The King of Qin said: "The people are the foundation of the country. To make a country strong, it must first be the people, and then farming and war will begin. If we get 400,000 Zhao people and eliminate their old, weak, women and children, we will win against 100,000 prisoners. If we fight with them, we will win, and if we build with them, we will win." Then it's done. Cultivate grass and open up wasteland, and do everything. If you win, you will have many heads!"
Bai Qi said: "Qin takes the head as a military merit. If there is no head, how can it be accomplished?"
The guard said: "Is it okay to capture one person and treat him as a first-class person?"
The King of Qin said: "I want to use those people for my own use."
Bai Qi said: "If they are not of my race, their minds must be different. How difficult is it to be used by them?"
The King of Qin said: "No. In the past, Uncle Jian was a native of Ji, Bailixi was a native of Yu, and Duke Mu became dominant because of it. Lord Shang was a native of Wei, and his legacy is still there today; Marquis Rang was a native of Chu, and he became dominant because of it. To defeat Chu, Zhang Yi and Zhang Lu were both from Wei, but they were related to Qin, and Qin prospered because of it. Scholars from all over the world came to Qin one after another, and those who were talented and virtuous were all retained. However, I think that scholars are not the only ones in the world. The people in the countryside are the foundation of the country. The people who use the countryside are the ones who use them in a big way. When the king conquered Hanoi, the people of Han and Wei all obeyed the Qin law, and now they are used to control the people of Zhao. Today, the people of Zhao are 400,000. They are at the end of the road, hungry, cold and exhausted. If you collect and use diseases, subdue them with virtue, and treat them with laws, you will be able to conquer a large county. What a small achievement!"
Bai Qi said: "I sincerely follow the king's instructions and I should plan this with the generals."
Bai Qi resigned, and the visitor arranged for him and his guards to rest in a large independent mansion outside the city.
After Bai Qi left, the Weiwei asked King Qin uneasily: "Will the king discuss this with Prime Minister Zhang?"
The King of Qin took out a piece of slippery slip from behind his back and recited silently: "I have said that the Zhao people are inconvenient to attack, so it is convenient to take advantage of the enemy's desperate situation and capture it." After a moment of silence, he said: "It is not necessary to accept surrender before the battle. Nothing can be done with great wisdom and courage."
He entered the city at dawn to participate in the court meeting of the King of Qin. After the meeting, he said goodbye without waiting for breakfast, left on horseback with his guards, and rushed to Changping that night. Send your guards and fast horses ahead of time to inform the generals to come to the camp to discuss matters. When Bai Qi arrives, all the generals will arrive. After nearly ten days of rest, the epidemic has basically passed. Although the generals were not spared, they all survived. Although they are a little tired now, they are not seriously injured.
After Bai Qi entered the camp, he immediately met with the generals. The king's tomb and the commander's office, which were farther away, had not yet arrived. Bai Qi conveyed the King of Qin's order to the generals: take advantage of the Zhao army's impoverishment and surrender it for his own use.
Wang Lu was the first to say with great joy: "Wang Ming. There are 400,000 Zhao people. Even if they are killed by necks, they still cannot be used. If they are collected and used, they will get 400,000 soldiers."
Sima Jin then said cautiously: "A drop of 400,000 is unheard of in ancient times. Our army has a new illness and the strength of the soldiers has not recovered. If the Zhao people suddenly rise up, there will be no response."
Li Bing also said: "If you are not of my race, your mind must be different. How can it be used?"
Bai Qi said: "I also used this to enter the king, and the king responded with Uncle Jian, Baili Xi, Shang Jun, Zhang Yi, Ranghou, and Zhang Lu. He said that the scholars still keep them for use, but how about the wild people!"
Meng Ao said: "You can order the soldiers to call out day and night, and those who wish to surrender will surrender themselves, so as to confuse their hearts and suppress their energy. Those who surrender will be given food and clothing, and they will be ordered to return to Qin, and they will be fine."
Bai Qi said: "This is also feasible, but it is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and it will not avoid fighting."
Meng Ao said: "At that time, Zhao State collapsed and there was no way to fight. But I was given the title of Shouer."
Bai Qi said: "This plan is very clever, and it can be implemented. The next day, let the soldiers call for it in each camp." All the generals had no objections and went back to their camps to make arrangements. Bai Qi asked people to greet Wang Ling and Wei Shi halfway, and did not allow them to come to his camp. They could just go to the northern army to listen to the decision.
