and laughed: "Good! Good! Good! My father-in-law is waiting for you at Jiuquan..." Before he could finish his words, a mouthful of blood spurted out. Qin Xiangong threw his hands on the big pillow and passed away suddenly . "Father—!" Ying Quliang cried out, throwing herself on her father. The white-haired old servant walked in gently, supported Ying Quliang and said in a low voice: "My condolences to the prince, the important thing is important." Ying Quliang stood up sobbing, calmly wiped away his tears, thought for a while and said, "Uncle Hei, quickly invite General Yingqian." When Qin Xiangong arranged the funeral, none of the ministers were by his side.As a well-trained monarch, Qin Xiangong certainly knew that this was a big taboo in arranging funeral affairs, so naturally he would not do it intentionally.His original intention was to arrange the affairs of the two sons properly, and then summoned several important ministers and veterans to explain and arrange assistance.However, he did not expect that his arrow wound would suddenly attack, depriving him of his only chance to summon the minister at the last moment. Duke Xiangong of Qin died suddenly, and the important event of the king's succession was not announced to the family ministers. The originally simple and clear court situation suddenly became complicated.If the forces supporting Yingqian take the opportunity to attack, the first suspicious target is Ying Quliang who is alone with the king.At the same time, none of the ministers accepts the important task of assisting, which will also make the powerful ministers full of doubts, and many accidents may happen out of nowhere.Ying Quliang thought calmly. Although the two brothers saw their father-in-law at the last moment, and the elder brother Yingqian saw him first, his father-in-law was still there when Yingqian saw him; However, his father passed away suddenly, which is undoubtedly not good for him.What's more, the father-in-law just made an oral edict, and left suddenly before leaving a written edict for himself.If someone took the opportunity to make trouble, not only would he be suspected of killing the king, but the troublemaker could declare that the father-in-law's oral edict was fabricated.The key person at this moment is Yingqian, only he can stand up to everyone's opinions.If Yingqian is fine, then the country is fine.If something happens to Yingqian, civil strife will inevitably arise.What will happen to eldest brother Yingqian?Ying Quliang was suddenly uncertain.Although Ying Quliang and Ying Qian have always had a close brotherhood, thinking that Ying Qian's thought at this moment is really a matter of national security, he can't help but feel a little bit of vigilance—why did the father-in-law want the elder brother to make a blood oath?Could it be that there were some clues that the father-in-law noticed? Ying Qu's spine shivered with horror, if this is the case, how will the situation be dealt with? In the political affairs hall at this moment, the ministers and veterans of Qin State were anxiously waiting.I don't know how the monarch is injured?I don't know if the monarch has determined a successor?It is necessary to think about the countermeasures for the monarch to recover from injury, but also how to deal with it after the monarch dies and the new monarch ascends the throne.All of these became confusing and impossible to discuss because of the unknown injury of the monarch and the uncertainty of the prince.The ministers all paced silently in the hall, and no one knew what to discuss.Even so, no one left the political affairs hall.Ministers with a little experience know that when the monarch is critically ill, the power of the temple is most likely to be overturned, and unexpected huge changes may occur at any time.In the four hundred years since the Spring and Autumn Period, there have been too many stories of such overturning.Not to mention that the famous Duke Huan of Qi was trapped in a critical illness and led to the seizure of power by a traitor, even Qin Linggong, the father of the current monarch Qin Xiangong, was also seized by his uncle to stand on his own during his critical illness.Therefore, when