Mang's father and his son returned to the court again. The sake had been exchanged during the banquet, but no one greeted them. The diners gathered together in twos and threes and whispered about matters of interest to them. Mr. Cheyou half-closed his eyes, as if he was taking a nap, and seemed to be thinking about something. No one dared to disturb him.
Mang Mao sat down on the cushion at the foot of the steps, with his two sons standing behind him. Mang Mao said: "Let me invite you gentlemen to have a meal in front of the court! The war is urgent, and there are many things I need to ask gentlemen for advice." Mang didn't understand, so he went to the backyard to urge the meal.
Mang Mao said: "Somehow, the Qin army has come from far away and is exhausted from a long battle. Now that the seal has been newly opened, it is difficult to be safe. We should attack it with our elite troops unexpectedly, and we can win. With this in mind, there are only 20,000 soldiers in the city for defense. The way. A certain intention is to divide the soldiers into two parts, ten thousand to guard the main roads in the city and rescue the emergency areas; ten thousand to go out of the city at night to challenge Qifeng. What do you think, sir?"
There was silence for a moment, and then someone started to say: "The general's strategy is closely combined with the art of war, and it is a good strategy today!" Then there was a burst of praise. Mr. Che You was still sitting half dozing, half contemplating, without saying a word.
Mang Mao said: "So, which gentleman is willing to lead the army out of the city and harass Qifeng?"
There was another moment of silence in the banquet, and several guests sitting in the lower seats came out to express their willingness to go out of the city to meet the enemy. Mang Mao asked them to come forward and sit behind him on the left side. Then he added: "The defense of the city depends on the soldiers of each government. If you have good relations with each government, you can report the name of your government for communication."
The silence was shorter this time, and about twenty or thirty people came out to show the families they were willing to contact. Mang Mao also asked them to come forward and sit behind him on his right.
Mang Mao stood up, turned around and said to the doorman on the left behind him: "You gentlemen have rushed to go to the national crisis. I am deeply grateful. Please accept my thanks." After saying this, he knelt down and bowed down. All the guests avoided the table and returned the favor.
Mang Mao then said to the retainer on the right behind him: "The safety of Daliang depends on Mr. Sir. May Mr. peace bring peace to all the mansions and supervise them to fight hard so that the family and country are not lost and the people are in peace." After saying this, he also fell down and bowed down. All the guests also avoided the table and returned the favor.
Mang Mao then said to the remaining twenty or so distinguished guests, "I hope all of you, gentlemen, will follow Mang. You will be entrusted with me in times of emergency." The remaining gentlemen all responded.
At this time, the female family members of the inner house had prepared the meals and delivered them to the second door. Mang Wei led all the retainers, servants, and servants to bring each case to the table of the guests, with nothing more than a piece of wine, a grain of rice, a piece of sauce, and a piece of Huo Huo.
Mang Mao and others had their dining tables ready. He raised the wine cup in his table and said, "Mang has no one else to rely on for the king's grace to guard the beam, but the ears of gentlemen! I am willing to make achievements together with all gentlemen, so that I can live up to the expectations of a gentleman." Chi!"
All the guests raised their wines together and said in unison: "I hope the Lord will make great achievements and never give up even if I die!" Everyone drank the wine in their cups.
At this moment, the sound of carriages and horses was heard outside the door. After a while, Mang Hai's voice came: "Master Liang Wei has been summoned to the house." The guests looked at the chaotic scene in front of the court and were at a loss for a moment. Mang Mao said: "Gentlemen, please enjoy your meal with peace of mind. Just treat father and son like each other." Then he, Mang Chen and Mang Wei stood up to greet them.
Outside the door, someone had already led the carriage into the side yard. Mang Hai accompanied Mr. Liang Wei and waited outside the door. Mang Chen came out from the side door and saluted Mr. Liang Wei: "Young Master Liang Wei is in vain, Mang doesn't dare to do it."
Mr. Liang Wei said: "The general calls you Zhongzi. How dare you flatter me instead of being impatient? You must obey the general's orders."
Mang Chen said: "My father is waiting for the young master. Young Master, please come in!" He bowed Mr. Liang Wei into the door of the house. In front of the screen wall, Mang Mao and Mang Weizheng were waiting there, saying, "I would like to welcome the young master!".
Mr. Liang Wei didn't expect Mang Mao to greet him at the door, and he quickly saluted: "Young man, I dare not bother the general to greet you from afar!"
