When Ji Shang heard this, he quickly flattered him and said, "Father, preparing for a rainy day is an example for my sons and ministers to learn from."
Ji Chongzhi said with a smile: "Haha, my father is getting old, and it is inevitable that he has a lot of things to worry about! In this way, after you two arrive in Zheng State, you should stop mentioning the Jin State sending troops to help, and focus on handling the bank affairs. As for the so-called artillery drill, if they send out an invitation, just give them face and go and have a look."
Ji Shang bowed and said, "Yes, I have taken note of it. Father, do you have any other instructions?"
Ji Chongzhi walked silently for two more steps and said thoughtfully: "Although you two have been on missions to many countries before, this is your first mission to Zheng. You must remember your father's words and listen more." Watch and talk less, especially do not promise something at will in the name of the country under the flattery of others. "
"Yes, I must remember my father's instructions, listen more, read more, talk less, and don't make random promises." Ji Shang repeated.
Ji Chongzhi nodded with satisfaction, reached out and patted Ji Shang's shoulder, "Okay, go ahead. I will order Zhou Yun, the commander of the personal guard army, to personally lead five hundred elite cavalry to escort you two."
"My dear father, thank you very much. My dear father, thank you very much." Ji Shang and Ji Jiang left the palace after saluting respectively.
In Xijing, the capital of the Qin State, the sedan chair of Prime Minister Gao Jianli had just landed in the front yard of the Prime Minister's Mansion. Ye Mei, the manager of the Eagle Eye Intelligence Agency founded by him, greeted him with a veil on her face. She first waved and screened away the two people beside the sedan door. A guard then raised his hand to open the sedan curtain a crack, stuck his head into the sedan, and whispered: "Prime Minister, there is news from Zheng Guo."
"Oh! Why not send it directly to the palace and hand it over to the Holy One?" Gao Jianli sat in the sedan and said calmly.
Ye Mei handed over a thin piece of paper and continued: "Prime Minister, this news is not about the Queen and the eldest princess, but about Chen Xiaomu, the Prince Consort of Zheng."
After Gao Jianli read the contents on the tissue paper, he couldn't help but snorted softly from his nose and said to himself: "Humph, I really don't know what this Zheng Guo's consort is going to do again?"
Ye Mei said carefully: "Prime Minister, according to my estimation, the artillery drill mentioned in this letter should be related to the explosive they made."
Gao Jianli nodded slightly and said, "Today is the seventeenth day of the twelfth lunar month, which means we still have four days left?"
"What does Prime Minister mean...?" Ye Mei inquired.
Gao Jianli's eyes flashed, "I want to meet this Prince Consort of Zheng!"
Ye Mei was shocked: "Is Mr. Xiang going to Zheng State?"
Gao Jianli said: "In today's morning meeting, in view of the fact that Qi State is about to attack Zheng State, the Holy Emperor has ordered me to set off immediately to go to Zheng State to pick up the Queen and Princess Changxing."
Ye Mei immediately said: "Master Xiang, I will allocate manpower to prepare for departure."
"Yes." Gao Jianli nodded slightly and continued, "Go to the Yushitai Yamen and find the school secretary, Yan Zhiyun, and ask him to lead a battalion to accompany me."
"Yes, Prime Minister." Ye Mei responded.
In Pingjiang City, the capital of Wu State, Emperor Xu Da of Wu State was presiding over a morning meeting to discuss the war on the front line. The guard in front of the palace gate suddenly came to report, "Your Majesty, Your Highness Princess Zhenguo of Zhou State seeks to see you."
"Oh!" Xu Da was a little surprised. Normally, if the princess of Zhou Kingdom came to see him, she would at least say hello in advance, but why did she suddenly come without saying anything? Could it be that something urgent happened? "
However, Wu and Zhou are allies. No matter what, we still have to meet. He waved his hand and asked Princess Zhenguo to wait in Princess Zhao'an's Xining Palace. I would go over to see her after the court meeting. "
"Here, Your Majesty." The guard agreed and went out.
During the following court meeting, Xu Da began to feel a little uneasy. He kept thinking about the sudden arrival of Princess Zhenguo of Zhou State and what happened. He knew in his heart that Zhou State was able to join forces with Wu State to attack Chen State this time, in fact, it was all thanks to Zhou State's Princess Zhenguo to go between them. Speaking of which, before the two countries joined forces, the relationship between the two countries was not good, and the two sides were bumping into each other. Fortunately, ten years ago, the old emperor of the Zhou Kingdom passed away. The crown prince who succeeded him was only three years old at that time. Before his death, the old emperor was afraid that the younger emperor who succeeded him would be deprived of power by the powerful ministers below. He hurriedly named the 16-year-old eldest princess the princess of the country and assisted the young emperor in handling government affairs. What the old emperor did not expect was that the eldest princess, who usually behaved well in front of him, was not only scheming, but also extremely ambitious. This woman, after ten years, she almost monopolized the affairs of the Zhou Dynasty, and the little emperor was turned into a puppet by her.
It was also ten years ago, when Xu Da, who had just been in power for a year, first wanted to expand his territory and secondly wanted to fight a battle to establish his authority so as to control the officials. After a little weighing, he chose his old enemy Chen Guo as the leader. The target of the war, in order to prevent the snipe and clams from fighting and benefiting the fishermen, sent his sister Xu Yu, the princess of Zhao'an, known as the most beautiful woman in the world, on an envoy to the state of Zhou to find out about the town who presided over the affairs of the state of Zhou. The thoughts of Princess Zhou Chunyan. Unexpectedly, Xu Yu and Zhou Chunyan had similar temperaments. They hit it off immediately and became best friends. At this time, Zhou Chunyan had just taken office and was thinking of doing something big to establish her authority in front of the old ministers. They hit it off immediately and decided to join forces. When we are united, we will fight as a family.
