In the forty-eighth year of King Qin and the seventh year of King Zhao, on the summer solstice, Qin and Zhao met for an alliance.
Lord Pingyuan, with a gloomy face, sank the jade and three animals by the Yellow River together with Prince Qin, and swore an oath to the sky: Qin and Zhao will form an alliance and will never betray each other! Both of them knew in their hearts that this oath would not mean anything, but it must be completed. Both parties were respectful, but after the meeting was over, there was no extra greeting and they left each other.
The King of Qin did not grant a banquet, so Lord Pingyuan returned to Handan on the second day of the oath. Because the King of Zhao offered the head of Wei Qi, the King of Qin released Lord Pingyuan to return to Zhao as promised.
Mr. Pingyuan was in a very unhappy mood. Wei Qi came to seek refuge with him, but he was unable to protect him, and he was betrayed, which was a great humiliation. The Qin envoys made great publicity along the way and displayed Wei Qi's head to show that Zhao surrendered to Qin, which was a great humiliation. After suffering such humiliation, Zhang When Lu was meeting with Lord Pingyuan, he still did not forget to remind him that after returning home, he would immediately offer the six promised cities, which would be three great humiliations.
Although he suffered three major humiliations, the King of Qin was not rude to him. The six hundred guests and followers he accompanied were well received and placed in a large mansion. The supplies are supplied on time every month, with no shortage of everything needed; even some temporary requests are often met. Before leaving, he also gave him a hundred rides of goods. And in the eyes of Lord Pingyuan, this is also a kind of humiliation, humiliating Zhao Guo's harshness and neglect towards Young Master Yiren! Mr. Pingyuan kept all this in his heart, with the goal of returning to Handan as soon as possible.
When Lord Pingyuan came out, there were already hundreds of chariots. Including the gift from the King of Qin, the fleet reached 200 chariots. It took nearly a day to get out of Hangu Pass and nearly ten days on the bumpy Zhuohan Road. Just arrived in Luoyang. Lord Pingyuan immediately chartered several Daji Brigades outside Luoyang City, rested for a few days, purchased supplies, and then crossed the river. On the other side of Luoyang is Nanyang, Hanoi, which is Qin's territory and Zhao's sad place. Lord Pingyuan does not want to go from there, so he prepares to separate people and vehicles, so that vehicles can go by land and people can go by water. This requires hiring boats everywhere. Of course, Mr. Pingyuan does not need to worry about these tasks. He has a group of followers and retainers to handle them.
It was midsummer, the sun was scorching, and everyone had to hide in the shade in the courtyard at noon. Mr. Pingyuan was lying alone in the back hall, with a child beside him fanning himself to cool off. The cicadas chirped in the courtyard, inducing sleepiness.
Suddenly, a guest came over and reported in a low voice: "Qing Yu is here to visit!"
Hearing Yu Qing's name, Mr. Pingyuan immediately woke up and said: "Change! Please!"
After a while, Mr. Pingyuan, fully dressed, came to the front hall, where Yu Qing was already waiting.
After the two met each other, Lord Pingyuan asked: "If you come here alone, you must have the king's orders!"
Yu Qing said: "It is not the king's order, and I am not the king's minister!"
Lord Pingyuan was shocked and asked, "Why do you say this? Is Mr. Ning Zhao being rude to you?"
Yu Qing said: "No! The king captured Wei Qi, and Qi fled to our homeland. I couldn't say how I could save the king, so I abandoned my official position and went to Chu with him. The road was blocked and blocked in Ye. I would like to ask Lord Xinling to help him. But too late, Qi Sui committed suicide. The only minister, Lord Xinling, came to Daliang and now lives there."
Lord Pingyuan did not expect such twists and turns, and sighed: "Why do you want to get this? Why do you want to get this! How did the king get Wei Qiye?"
Yu Qing said: "The king knew that the king was retained by Qin, and he was unable to advance and retreat. He didn't know why. He followed Qin's wishes and wanted to win over Wei and Qi, so he sent troops to invade Qin. So he sent troops to surround his house. After the death of Qi, he killed himself in Ye and became king. The reward is to behead his head and offer it to Qin!"
Lord Pingyuan said: "We are all in a state of poverty and come to join us. This is the friendship of a friend. If I keep it and sell it again, why should I treat the people of the world!"
