When entering, they experienced another dispute over etiquette. In the end, they passed through the court as host and guest. Mang's disciples gathered in front of the hall early. When Mang and his son returned, they took the initiative to go to work in the hall. A screen has already been erected in the hall, and a shelf has been set up in front of the screen to hold the Festival Yue and Tiger Talisman. These three sacred objects were handed over to six pre-selected disciples, who were both delicate and sturdy. From now on, they would take turns to protect these objects. The six people first stood on the steps in front of the hall holding three objects. Mang Mao and Wei Qi took the Mang clan and the retainers to salute and drink libations at the foot of the steps. Wei Qi then presided over the placement of the three objects. Six people stood on both sides of the case in front of the screen. After all the fuss, Mang Hai invited him to the table for dinner, and the sacred busyness stopped.
Mang Mao and Wei Qi's seats were placed in the Nuan Pavilion. The guests were not in the same room as them. Mang's three sons were sitting down below, serving wine and waiting. After the two of them finished eating, the third son collected the food table, placed sake for the two of them, exited to the outside, and took turns returning to the room to eat. Wei Qi said: "When my family arrives, please tell me to wait in front of the hall." The third son responded.
Mang Mao said: "It's night and the fire breaks out. There must be a decree in the palace!"
Wei Qi said: "It's difficult, general. Your Majesty, Lord Long Yang, are mixed together. There are also a group of women... suddenly the flames burst into the sky,... beyond words, beyond words!"
Mang Mao asked: "How about the side report?"
Wei Qi said: "I am still under pressure. I have ordered my family to send it to you immediately."
Mang Mao said: "Prime Minister Wei said briefly."
Wei Qidao said: "It is no different to enter the ban on the first day of unsealing. Unexpectedly, the Qin people arrived in the evening. The post in the south of the city reported the enemy's situation first, and unsealed them followed. There was no news after that. Detective reports were sent out everywhere, and it was difficult to be sure in the darkness. The fire was extinguished at midnight. , I have fallen into trouble even if I want to unseal it.”
Mang Mao said: "One night when I was fasting, I only heard the sound, but I didn't know the details. It's rare for a prime minister to be in the midst of all kinds of difficulties, and the mainstay is in the middle. Although he is a famous official in ancient times, why should he add it... I dare to ask Wei Xiang, did the king mention it last night? And jokes?”
Wei Qi slapped his thigh and said: "If the general hadn't mentioned it, Qi would have almost forgotten it. Last night, when Lord Longyang was around, how could the king reveal the word 'Duan'. But the word Duan was personally appointed by the King. This is absolutely correct. Wanqi The general will make it happen.”
Mang Mao said: "Wei Xiangzhi, we have agreed a few days ago that we will attack the enemy with a large army, attack them with military soldiers, use the eldest son to control the troops, use the second son to fill the formation, and use the younger son to carry grain and grass, in order to succeed. Success will result in success. Returning to Duanzi, the fault lies with a certain person. Now what will be the plan? "
Wei Qi said: "What's the obstacle to the plan?"
Mang Mao said: "Please see, Prime Minister Wei, the Qin soldiers are approaching to unblock the city. Seeing that the city has been unsealed and fallen, the Qin Feng has reached Daliang. A warning is issued on the outskirts of the city and the city gate is closed. At this time, the troops outside the city have no time to mobilize, and the soldiers inside the city are not allowed to leave the city. , Only the eldest son of the Mang family was lucky enough to leave the city last night, and the second and third sons were all in the city. They were unprepared, so why fight?"
Wei Qi said: "My eldest son left the city yesterday carrying the Festival Talisman. Doesn't the general know?"
Mang Mao said: "Quinzi received permission from the Prime Minister of Wei yesterday to ask Jiefu to go out of the city and lead all the troops outside the city. At that time, the Qin people were still in the suburbs, and we could still arrange it calmly. Now that Qin is close to Daliang, it is fifty miles away. How can we arrange our troops? Set up the formation. It’s even difficult to connect the villages outside the city into one!"
Wei Qi sighed: "Unexpectedly, the situation has deteriorated to this point. What can the general do?"
Mang Mao said: "Prime Minister Wei, please forgive me for speaking out. It was unexpected that Qin broke the seal. At this time, don't talk about sending troops to attack the enemy. Even if you stick to the city, it will be dangerous. In my opinion, let's talk about the joke for now. Let’s go, how about discussing how to stick to it first?”
Wei Qi said: "Standing on Daliang depends entirely on the general's might and virtue. What does it have to do with Qi?"
Mang Mao said: "I and you are a general and a prime minister, how can Prime Minister Wei refuse!"
Wei Qi said: "But Qi will obey the general's orders."