the monarch is seriously injured or critically ill, the ministers of the country almost without exception push aside all state affairs and stay at the closest position to the monarch.Including the commanders and local officials who led the troops abroad, as long as possible, they also rushed back to the capital as much as possible and guarded the central area.The greater the change in the power of the temple, the tighter the courtiers' heartstrings will be.This kind of restlessness and tension must continue until the new monarch is established and the situation is clear before it may end. At present, the ministers of Qin State are in this state of anxiety. Chief Shi Gongsun Jia strolled up to the senior doctor Qianlong intentionally or unintentionally, cupped his hands and asked, "Does the senior doctor have anything to teach you?" The senior doctor, Ganlong, was gray-haired, thin and hale, and he was a highly trusted minister in charge of the monarch. His disciples and old officials were all over the court and the people of Qin.But at this most critical juncture, he was not recruited into the bedroom, but, like all ministers, could only wait in the political affairs hall, which in itself was a disturbing sign of change.Chief Shi Gongsun Jia asked for advice, obviously wanting to find out Qian Long's reaction to this change.But Qian Long replied indifferently: "Chang Shi often follows the monarch, what can I learn from you?" It's a subtle counterattack.Chang Shi is in charge of the monarch's secrets and is a trusted confidant, but he is also in the political affairs hall at this time, which is more abnormal than the minister in charge leaving the monarch in a crisis.Gongsun Jia asked for advice, obviously unable to bear the torment of inner tension.Qian Long's faint rhetorical question clearly showed an implication, don't try it, you are more guilty than me.This made Gongsun Jia feel embarrassed, so he cupped his hands and smiled and said, "Gongsun Jia is so ignorant, how dare he teach you?" The ministers are nervous and anxious, and they all want to hear someone say something.Seeing the conversation between the senior doctor Qianlong and the chief minister Gongsun Jia, the two key ministers gathered together, but there was no way to ask questions.Questions such as "how is the monarch's injury" and "who will be the crown prince" should never be asked at this moment, because it means that the questioner has two minds.So although the ministers surrounded him, they just looked at Qianlong silently. Unexpectedly, Qianlong was not silent at this moment. He bowed his hands to the ministers who surrounded him, and said loudly: "God bless Qin, the monarch's arrow wound has been greatly improved. We wait for the ministers to discuss a plan and write to the monarch to take revenge." , crusade against Wei!" Really clever and sophisticated.It not only avoided the taboo, but also gave the ministers the best topic to gather in the political affairs hall.The ministers were relieved, and echoed one after another: "What the doctor sees is very true. We should crusade Wei and recover Shaoliang!" "Yes! Take revenge for the king!" The group began to talk about the battle of Shaoliang, and at the same time tested other people's responses in various ingenious ways. At this moment of buzzing and buzzing, a group of armored warriors marched to the outside of the political affairs hall with neat and heavy steps, lined up clangingly, and guarded the courtyard outside the door.The armor is bright, the spears are shining.The general leading the team is none other than Yingqian's general, Zi'an! The political hall was suddenly silent.The ministers were glistening with sweat on their foreheads, tongue-tied and looking at each other.Could it be that the monarch died suddenly?Yingqian wants to seize the throne and stand on his own?If so, probably no one can stop it.Although Yingqian was not the legitimate commander of the Qin army, the 50,000 cavalry he led were almost all of Qin's elite.In addition, Yingqian is sympathetic to the soldiers, treats the generals kindly, and is a fierce general who takes the lead in fighting vicious battles, so he has a high prestige in the