Yu Qing said: "The Qin Dynasty is strong and tyrannical, and those who are as noble as the emperor will not protect themselves, let alone others! Today, Qin has been suffering for a long time. I hope that you will call out, and no one in the world will dare to disobey. It is shameful to betray a friend, and report it to Chang Ping. Hate, today."
Prince Pingyuan said: "This wish to win is nothing but a fool's errand!"
Yu Qing said: "Three Jins are one body, and we are brothers. No matter who Han or Wei are, they all want to unite. I heard about it before Changping! Chu lost its homeland, and after ten years of childbirth, it wanted to return to its old capital. When Chu people heard about Qin, they all wanted to return to it. Gritting teeth! This is what I need to convince without saying anything. Although Yan Qi has a gap with Zhao, it is just a small grudge. If the land is given less to stabilize it, it will definitely help. Now the whole world is turning to Zhao and turning their backs to Qin, Zhao is advancing because of this, even though Han Gu If you don’t have enough authority, how about joining the party!”
Mr. Pingyuan asked cautiously: "Is your plan a plan for yourself or someone else?"
Yu Qing said: "This is Lord Xinling's plan. How can I, a humble servant, know about it?"
Lord Pingyuan said: "Does Lord Xinling see you?"
Yu Qing said: "I follow Lord Xinling's order to see you, and I dare not cheat!"
Lord Pingyuan said: "Sir, I dare not forget what I have taught you. When I enter Handan, I will repay it to the king. Zhao is disrespectful to you. I hope you will not be guilty. If you dare to follow Sheng into Handan, the king will make amends!"
Yu Qing said: "The king of Zhao treats his ministers well, but I betray him, I am unfaithful and unjust, so I dare not return to Handan! I live in Daliang now, but I only have food and clothing, so I will not dare to get riches and honors. I also dare not forget Zhao De." !”
Mr. Pingyuan saw that Yu Qing spoke so sincerely, so he didn't force it. He ordered someone to serve him some wine, and they drank it. Yu Qing resigned.
Lord Pingyuan returned to the back hall, took off his clothes again, and lay down on the mat. Thinking about what Yu Qing said, he was sad that Yu Qing had left, and he was also thinking carefully about Yu Qing's words. What he was particularly concerned about was that Yu Qing said that he came under the order of Xin Lingjun. Is it true or false? Lobbyists like this always make false claims and deceive their owners for their own benefit. Mr. Pingyuan had to be on guard, but he couldn't find a good way to verify it.
At dusk, someone reported to Lord Pingyuan that Su Li was visiting.
Su Li was Dr. Zhou, a famous lobbyist at the time. After the Changping War, when Yu Qing was in charge of the princes' diplomacy, Su Li went to Xianyang as an envoy on Yu Qing's behalf, driving a wedge between Zhang Lu and Bai Qi while advocating for peace between Qin and Zhao. Both of his goals seemed to succeed. It can be said that Su Li laid the first cornerstone of today's alliance between Qin and Zhao.
As the actual chief executive of Zhao State, Lord Pingyuan naturally knows all about the twists and turns in this process. He immediately went out of the door in person and politely invited Su Li to the lobby.
Since the summer solstice has just passed, the days are long and the nights are short. Although it is almost dusk, the sky is not dark. The two came to the screen and sat across from each other.
Su Li said: "It's very hot, I dare you to go to the screen!"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Pingyuan immediately asked people to remove the screens in the lobby, and opened the front and rear doors to let the draft blow. He also said politely: "Sir, please take off your clothes!"
Su Li said: "That's what I mean. I am willing to obey you!"
Lord Pingyuan then took the lead and took off all his clothes, leaving only his crotch protector. Su Li also took off his clothes. The two men faced each other sincerely. Mr. Pingyuan called for some juice and drank with Su Li.
After sitting down, Su Li said: "Your Majesty has left Xianyang and will return to Handan. What plan will you use to offer King Zhao?"
Mr. Pingyuan said: "I have no plan, sir, please teach me!"