After Mang Mao heard this, he immediately avoided the table and saluted, saying: "This is how I owe you the kindness of the Prime Minister!"
Wei Qi also avoided the table and returned the greeting, saying: "In the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the king has declared that outside the palace, the general will take charge. Who in Qi dares to disobey the general's order? What a favor!"
Mang Mao took a cup from Wei Qi's desk and turned around to pour wine. Wei Qi quickly shouted: "Who is from Qi? Who from Qi dares to trouble the general?" The voice alerted Mang Chen and Mang who were waiting outside the door. After a while, the two of them entered the door and saluted, and rushed forward to pour wine for them. Mang and Wei sat down at the table, raised their wines to signal, and drank each. The two sons of the Mang family poured the wine again. The two of them drank several cups in a row, and their faces turned red. Mang Mao ordered his two sons to carry the wine jar to Wei Qi's banquet, and dismissed the two sons. He moved the food table to sit with Wei Qi, poured a cup for each of them, and said: "Wei Prime Minister is virtuous and a pillar of the country. It's really up to you to provide food for the leader and protect him!"
Wei Qi also raised his wine and said: "The general has been recommended to Wei by the King of Qin. For more than 20 years, the previous king relied on him and the current king respects him. He has served as a general and served as a minister, and he has become a very popular minister. All the scholars in the world regard him as a model and imitate it day and night. There are many.”
The two of them each took a sip, and Mang Mao followed: "Wei has been in charge of the country for ten years, and now we are still close to the king, and there are many old friends in the court. Now we have Duanzi to control the army. I hope we will not forget each other in the future!"
Wei Qi said: "Although Qi is a Wei Zhou, he has a real blood relationship and only has an empty reputation. He is entrusted to the palace and only chews grass. But he can win the king's heart, obey the king's wishes, and die in a niche. This is enough for his life's ambition!"
Mang Mao laughed and said: "Wei Xiang is so different! Who is Duanzi? When you come from the Prime Minister's family, your favor is endless and there is no end!"
When Wei Qi heard this, he was surprised and said: "What kind of virtue is this story, that the general treats him so differently?"
Mang Mao's eyes widened and he said: "How can Prime Minister Wei be deceiving you! How can the Prime Minister not know about the people under his sect!"
Wei Qi said: "Duan Zi actually lives under the house, but he is entrusted by the king and has no close friendship. I hope the general can tell you the details!"
Mang Mao said: "Duanzi and someone are strangers to each other. What virtues there are in Duanzi, and how can someone know about it! Now we need the Prime Minister to talk about his virtues, so he should be hired according to his talents and live up to the trust of the Prime Minister."
Wei Qi chuckled and said: "The general is in trouble. Qi Xiangri once said that the king asked Duanzi to perform meritorious service and be in charge of the arsenal. Unless he has the ability to lead troops into battle, how can he measure it?"
Mang Mao said: "The Prime Minister is very different. Since the Prime Minister has asked someone to recommend a story to the formation, someone will definitely get his love, and Fang Shu will get the recommendation. There is no chance that it will be a straight letter, 'Duan Zi, Wei is close to each other, the King of Wei relies on him, and he is worthy of a great responsibility.' Therefore, I would like to ask for a comment in front of the Prime Minister’s stage so that we can deal with this matter!"
Wei Qi was silent after hearing the words, and Mang Mao said: "Is it possible that the Prime Minister has something unspeakable, so I asked the Prime Minister to draft a recommendation letter, and I will be responsible for it."
Wei Qi seemed to suddenly wake up and said: "No, no, Qi didn't say anything. It's not that he has something to hide, but he really has something to think about. What the general said is true. If he can't comment, or the comment is inaccurate, how can he stop the world's scholars? Zi's mouth. It's just that Qi and Duan Zi had a superficial conversation, and it has nothing to do with military matters. What comments can I offer?"
Mang Mao said: "In this case, what should be done!...Mo Ruo, the Prime Minister just said what he observed about his virtues, and I dared to make a review. If there is something wrong, I will let the Prime Minister give me advice. In this way, I will live up to the kindness of the king. I will live up to the trust of the prime minister and the country. I hope the prime minister and the country will be fulfilled."
Wei Qi pondered for another half, and then said: "The general's plan is very clever. But Qi is blunt and ignorant, and cannot express what he wants. He may lose the general's expectations."
Mang Mao said: "The matter has come to this, and we can't do anything else. If we can't submit the letter of recommendation before sunset, the matter of Duanzi will be over."
Wei Qi said: "Why are you in such a hurry?"
Mang Mao said: "The general's office needs to announce its primary tasks today. If Duanzi is not among them, how can he see his talent and virtue and make great achievements? May the prime minister help me!"