army.He wanted to seize the throne, and it was really difficult for Ying Quliang to find a force to fight against.In the confrontation of power, the most obvious thing is to see who has the most powerful troops.Although Ying Quliang is also a brave general with both wisdom and courage, but after all, his seniority in the army is still low and he often assists the monarch in government affairs, which cannot be compared with Ying Qian's direct control of elite cavalry.If the two brothers really want to meet each other, Qin will be in great trouble! For a while, the tense atmosphere in the Zhengshitang reached its peak. After the soldiers lined up, there was another sound of heavy and hurried footsteps. Yingqian held the Tianyue sword and led two rows of generals with swords into the political affairs hall.Yingqian waved his hand, and the generals in full armor stood solemnly in two rows at the back of the political affairs hall, each holding a sword in both hands, standing silently, just like two rows of stone warriors.Yingqian stopped at the gate of the Zhengshi Hall and said loudly: "The courtiers are seated in order to wait for the emperor's order." The ministers hesitated and slowly sat down in front of their case according to the usual ranking order.Just as he sat down, he saw the old servant Hei Bo leading two young servants into the center of the Zhengshi Hall.Uncle Hei took a roll of parchment from the copper plate held by the little servant, unfolded it, and read aloud: "The subjects of the Qin Kingdom, etc., in the battle of Shaoliang, I was seriously injured by arrow poison. As the crown prince, succeeding the king. The ministers of the country must do their best to assist, and those who have two hearts will be punished by everyone. Ying Shixi twenty-three years, September 16." Following Uncle Hei's chanting, the ministers became suspicious again, and fell silent, and no one dared to speak even in the usual response to orders.Judging from the edict, the monarch has undoubtedly passed away.However, if the monarch is really sober, why is it that none of the ministers are aware of such a major event as the appointment of the crown prince?Besides, Yingqian has never made a positive statement. If there is any fraud, it is Yingqian's probing method. Wouldn't actively responding to the imperial edict lead to a catastrophe?Not responding, not speaking, at most it is a crime of disrespect, and the law does not rule the people, at most it demotes Zuo Qian.If Yingqian is accidentally stepped up to take orders and annoys Yingqian, it will be a major disaster for the Nine Clans, and it will be too late to regret.People have the same heart and the same reason, and there is a strange silence in the political affairs hall that has never been seen since the announcement of the monarch's edict. In the silence, Yingqian's rough voice resounded in the political hall: "Respectfully invite the new king to ascend the throne—!" Following the shout, two servants led, Ying Quliang, dressed in commoner clothes and wearing a black jade crown, entered the political affairs hall calmly. The ministers were astonished and bewildered, and their deep fear and doubts continued. They unexpectedly forgot the great gift to support the new monarch, and remained silent. The Zhengshitang fell into an embarrassing situation. Suddenly, Yingqian's face turned ashen, and he shouted angrily: "The monarch will die, and the new monarch will ascend the throne, who will not follow? There is such a stone!" Turning back with big strides, the Tianyue sword flashed blue and passed silently. A stone pillar in front of the government affairs hall.Yingqian sneered, and with a wave of his left hand, the upper half of the stone pillar made a loud "boom", fell on the steps and rolled into the courtyard!The smooth, mirror-like incision in the lower half of the stone pillar shone with Aomori's light, which made people shudder. The two rows of generals shouted in unison: "Honor the new king! Long live!" Only then did the ministers of the Political Affairs Hall wake up from the nightmare of fear and doubt, and shouted unevenly: "Welcome to the new king!" "Long live the new king!" The senior doctor