Zhang Zou's trip to Zhengcheng went very smoothly. The middleman he met turned out to be an eyewitness to several major events. Zhang Ye thought that what he said was specific and detailed, unlike something he said after careful consideration and under the influence of alcohol, so his credibility was relatively high. Leaving a chance to meet again, he hurried back to discuss the next step with everyone.
As expected, the Qin army did not come out today. Both Mr. Jin and Mr. Guo sent people back to report that they had made important discoveries, but they did not return as they needed further investigation. When he heard that Zhang Yue was back, although Mr. Zhongyue was still busy with business, he put everything down and hurried back to Huayang Wei Mansion to meet Zhang Yue. Several guests who were still in the courtyard had naturally gathered around Lord Xinling and Zhang Ye, listening to him tell what they had seen and heard. Seeing Zhong Yue coming back, Lord Xinling and everyone knelt down to greet him. Mr. Zhong Yue had a quick look at the ceremony, and sat down under Zhang Yue without any courtesy. He asked eagerly: "How did you get it?"
Zhang Ye said: "The harvest is very rich."
Lord Xinling said: "Mr. Lao, please tell me again!" Zhang Ye then started from the beginning and said: "I entered the city when I was eating, and when I got to the corner, I saw people coming in and out. Then I went into the wine shop to prepare wine and fruits, and asked the owner of the restaurant to invite one of the people. The owner of the restaurant seemed to have experienced this for a long time, so he invited a man to sit down in the market. When I asked him, he quite understood what I suspected."
Mr. Zhongyue said: "When things go abnormal, there must be other reasons. Don't be careless."
Zhang Ye said: "That's what you suspected, sir. So when the stranger sat down, he first asked him to drink three cups of wine to cheer him up. The gentleman was obedient and drank only three cups and asked directly, "What is the question?" If you don't know what you are asking, They dare not regain the claim. This can prove what Wang Sun said, if what the middleman says is untrue, he will be in trouble. The middleman is cautious and does not dare to make light of the matter. - It can also be inferred that what he said must be true."
Mr. Zhongyue pondered for a moment and said, "Please try to clear up your doubts. I'll talk to you later, sir."
Zhang Ye said: "I would like to inquire about the matter of unsealing the seal and transporting grain. The middleman said: If the honorable family wants to share a piece of the pie, it must be done quickly. If it is slow, there will be changes."
Mr. Zhongyue thought for a moment and said: "It doesn't sound like a hypocrite. You are here to bring food to Kaifeng, but you can't do it, so I asked you about it. Where can I meet you, sir?"
Zhang Ye said: "I met you in the attire of a retainer, and asked about the master's family. He brought out the emperor's jade pendant. As soon as the man saw it, he recognized the importance and wanted to see the ceremony, but I stopped him."
Mr. Zhongyue thought for a while and replied: "It doesn't seem like a fake. He who wears a jade pendant like the one worn by the emperor must be a noble person."
Zhang Wei said: "I asked again, would you like to hear the details? The man was very pleased, so he said, "I must know this, and I can know it." Then he asked again, "Do you know the speaker Chen Zhen?"
Mr. Zhongyue was surprised and said: "Why is it Chen Zhen? There must be an origin. Who is this?"
Zhang Ye said: "The man in the middle said to himself, this is not what you know. Chen Zhen is all over the world. He can prosper a country with a word, destroy a country with a word, and has everyone in the world."
Zhong Yue said: "These words are sincere and not false."
Zhang He said: "The man in the middle said that it was Shangsi, and the king and all the palaces went together to purify him. The man in the middle was holding weapons on the left and right. After hearing the report, an envoy came up and ordered the prince to see him. The prince returned and said The people of Qin sent Chen Zhen to persuade Han to return to Qin. He said, "What's the benefit of allying with the three Jins? If we make an alliance with Qin, and Qin goes out of Guandong, and Han is the host, we can pay double the price to Jia."
Mr. Zhongyue said: "These words seem to be true. They are Chen Zhen's words! Moreover, what he said is that Chen Zhen saw the king last week, which is consistent with what he said."
Zhang He said: "My minister said that it is righteousness not to bear the burden of the three Jin Dynasties; what Chen Zhen said is benefit. What does the king say? In the way of human beings, the king said that food from thousands of miles away does not arrive at the same time; when the food is sent to Korea, it is only twice the price. How clever is Qin's plan!"