Wang Ling and Wei Shi also felt headaches about launching a general offensive, and felt that if they could recruit surrender, it would be a good way to win without fighting. But I'm dubious about the results. However, Meng Ao advised that shouting for surrender would help demoralize the Zhao army, and if a battle was inevitable in the end, it would be much easier. The two of them also agreed with this judgment and should go back to make arrangements.
After the routine drumming, each battalion in each mountain suddenly sent out small groups of soldiers, marched a hundred steps away in front of the Zhao army's camp fence, and shouted loudly: "You, Zhao people, are at the end of the road, so don't come back. The head can be saved!"
After shouting for a day, the soldiers were tired and wanted to go back, but they saw several Zhao soldiers walking out of the camp and shouted: "We are willing to surrender, please see Lord Wu An."
This group of Zhao soldiers walked out of the south camp by Danshui River, and they obviously knew about Lord Wu An's camp. Their sudden appearance shocked the Qin troops. The doctor who led the team hurriedly came forward to check and saw that there were ten people in total. None of them were armed and had their hands empty. He asked, "What do you mean by meeting your Majesty?"
The leader, the elderly Zhao Jun, said: "I heard that Lord Wu'an was recruiting Zhao Jun to surrender, so please surrender!"
The doctor was doubtful, but when he saw that these ten people did not seem to have any malicious intentions and had empty hands, he said: "Please come in." The fifty people sandwiched these ten people in the middle, pressed them into the camp, and asked them to sit down in front of the camp gate. , go in and report to the official. The officials came out in a hurry, asked a few questions, reported to the police in order, and finally reported to Bai Qi. Bai Qi observed all this from time to time on the mountain lookout. When he saw the official coming to report, he ordered him to be taken to the camp in the middle of the mountain. I took a few people down to the middle camp to meet with him.
Only the elderly leader Zhao Jun was allowed to enter the camp, and the rest were waiting outside the camp. Bai Qi asked the official to ask the chief question. Zhao Jun sat in the guest seat and he sat in the middle. General Zhao Jun was welcomed into the tent by public servants, sat down, and asked: "Who do you dare to ask, please surrender?"
The man said: "My minister, Zhao, is ten thousand years old. A few days ago, he violated the emperor's authority, but he was not killed. He was released to the camp. Now that I heard that Qin wants Zhao to come back, I have come to ask for your attention!"
Gongcheng said: "Your Zhao has run out of food, and there is an epidemic, and most of the soldiers have died. Wang has a good nature, and I hope you will come back."
Zhao Nian said: "I was asked not to kill you, but to return to the camp. I dare not forget my virtue, but I have discussed it with all the generals. Now that the king of Zhao has no rescue, and the soldiers have no fighting spirit, it is better to surrender. However, the Zhao soldiers' home is in Handan." , If you surrender before the battle, your family will be killed, so I can't bear it."
Gongcheng said: "Zhao will definitely be defeated. Bei and surrender will be heard by everyone. What's the difference?"
Zhao Nian said: "The generals thought that if the army surrendered and Meng was released to Handan, Qin could defeat the Shangdang without a fight, and the Zhao soldiers would have their heads saved. They would not dare to invade the great country again."
Gongcheng said: "Since you have returned to Qin, you should be loyal to the king of Qin, why should Handan do it!"
Zhao Nian said: "Qin and Zhao have fought since Changping, and the war will begin. How can the Zhao family return to the old state? So I have invited you."
Bai Qi said: "If you attack Handan, you must not do it. If he fights, it will be inevitable."
Zhao Nian paid his respects and said, "Thank you, Mr. Wu'an!"
Gongcheng said: "When will you surrender? How many troops will you have? Do you have any records?"
Zhao Nian said: "Zhao's soldiers are often sick and trapped, and they are dead. Most of Dian's troops have been lost, and their number is hard to know. Only a few of the thirty-four thousand who could fight, and the rest who died from injuries and illnesses are unknown."
Gongcheng said: "When we leave the camp and descend, can we keep order?"
Zhao Nian said: "No way! Zhao's army is tired and sick, and the soldiers cannot afford it. Without medicine and food, they will rest for several days and it will be difficult to move."
