The remaining time of the public discussion was mainly spent on drinking and chatting: all important military and political affairs were under the jurisdiction of the responsible officials, and the ministers who presided over the important affairs did not bother to do anything. They just sat and talked. We sat there until lunch, when Wei Qi brought a meal with eight guis and nine tripods, saying that it was a banquet given by the king. The princes sat down safely, Wei Qi shared the meal, and Mang Mao and Daliang Wei placed their portions in front of the princes' table. After everyone finished eating the imperial meal and drinking a glass of fine wine each, they resigned one after another. Wei Qi then invited Mang Mao and Daliang Wei to go to the Prime Minister's Mansion for further discussion. The two of them followed Wei Qi out of the Nangong Gate.
Under the south palace wall, separated by a ten-foot-long alley, is a row of high-rise courtyards. However, the main entrance is on the other side, and there is only a back door. The deep alley is close to the palace wall, and there are people patrolling it. Without getting close, it is impossible to pass through. . In order to show friendship, Wei Qi sent his father-in-law and uncle away at Daliang Gate, and then took Mang Mao and Daliang Wei straight into the Prime Minister's Mansion from the forbidden alley.
Since they entered through the back door, Mang Mao and Daliang Wei were afraid of seeing something they shouldn't see, so they followed Wei Qi through the backyard and straight into the front hall. Maybe someone reported the news in advance, or maybe Wei Qi was strict in running his family. Except for meeting a few servant women and children along the way, no accidents happened. Before that, Wei Qi called a servant, whispered a few instructions, and the servant ran out.
Entering the lobby, the two of them were about to greet Wei Qi, but Wei Qi quickly stopped him and said, "Don't look at me as the prime minister. I'm pretentious in every ceremony. In fact, I hate red tape the most. You can just do it yourself. If To perform the ceremony, I have to ask the ministers to go out and welcome them in from the main gate. Then I will start talking!" Everyone laughed and bowed to each other.
Wei Qi said: "Let's move to a table near each other, sit down and talk, put the wine in front of us, and drink it ourselves, okay?" The two said, "That's how we can relax our minds."
The three of them started working together and dragged the three mats to one place. A group of people put a tray on it, burned some charcoal, and put a cup of warm wine on it. On the other tray were placed three princes; An urn was brought, filled with wine, and placed in the hall. Wei Qi came to pour the wine, and the two people stopped him quickly and said, "The prime minister has made an appointment to drink by himself, how can he not keep his promise!" After a while of pushing back, Wei Qi finally picked up the wine and filled the three cups, saying only: " Let’s talk about our friendship with the host, and then the ministers can do as they please.” The three of them raised the wine to drink together, and then placed the wine in front of the banquet.
Wei Qidao: "We invite all the ministers to meet and discuss three things. One is how to arrange the formation in the southwest; the other is how to place the troops in the four villages; the third is how to arrange the arrangements for Mr. Xinling."
Mang Mao said: "The first two discussions are not difficult. As long as the Qin army will enter Qifeng, Lieutenant Daliang will have a plan in mind."
Daliang Wei said: "In my opinion, if the Qin army must enter Qifeng, they will go out of the west gate and the south gate tomorrow morning, and divide them into camps thirty miles outside the city. Beixianghe Youjun will go to the west gate to fight with Wu The soldiers combined; the Dongxiang army circled to the south of the city and defended along the river. The Beixiang left army entered from the water gate to guard each gate. As for the southwest defense, the West and South townships can each send their local troops back home, and there is no need to transfer them elsewhere. The remaining troops are still stationed in place, and the cameras can be turned to all parties."
Mang Mao said: "What Daliang Wei said is feasible. However, military soldiers must be sent to Jingbian on the southwest front. Otherwise, chaos may occur if the villagers return home."
Captain Daliang said: "The general has thought carefully. The soldiers sent to the various battalions of the Guili People's Army will immediately be stationed in Jingbian. All idlers are not allowed to pass. Everyone is calm and no noise is allowed!"
Mang Mao said: "Good!"
Wei Qi said: "If this is the case, both discussions have been settled, except for the matter of Young Master Xinling, what should be done?"