Qianlong shouted: "General Yingqian has made meritorious service, long live the general!" The ministers hurriedly shouted: "Long live General Yingqian!" Yingqian roared: "Why is this unreasonable? How can Yingqian be compared with the monarch? If you continue to be indecent, Yingqian will be ruthless!" The political affairs hall was immediately silent.After several verifications, the ministers have clearly understood that the overall situation will not be turbulent, and Yingqian is sincerely assisting his younger brother Ying Quliang to succeed the monarch.However, Xinjun did not speak, and the ministers remained silent.Once the emperor and the courtiers, no one knows how the new emperor will act. If he speaks rashly, good or bad is unpredictable, it is better to wait. Yingqian walked to the front, bowed deeply, and said in a loud voice: "The new king, please declare the national policy." Ying Quliang stood in front of the Central Monarch's seat all the time, calm and composed, without any panic.At this moment, he calmly and clearly said: "Ministers, the father-in-law passed away suddenly, and Ying Quliang was appointed to succeed the monarch. At this time of crisis, I affirm that the government and the people: First, the ministers of the country, each performing their duties, should be treated equally. No movement, the state affairs are still under the control of the senior official Ganlong. Second, General Yingqian made great achievements in the battle of Shaoliang, and was promoted to Zuo Shuzhang, the commander-in-chief of the Qin State. Third, the senior official Ganlong and Changshi Gongsun Jia presided over the public affairs. The funeral ceremony of the father's country." The ministers let out a long breath, and shouted in unison: "Your servants will obey your orders!" Ying Quliang walked up to Qian Long and bowed deeply: "The senior doctor is old, and he is also the minister of the national mourning. Ying Quliang is deeply disturbed. During the national mourning, if there is trouble and chaos, the senior doctor asks for the right to kill. " Qian Long was moved and excited, bowed his body and said tremblingly: "The old minister has received the great favor from the late emperor, and also received the great trust from the emperor, how dare you refuse to obey?" Ying Quliang looked around the political affairs hall and said loudly: "The rest of the affairs will be handled according to the usual rules. Disperse the court." The ministers are not only restricted by the national mourning ceremony, but also excited about the national policy of the new king's enthronement.But neither can be happy, nor is it convenient to let out mournful voices at this time.So they got together in twos and threes within the scope of their authority, and discussed in a solemn and serious manner the many things that must be done during the national mourning period. Ying Quliang had already left the political affairs hall, and hurried to the Lishan military camp in the southwest of Liyang. He has a big job to do.In his opinion, this matter is even more important than the stability of the courtiers and the people of the country.He only brought Uncle Hei and a hundred armored knights who had fought side by side with him for many years, and rushed to the Lishan military camp without stopping.By this time it was getting dark.When Zi'an, the former military leader who had just rushed back to the barracks, came out to greet him, he was inexplicably surprised: "Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, why did you leave Liyang?" "Zi'an, how is Uncle Cuo?" Ying Quliang ignored Zi'an's surprise. "Old man! Hmph, don't say a word, don't eat a mouthful, the cow is very stubborn. He should be used to sacrifice the flag in front of the ancestor's spirit." Zi'an reported angrily. "Take me to see him." Ying Quliang ordered concisely. Gong Shucuo was imprisoned in the mountain root stone house in the Lishan military camp.He has been the prime minister of Wei State for more than 20 years. Since Wu Qi left Wei State, he has also served as commander-in-chief and led the army from time to time.He defeated South Korea's Zhao State Chu State and the Han-Zhao Alliance