Su Li said: "Last year, Yu Qing was ordered by King Zhao to send a secret envoy to Luoyang to communicate with the princes. I have nothing to do with you. At that time, the whole country of Zhao was shocked and the people could not fight. Therefore, the Lord made peace to slow down the Qin army so that Zhao could rest. Today is the time. In midsummer, everything flourishes, the chilly air is gone, and vitality is ready. The peach blossoms are shining brightly, and the flowers are in full bloom. This is the time when the family is full and the family is working hard. There is no way to show weakness."
Lord Pingyuan said: "Zhao shows that he is weaker than the world. What do you think?"
Su Li said: "Wei Qi was poor and surrendered to the emperor, but was sold to Zhao to appease Qin's anger. Zhao's weakness is not obvious!"
Pingyuan Jun said: "The Qin people are superior to Qin, and the Qin people threaten Wei and Qi. The king loves victory, so he seizes Qi and gets his head, and spreads it to Xianyang. It is a crime of sincere victory."
Su Li said: "As soon as the leader of Wei and Qi entered Xianyang, you and Qin met on the river to form an alliance. Everyone in the world knew that Zhao was consorting with Qin."
Mr. Pingyuan said: "It is true, sir. What can I do?"
Su Li said: "Qin has shown that Wei and Qi are the leaders in the world, but there must be others who will ask for Zhao."
Lord Pingyuan said: "There is nothing else."
Su Li said: "That's not true. Zhao concubines with Qin, so what do you want me to do with you? Taking six cities as a concubine, this is my plan. How can there be nothing left?"
Lord Pingyuan said: "Qin has secured its city, but now Wei Qi's leader has entered, without saying anything else."
Su Li said: "How long will it take for Qin to be disgusted? Even if he can't catch it face to face, he will definitely ask for it later. If he can't ask for it, he will follow with a large number of soldiers. You will use your plan. Can Zhao Qi be killed?"
Mr. Pingyuan said: "No."
Su Li said: "Not Zhao alone, none of the princes in the world can resist Qin alone. For the princes' plan, we should unite to attack it and resist it with all our strength. If Zhang Huang looks around, he will eventually become a minister of Qin!"
Pingyuan Jun said: "In the battle of Changping, Zhao joined the four princes, but no one responded. Now that Zhao is weak, who among the princes can help?"
Su Li said: "In the battle of Changping, Zhao Ming sent envoys Zheng and Zhu to consort with Qin, and secretly used Anping Jun Tian Dangou to unite the princes to resist Qin. Although Tian Dan was prime minister, he was also a native of Qi. Although Zheng and Zhu were humble, Zhao Dafu Also. It is not appropriate for those who are close to Qin to be sent to Qin and those who are sparse to be sent to the princes. If the princes do not help Zhao, it is not appropriate! If Zhao Ming uses Anping Lord to send envoys to Qin, but secretly sends Zheng and Zhu to send envoys to the princes, the princes will rise up to help. also."
Lord Pingyuan suddenly turned red after hearing this. In his opinion, the envoy was just to convey King Zhao's intention. As long as he could speak eloquently and speak clearly, he would naturally achieve diplomatic results. He never thought that the choice of envoy would have such profound meaning.
Su Li did not seem to notice Lord Pingyuan's embarrassment, and continued: "Now, when Wei and Qi are the first to enter, and you leave Xianyang, and make an alliance with Qin, all the princes in the world will regard Zhao as a vassal of Qin. Who can help him? And Zhao Zhizhi In both the government and the public, there is no one who is close and as noble as the king, but he is trusted by the princes..."
Lord Pingyuan understood immediately and said: "That's why we must use victory as an envoy and travel among the princes to achieve its effect!"
Su Li listened to Lord Pingyuan's words, pawed his hands and said: "That's good! Your words are what the world hopes for! You must come to the country personally, and the princes will dare to come out. If you hesitate even a little, your plan will fail!"
Lord Pingyuan smiled slightly and asked unexpectedly: "Sir, the ministers of Zhou want the world to resist Qin. What are their plans?"
Su Li said: "The King of Zhou is the Son of Heaven. The power of the world will return to Qin. Zhou Ning should not be afraid. This is why he wants to weaken Qin."
Lord Pingyuan said: "Did Zhou resist Qin?"
Su Li said: "The land of Zhou is no more than a hundred miles long, and there are no more than a few cities. Qin's attack on Zhou did not actually expand the territory, but it had the name of attacking the emperor. Zhou must not resist, but he must not resist, and there is nothing to resist!" "