Mang Mao said: "This matter is the most difficult. The young master has a body of thousands of gold, and there are more than ten thousand soldiers. When it is time to use force, they must be withdrawn properly. But as soon as the backbone moves, the whole army will collapse. If the army is scattered across the field, chaos will inevitably occur. , the harm will be great. If the army disperses as usual, the army will work hard and achieve nothing. How can we deal with the world and the soldiers?"
Wei Qi saluted and said: "Your Majesty, for a moment, had a benevolent heart and wanted the people in the deserted country to live in peace, but he ended up in such a mess. It's very sad to think about it. Mang Qing has a heavy responsibility, but he returned without success, and he suffered a lot. What's the matter? Don't make people sigh. Lord Xinling, the son of your noble family, is lying down eating a piece of tea, soaking in the wind and rain, and the king's heart is uneasy. He is very hopeful to all your ministers!"
The two of them responded in unison: "How dare I not do my best to repay the king's kindness!"
Mang Mao said: "Roughly speaking, the civilian army outside Putian City must be disbanded immediately after the Qin people take over and open the seal. They cannot do it before that, for fear that the Qin people will take the opportunity to attack Putian. There are two difficulties in this matter. The first difficulty is that we do not know where the Qin people will be. If the move is delayed and the army runs out of food, chaos will arise and become uncontrollable. The second difficulty is that after the army is dispersed, the young master and more than ten thousand soldiers must be safe. If there is no proper method, a civil uprising will be provoked. Then there is something unspeakable. The most complete strategy is to increase military merit by one level when the army disperses, so as to avoid the family's food tax that year."
Wei Qi said with a mournful face: "Oh, my General Mang, I have already told you that this strategy is not feasible... Don't argue, I will explain to you: as the New Year approaches, celebrations, banquets, and rewards will all be used to meet the palace expenses; Soldiers, courtiers, ministers, village elders, and craftsmen all have enough money and food to meet their needs;... Ahem, let’s put it this way, even if they are collected, it will not be enough to cover expenses. Fifty or sixty thousand households receive a yearly grain tax, how can they get so little!”
Mang Mao said: "The Prime Minister's country is in a little peace, but these five hundred miles are bound to famine. Your Majesty is so benevolent that you can't help but save him. To save him, you must open a warehouse. If you use military merit to save it, it will be exactly the same. Wouldn't it not be the best of both worlds?"
Wei Qi said: "That's not how the accounts are calculated. Opening warehouses to provide relief is just benevolent policy, and the amount of relief is entirely up to the king. But the exemption of grain tax is a real thing!"
Mang Mao said: "What do you think of the Prime Minister?"
Wei Qi said: "I don't have any plan. I will only withdraw Mr. Xinling and the soldiers into the city, and let the civilian army disperse or gather together. But it must not be done!"
Mang Mao said: "Of course it is impossible. Once the soldiers withdraw, the civilian army will have no leader and no support. It will be like plundering all the way. The violence will be even worse than that of the Qin army. It will be like locusts passing through the wild. It cannot be copied."
Wei Qi said: "I know it's not possible. What if the civilian army disperses in a hurry!"
Mang Mao said: "This is a defeated army. We must kill them according to the law."
Wei Qi clapped his hands and said, "What if the king issued a decree that the defeated army should return home to avoid death? The army was dispersed, the grain and tax were collected, and the soldiers were spared death. Except for a few fierce ones, the rest will definitely return home. Others The people are not few. If anyone dies of hunger, we can open a granary to provide relief. Is this possible?"
Mang Mao said: "What a child's play in military matters! Defeating yourself without fighting is the most taboo in the army. Not only the soldiers must be killed, but also the entire army and generals. All of them are punishable by death."
Wei Qidao: "You do extraordinary things in extraordinary times. This is just one example and will never happen again... Otherwise, not only will I not be able to get through, but the king will also reject it. It's okay if Mang Qing has other ideas, otherwise the king will ask, Mang Qing. right?"
Lieutenant Daliang, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said: "I would rather go to the army and return Mr. Xinling's behalf. I won't let your Majesty worry about the affairs of the people and the army."
Mang Mao said: "What do you want, Captain Daliang?"
Lieutenant Daliang said: "Just as the general said, drive the enemy from behind and follow with death!"
Mang Mao said: "The people of Qin are planning to judge their merits, so an army of 100,000 people may be inevitable!"
Captain Daliang said: "If you only seek to benefit the country, what will happen to you if you live or die?"