Gongcheng said: "If you don't get out of the wall, how can you descend?"
Zhao Nian said: "This is why we ask the great powers to give us more food and medicine to raise our soldiers."
Gongcheng sneered and said: "Soldiers together, are you going to fight Qin again?"
Zhao Nian said: "I am willing to pledge my body, but I dare not betray my trust."
Gongcheng said: "I have captured all the Zhao troops. I don't dare to challenge the leader of the king."
Zhao Nian said: "It is difficult for soldiers to act sincerely. We dare not trust you. If you have other ideas, I would like to hear about them!"
Bai Qi said: "If the soldiers don't rise, someone will rise up. When five hundred weapons are brought out, one cart of food comes in, five hundred people will be taken as hostages. When a thousand weapons are brought out, and two carts of food are taken in, a thousand people will be taken as hostages."
Zhao Nian said: "You don't dare to doubt a big country. If weapons come out but food doesn't come in, what can we do?"
Bai Qi said: "But it is possible to trade with the camp."
Zhao Nian said: "I would like to give you gold, but keep your staff for support!"
Gongcheng wanted to object, but Bai Qi stopped him and said, "Yes, but the halberd should be one, not two. Don't keep the bow."
Zhao Nian said: "Where should we change it?"
Bai Qi said: "My food will arrive in three days, and it can be easily transported."
Zhao Nian said: "I swear an alliance!"
Immediately let the Qin soldiers get two cups of water. Gongcheng and Zhao Nian each cut their blood into the water and drank each other's blood. Zhao Nian returned to camp. Before going back, Bai Qi gave Zhao Nian a handful of fried millet and asked him to share it with the accompanying soldiers. Zhao Nian had also been hungry for several days, and his eyes lit up when he saw there was food. Bai Qi warned: "Don't eat too much, or you will kill someone if you eat too much!" Zhao Nian, who was stunned by hunger, directly ignored this important sentence. After leaving the camp, give this small handful of fried millet to the accompanying soldiers, giving each of them a small bite. He drank water at the foot of the mountain and returned to Zhao camp. Bai Qi immediately sent military envoys to Gaodu to load all the fried millet into trucks and transport it to Changping. No more distribution to soldiers. At the same time, he wrote to the King of Qin and reported the negotiations with Zhao Nian. He also sent people to inform Wang Lu, Sima Jin and other generals to discuss the matter.
At night, Zhao Nian came to see him again. He said that the other ten thousand people would be worried when they heard that they only swore an oath with Gongcheng, and they would definitely swear an oath with Lord Wu'an. Gongcheng sneered and said: "Your general Zhao Kuo is dead, and your army is leaderless. Who and what virtue can make an alliance with Lord Wu'an?"
Bai Qi asked: "How many thousand generals do you have?"
Zhao Nian said: "Ten thousand people will get a total of forty-five people."
Bai Qi said: "If those forty-five people come together, I will make an alliance!"
Zhao Nian said: "It is difficult to get old and sick, and only a dozen people can get it."
Bai Qi said: "If so, please come back."
Zhao Nian said: "If he is a descendant, can he take his place?"
Bai Qi said: "You must get the festival talisman and the axe, that's fine!"
The two sides agreed that tomorrow the important generals of the Qin and Zhao armies would meet together for an alliance on the bank of Danshui River at the foot of the mountain. Bai Qi requested that the content of the oath must include loyalty to the King of Qin.
Not long after Zhao Nian returned, he returned again, saying that many thousands of people would not be willing to take part in the oath, let alone swear allegiance to the King of Qin. They only waited for the soldiers to be properly resettled before committing suicide to apologize. But Gongcheng firmly stated that if he was not loyal to the King of Qin, there was no need to swear an oath. When the time came, he would hand over his weapons and get food after walking out of the camp.
Zhao Nian repeatedly requested that the oath of allegiance to the King of Qin should not be included in the oath, and that all ten thousand generals should participate in the oath. Otherwise, the order of the army would be difficult to maintain, and if chaos broke out, it would be bad for everyone. But public transportation will never let go. He said: "Mr. Wu'an has ordered Gaodu to transport grain, and he will be here day and night. When a battalion goes out, a battalion will be taken in, and when an army goes out, an army will be taken in. The rest can be left to their own devices."
Zhao Nian had no choice but to return to the camp again.