Mang Mao said sternly: "Young master, why should you be so humble? I want you to decide on a major military issue! My house is small and narrow, and I have some secular affairs, so I dare to ask the side courtyard to discuss the matter." While he bowed to the west cross courtyard, Mr. Liang Wei was invited. When crossing the screen wall, Mr. Liang Wei saw that the court was filled with Mang Mansion's retainers.
When I opened the door to the west courtyard, the pungent smell of livestock hit my face. Mang Mao said: "I intend this to be Sima Hall."
Mr. Liang Wei said: "It is worthy of its name and fits the scene perfectly."
Mang Mao then led Mr. Liang Wei to the lobby of the west courtyard, and said to Mang Chen and Mang Wei at the foot of the steps: "I am discussing matters with you, and no one else is allowed to enter." The two of them responded and stood at the foot of the hall. With a bow of Mang Mao, the young master was promoted to the east step. The young master humbly said, "Young man, how virtuous do you dare to sit as a guest?"
Mang Mao said: "No, the young master is in Zanhua and controls the soldiers. He is the center of the army. How can he be modest?"
Mr. Liang Wei said: "In front of the general's stage, the boy has a pawn, but he only obeys the general's orders."
Mang Mao pondered for a moment and said: "In this way, today's Sima Hall is dedicated to the Young Master. We will proceed according to military etiquette."
Mr. Liang Wei stood up straight, his eyes were bright, and he said: "Exactly, I am following the general's order!"
Mang Mao said: "You two will follow me to the hall to discuss matters."
Mang Hai and Mr. Liang Wei said together: "Here!"
Mang Mao was in front, and the two of them were behind. They ascended the hall from the west steps and bowed in front of the hall. Mang Mao said, "Let's go to the room to discuss matters." He led the two of them into the west room. There is a table in the room, Mang Mao is in the middle, and Mr. Liang Wei is on the left, sitting down one by one. Mang Hai originally wanted to stand behind Mang Mao, but Mang Mao said: "Today you are not a follower, but a discussant. You should set up a table for yourself." So Mang Hai sat down on the right table.
Mang Mao said: "It was discussed in the tent that the military soldiers are responsible for attacking and erecting the stronghold. The responsibility of defending the city can be left to the soldiers and militia of each government. The young master deeply agrees."
Mr. Liang Wei said: "The general's plan will not allow this young man to be dissolute. The general is not to blame for the nonsense in the tent."
Mang Mao said: "After the young master Weimen, he learned from Daliang Wei's family. He is familiar with military formations and I rely on him deeply. I wanted to put him aside and ask for advice sooner or later. The matters of dogs and horses in front of the formation are left to my children. Respect your mother and be a military master. He was so angry that he took the lead in the army with his only son, and he lived up to the name of the family. I am deeply heartbroken."
Young Master Liang Wei couldn't guess what he meant, so he had to answer vaguely: "The Wei family has led the Liang Dynasty for a long time. Although there are only a small number of people, I dare not retaliate with death."
Mang Mao said: "Somehow, the 20,000 soldiers in the city can be divided into two, 10,000 to guard the key points in the city and rescue critical areas; 10,000 to sneak out of the city and take advantage of the situation to harass the Qin army. What do you think, Young Master?"
Mr. Liang Wei said: "The way to defend the city is to use an army to help from outside. To defend the isolated city is to sit back and wait for death."
Mang Mao said: "Young Master has no objections. The eldest son of the family left the city yesterday with Captain Daliang. He is expected to have taken up his post to lead the civilian army outside the city. The Young Master can lead ten thousand soldiers to join the civilian army and supervise and lead the army to respond to battles at random. 2 Erhai, although he is dull by nature, he is brave and capable of being trapped in battle."
Mr. Liang Wei said thoughtfully: "The change of defense can be done in about three days. But after three days, we will discuss the division of troops."
Mang Mao said: "Young master is joking. The Qin army is outside the city and has broken the seal. It can take one day to reach Daliang. In three days, I'm afraid the Qin soldiers will already be on Daliang City. How can we send out more troops!"
Mr. Liang Wei was surprised and said: "What do you think of the general?"
Mang Mao said: "If you think your foolish idea is feasible, you will leave the city tonight."
Mr. Liang Wei said: "It's too hasty to be in such a hurry!"
Mang Mao said: "I am forced by this military plan. I dare not force the young master. If the young master thinks that it will not be done tonight, this proposal will not be successful. We can only do what the young master said, borrow one from the back of the city, and be trapped in the isolated city."