Mr. Zhongyue said: "It's the King of Han's words. It doesn't seem to be a lie."
Zhang Ye said: "I am asking, is it determined? In the way of human beings, important matters of the family and the country cannot be decided in one word! However, Han has already transported grain to that country, so this must be a plan."
Mr. Zhongyue said: "This is a man. He only knows the appearance of the first meeting and does not know the feelings of making plans. What he said is true."
Zhang He said: "I asked again, what does it mean when slowing down will lead to changes? Is King Ning uncertain? The middle man said, is it with Wei? With Qin? It is difficult for the king to decide. Therefore, slowing down will lead to changes."
Mr. Zhongyue said: "As it is said, the major events have not been decided yet, the general trend has not been lost, and there is still something to be done! Sir, this trip is not in vain. He actually found out that King Han's heart was shaken, and he has not yet made a final plan!"
Zhang He said: "I asked again about the condition of King Han's illness. The middle man said: This is what I know again. Looking at the sun in the tenth month, the king and Ji drank together under the moon. The prince came to report. The people of Qin came out of the pass and ordered Han Prepare food in the road. When the king heard about it, he suddenly fell down. He suffered from chest pain day and night, with phlegm and asthma. For ten days, he was still sick and could not see anything. The prince and the general will discuss it with each other if there is an urgent matter. It depends. Helping Qin with food is like what the prince did. If the king is in trouble, he may be abolished. Therefore, it is said that 'slow down and there will be changes'."
Mr. Zhongyue said: "If what the man said is true, King Han is suffering from an urgent fire attacking his heart, and his heart energy is reversed, and that's why. This is a serious illness, and there is no way to save him. Even though King Han is ill, he is lucky."
Zhang He said: "I think this statement is consistent with the previous statement: Although the King of Han is greedy for the benefits of Qin, he still admires the alliance and has difficulty making a choice. The person who decides to aid Qin is the prince, the Prime Minister of Han, the general of Han, and not the King of Han. .”
Lord Xinling struck the knot and sighed: "If it is true, then the matter can still be done. Prince Han, however, the talent of the middle man is soft and indecisive. Even if the plan is determined, it is not difficult to change it."
Mr. Zhongyue said: "Sir, you have regained this letter. This is a worthwhile trip."
Zhang He said: "I asked again, "Wang Fu sick, has Chen Zhen come to see you?" The middleman said, "I don't know." I asked again where Chen Zhen lived. The middleman also said, "I don't know." However, what he said was, "I don't know." If Chen Zhen returns, he will be in the car. Therefore, I left two hundred money and arranged to meet him the next day, hoping to get Chen Zhen's residence."
Mr. Zhongyue said: "It's wonderful. He knows what he knows, and he doesn't know if he doesn't know. Chen Zhen's survival depends on him. If he carries him personally in the middle of the carriage, he should be trustworthy. If you can find Chen Zhen's residence, sir. What's going on?"
Zhang Ye said: "I still haven't figured out the plan, so I came back and asked for advice."
The other retainers also praised Zhang Yu's trip as a worthwhile one, as he had discovered such hidden information, which was of great help to his decision-making. As for how to deal with Chen Zhen, there are different opinions, ranging from assassination to persuasion. At the end of the discussion, everyone focused on persuasion, because the assassination would only stimulate the break between King Han and Wei.
Lord Xinling said: "I have always heard that the Zongheng family has learned about the world's trends and made grand discussions. Chen Zhen is the hero of Zongheng. If you get his comments, you shouldn't be happy!"
When Mr. Zhongyue heard this, he clapped his knees and said, "No one but your Majesty can do this!"
Zhang Zou still didn't understand, so he asked: "What's the plan?"
Mr. Zhongyue said: "Zongheng's family studies, traveling to and from various countries, do not have the righteousness of monarch and minister. They seek each other in the same spirit and are in the same party to seek their own benefits. In the past, when Su Qin entered Qin, it offered Lianheng, and when it entered Zhao, it offered Hezong. This is the same category. Ye. Now, although Chen Zhen said this about Han for Qin, what should he do if he said about Han for Wei?"
Zhang Ye also exclaimed: "What a great plan. It is not only about turning enemies into friends, but also about turning enemies into teachers. I am willing to implement it."