Army, and he can be regarded as a prominent figure with both civil and military skills in the world.But it was two disastrous defeats in the battle with Qin, one was the battle of Shimen three years ago, where 60,000 troops were lost and Hangu Pass was lost.And then there was this battle of Shaoliang, where he was inexplicably captured by the Qin army.He is already a 61-year-old man. He feels that the war of Shaoliang I was paid for his fame, and he is ashamed and angry. He doesn't speak, eat, or drink. He wants to starve to death and thirsty himself to atone for his incompetence. .After three consecutive days of self-torture, he was already pale and withered, dying on the straw mat.When the stone door of the cell was pushed open rumblingly, he didn't blink his eyes. "Prime Minister Gongshu, Ying Quliang is being polite." Ying Quliang bowed deeply to the uncle Cuo who was curled up in the corner. Uncle Gong closed his eyes, neither sat up nor responded.He admired the young general who captured him alive, but he was unwilling to talk to him on such an occasion. Zi'an roared angrily: "Old man, this is the new king of Qin, how dare you be stubborn?" Gong Shucuo moved slightly, but still did not open his eyes, nor did he speak. Ying Quliang cupped his hands and said: "Prime Minister Gong, please don't be ashamed of the battle of Shaoliang. None of us won this battle. Although the old prime minister was captured, my father-in-law was also injured by your army's cold arrows. Beng passed away. Seriously speaking, Wei Guo is still slightly better. What does the prime minister think?" Uncle Gong couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise, Ying Shixi, the formidable enemy, is dead?Really?If this is the case, there is no possibility of suicide.According to the customs of the Qin people, those who pay homage to the monarch must be killed before the spirit of Qin Xiangong.Being able to die in battle with the powerful enemy Ying Shixi is also considered worthy, so what is there to regret?With this in mind, Uncle Gong smiled coldly, "In that case, Uncle Gong's head is yours. When will you have the surgery?" "The old prime minister is missing. Ying Quliang didn't kill you, but let you go back to Anyi." Uncle Zuo laughed loudly, "Ying Quliang, don't mock this old man. A soldier can be killed, but not humiliated!" 嬴渠梁正色道：“嬴渠梁何敢轻侮前辈？放老丞相回归魏国，乃嬴渠梁一片苦心。秦魏激战多年，生民涂炭，死伤无算。嬴渠梁继任国君，图谋秦国庶民安居耕牧，不想两国交恶。嬴渠梁素知老丞相深明大义，欲与老丞相共谋，两国休战歇兵，不知老丞相意下如何？” “秦公，果然不记杀父之仇？”公叔痤迷蒙混沌的老眼渐渐明亮起来。 “父仇为私，和战为公。嬴渠梁若非真心，甘受上天惩罚。” 公叔痤打量着面前这个神色肃然的青年君主，觉得他竟有一种令人折服的真诚坦然与自信，一句话便公私分明，将大局料理清白，不禁暗暗赞赏。与秦国罢兵是他多年的主张，无奈秦献公连年攻魏，发誓要夺回整个河西，不想打也得奉陪了。在他这个魏国丞相看来，秦国被压缩得已经可以了，魏国的真正劲敌是东方崛起的齐国与南方的楚国，老是被秦国缠住不能脱身，实在是魏国很头疼的一件事。每与秦国作战，他都不赞同上将军庞涓领兵，怕的就是庞涓对秦国赶尽杀绝，与秦国的血仇越结越深。他很了解老秦人的剽悍顽强，认定这个在戎狄部族包围中拼杀了几百年的部族诸侯绝非轻易能够消灭的，能够将秦人压缩到荒凉的一隅之地，应该就满足了。魏国的目标是中原沃土，而不是西陲蛮荒。但经过石门之战与这次少梁之战，他却觉得这种罢兵愿望似乎根本不可能，秦献公好象一个疯子一样仇恨魏国，有他在，魏国是无法摆脱这种纠缠的。被俘这几天他已经思谋妥当，自己自杀殉国，荐举上将军庞涓与秦献公决一死战，彻底解决与秦国的连年纠缠。然则骤然间竟是峰回路转，秦献公死了，秦国新君主动提出罢兵休战，岂非天意？ 老公叔一时感慨中来，“好！老夫信你，一言为定。只是这疆界，却不知秦公如何打算？” “以石门之战以前的疆界为定，河西之地还是魏国的。” “噢？秦公不觉吃亏太多？”公叔痤大为惊讶，不禁靠墙坐起。 “二十年后，我会夺回来的。”嬴渠梁一字一板。 "A deal?" “一言为定。”嬴渠梁微笑，“老丞相，该进食了吧。” 公叔痤豪爽大笑“然也，吃饱了，好上路。” “且慢。”嬴渠梁笑道：“老丞相徐徐将息，三日后嬴渠梁派人护送老丞相回安邑，不言俘获，而是魏王特使。” 公叔痤又一次惊讶，不禁挣扎起身笑道：“秦公，老公叔阅人多矣，以公之气量胸怀，数年之后，必大出于天下。” 嬴渠梁恭敬的拱手做礼，“渠梁才疏学浅，如何敢当老丞相嘉勉？” 公叔痤仰天叹息：“只可惜老夫来日无多，不能和英杰并世争雄了。”一阵拊掌长笑，竟昏倒在地。 三天后的清晨，嬴渠梁亲率三百铁骑，护送着一辆青铜轺车驶出函谷关。 白发苍苍的公叔痤在函谷关外和嬴渠梁殷殷道别，向魏国都城安邑急驰而去。 秋霜白露，草木枯黄。嬴渠梁站在函谷关城头凝望着远去的轺车，那面鲜红的“魏”字大旗已经与天边的原野溶在了一起，他依然伫立在那里，任凭寒凉的秋风吹拂着自己。 按照战国之世的规矩，一个两次兵败的大臣是很难继续掌权的。即或公叔痤是魏国两朝元老深得魏惠王倚重，这丞相之位也未必能保。果真如此，秦魏罢兵的和约岂非空言？而如果魏国继续对秦国用兵，秦国能支撑多久？嬴渠梁很清楚，公父连年对魏国激战，本意是想夺回河西后再封锁函谷关休兵养民。可是，秦国越打越穷，河西五百里土地还是没有夺回来，秦国如何再打得下去？这种战争对于魏国这样的富强大国，纵然失败几次，也无伤元气。可是，秦国不行，秦国已经经不起再一次的失败了。辎重耗尽了，存粮吃光了，精壮男子死伤得几乎无人耕田了。再有一次失败，秦国就真得退回陇西河谷重做半农半牧的部族去了。当此之时，秦国虽然表面上打了两次大胜仗，但国力却到了崩溃的边缘，成了经不起一战之败的风中纸鹞。在刀兵连绵的战国，这是极为危险的最后境地。若能罢兵数年，缓得一缓，秦国也许还有重振雄风的希望，否则，秦国将从战国列强中消失。目下又是国丧，朝局未安，若魏国乘内乱而来，岂非灭顶之灾？ 嬴渠梁觉得肩上担子如大山一般沉重。 如果罢兵成功，函谷关月内就要重新交割给魏国了。自从秦部族立为诸侯国，多少年来，这函谷关就是秦国的国命之门。有函谷关在手，秦人就坦然自若。丢失函谷关，秦人就象袒露胸口迎着敌人的长矛利剑一般举国紧张不安。如此命脉一般的函谷关，公父与秦人浴血疆场夺了回来，自己却又交给了魏国，那些世族元老能答应么？朝野国人能理解么？虽然嬴渠梁是深思熟虑的，认为惟其如此，才能使魏国觉得不动刀兵而重占河西是一个巨大的利市，才有可能放秦国一马，如原地现状罢兵，那是几乎没有可能的，魏国绝不会在两次大败后让秦国封锁修养。虽然如此，但毕竟函谷关对秦人太重要了，国中臣民能接受么？ 上天啊上天，莫非秦国要灭亡在我嬴渠梁手里？