Lord Xinling said: "I think of the scholars who spread all over the world. They were in the Qin Dynasty and the Chu Dynasty in the late Chu Dynasty. They are not fickle in nature. They are rejected by the king but not accepted, and accepted but not used. If you can use them, you can't do your best to repay them! So-called A scholar dies for a confidant, as a sign of sincerity to the people with lofty ideals in the world. When you meet Mr. Chen, please pay your respects to him. If we meet him by chance, we will treat him as a relative and ask for his advice!"
Zhang Zhe said: "Here you go!"
Lord Xinling said: "Although Mr. Guo and Jin have not returned, they must know that Han and Qin are connected, and it is true that Han used water channels to support Qin. Although Chen's way is said, success or failure is not determined. If it is true, what will be done?"
Zhang He said: "The top one is to eliminate the friendship between Qin and Han, and consolidate the alliance between Wei and Han. If Han and Wei join forces to attack Qin, Qin will be defeated; the one above is not to eliminate the friendship between Qin and Han, but to consolidate the alliance between Wei and Han, and Wei and Han will be defeated." In the battle between Qin and Qin, the victory or defeat is incalculable; those below him will not cut off the friendship between Qin and Han, but will back up the alliance of Wei and Han, and Qin and Han will attack each other, then Wei will be defeated. Those below him will definitely not be able to do anything, and those above him will It’s not desirable, but it’s possible to take it.”
Lord Xinling said: "It is not a plan to keep Wei Wei for a long time. What should we do?"
Mr. Zhongyue said: "Gou Wei has the help of Han, and Han supports two armies with one country. It is difficult to sustain its strength. It is time to defeat the enemy."
Lord Xinling asked: "How long will it take?"
Mr. Zhongyue thought for a moment and said, "It won't last more than a month."
Lord Xinling said: "It's already late autumn. If we stay together for a month, why don't we go into winter?"
Mr. Zhongyue said: "I look at the sky at night, and the battle has turned into armor, and the cold dew has turned into frost at night. Based on this, it is the beginning of winter in one month."
Lord Xinling said: "The art of war is difficult if we leave our troops in the wild for a month; it is even more difficult in winter! What can be done?"
Mr. Zhongyue said: "If there is enough food and fodder, it might be easy."
Zhang Ye said: "But we can discuss it with the Jin officials and ministers."
Lord Xinling said: "Since Captain Daliang is here, I can also consult him."
Zhang He said: "Liang Wei, you are a noble person, you will not be able to bear it. You can feed the car and bring it to the country."
Lord Xinling said: "Liang Wei went out to battle in times of danger and forgot about himself. Although Liang Wei's son was the only son, he also went out into battle and was in a dangerous place. He is not a mediocre person. If you have any questions, you will definitely be able to reduce my faults and increase my merits. .”
After hearing this, the diners did not argue and changed the subject. Zhang He said: "If we are to fight with Qin for months, what words can we use to plan the temple, stabilize the army's morale, and boost morale?"
A guest said: "It's unbearable to stay in the wild at night, even in late autumn, but what about winter?"
Another guest said: "The weather is cold and the ground is freezing. Qin and I are both at the same time. How can we be impatient?"
A retainer said: "Qin is Xirong; northwest is a cold land. The people there are savage, and they have enough to eat. The clothes and etiquette of China are not comparable. If you are cold and hungry, you may fight with trapped animals, and it is difficult to restrain them." "
Lord Xinling said: "It is beyond the power of mere men to hold the month of Qin. The top and bottom must be of the same mind to fight against the national calamity. There must be twists and turns in the longitude and latitude of the foundation, and hardships and dangers must be prevented before they happen. Zhongyue Mr. Zhang kept his ambition silently in his heart and consulted all the officials alone. Mr. Zhang still went to Zheng to explore the reality of Han Ting. "
Zhang He said: "I went to Zheng Di and got a bite of a pig. I have ordered the right camp to carry it back to the camp. There will be rewards for the night."
Lord Xinling asked: "How did you get it?"
Zhang Ye said: "I'm in the city."
Everyone laughed and started talking about how to share the food.
Mr. Zhongyue said: "Your Majesty was exhausted yesterday and fainted on the ground. If you can get the soup, it will be a good supplement."