At the beginning, the two countries did not cooperate well. They only fought a little, engaged in friction, and occupied some small plots of land. Later, as time went on, the fighting became more and more smooth, and they began to seize cities and territories. In a few years, the two countries jointly occupied Chen Guoer. In the land of more than ten cities, until a few months ago, the Chu State, under Xu Da's lobbying, sent troops to attack the Zheng State, completely depriving the Chen State of its last possible reinforcements. The two countries of Wu and Zhou also took the opportunity to mobilize heavy troops, intending to destroy Chen State in one fell swoop. country. But who knew that the sixth prince of the Chen Kingdom suddenly appeared at this time and made a powerful weapon called explosives. In just ten days, he defeated the Chu Kingdom, which was more powerful than Wu and Zhou countries combined. , and also fought back to Yecheng, the capital of Chu State. When the news came, Xu Da and Zhou Chunyan immediately paid attention to them. They immediately called in senior craftsmen from their respective manufacturing departments and asked them if they knew about weapons like explosives. These weapons in the cold weapon era Craftsmen, they know nothing about dynamite, a mixed chemical explosive, and they have never even heard of it. Instead of asking them, it is better to ask the Taoist priest who made alchemy. The craftsmen all said they didn't know, so Xu Da promised a heavy reward to the craftsmen. Any craftsman who could tinker with explosives would be rewarded with a hundred thousand taels of silver.
Because he could never settle down, Xu Da hastily ended the morning meeting and went to the Xining Palace of his sister Zhao'an Princess Xu Yu to see Zhou Chunyan. As a result, as soon as he was in front of the Xining Palace, a woman with a beautiful face greeted him. , she said: "Brother Emperor, haven't you always wanted to find out what explosives are lately? No, Sister Chunyan brought them to you!"
"Bring it?" Xu Da couldn't help but feel his heart beat wildly when he heard this, and said anxiously: "Little sister, are you saying that Princess Zhenguo brought something called explosives?"
At this time, Zhou Chunyan, who was following Xu Yu, quickly interjected: "Your Majesty, Yu'er made a mistake. This is what I brought." As she said this, she handed over a note in her hand. Xu Da took it and looked at it. He was stunned and said dullly: "Your Highness, what do you mean by this?"
Zhou Chunyan smiled slightly and said: "Your Majesty, this was reported by our country's spies stationed in the capital of Zheng State. It is said that the objects used in the artillery drill mentioned in this note were the explosives they relied on when they attacked Chu State."
Xu Da said in disappointment: "What's the use of this? I thought your country's skilled craftsmen had already made the explosives!"
Xu Yu said quickly: "Oh, Brother Huang, you are really stubborn. Sister Yan and I just discussed it. If we can't make it, we can steal it!"
"Steal! How?" Xu Da said in surprise.
Zhou Chunyan smiled secretly and said: "Your Majesty, there must be brave men under the heavy reward. We can bribe the craftsmen who prepare the explosives."
Xu Da shook his head, "No, this thing is for the Prince Consort of the State of Zheng, the sixth prince of the State of Chen. I'm afraid you won't be moved if you move a golden mountain in front of him."
Zhou Chunyan couldn't help but roll her eyes, "Your Majesty, why are you confused? We can't bribe this prince-in-law, can't we bribe the craftsmen below him? I don't believe it. He alone, even if he has three heads and six arms, can't We can’t prepare such a large amount of explosives!”
Hearing what Zhou Chunyan said, Xu Da suddenly became enlightened and nodded repeatedly: "Your Highness, this is a good idea. As long as we get the explosive formula, Qi and Qin will be ignored! Haha. "
Next, Xu Da was in trouble again. Who should he send for such a major matter? Zhou Chunyan stood up and said, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. I have decided to go to the capital of Zheng in person."
"What? Your Highness the Princess wants to go in person! This is too dangerous, no, no!" Xu Da shook his head repeatedly.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Chunyan said again: "Just now, sister Yu'er insisted on going with me."
"Oh my God!" Xu Da couldn't help but exclaimed: "Are you two crazy? The two princesses actually want to go to the enemy's capital together. If they are caught and taken hostage by the enemy, wouldn't our war for so many years be in vain? beated?"
"Not afraid." Xu Yu tilted his head and said proudly: "Brother Huang, if Sister Yan and I are discovered, we will never let them catch us alive."
Absolutely not, Xu Da said flatly: "Brother Huang has no control over Princess Zhenguo. You must listen to Brother Huang. Besides, Brother Huang has promised you to Prince Xiong Guang of Chu State. He will come to see you then." The emperor wants someone, what should he do?"
Xu Yu snorted coldly and said: "Brother Emperor, please don't mention this matter. As soon as I mentioned this matter, my sister became so angry. At first, Brother Emperor persuaded me to marry Xiong Guang as my concubine, saying that it was a harmonious relationship." The marriage between the Chu State and the Chu State was to open up territory and achieve hegemony for the Wu State, and I accepted it. However, now that the Chu State has been defeated and its military and national strength has been lost, it is really difficult to help the Wu State. Under such circumstances, is it possible? Does the emperor still insist on marrying his sister?"
Xu Da was speechless by his sister. He was silent for a moment and sighed: "Alas! The matter has come to an end. The promised troops have also been sent out. You have not broken your promise to me. The emperor's brother is just telling the truth. If you do, you can’t take it back!”
Xu Yu said angrily: "The winner is the king, and the loser is the bandit! If the emperor gets the explosive formula, the emperor will be victorious in every battle and become the overlord of all countries. No one dares to mention the blunder. I'm afraid it will be too late to beg for mercy." "
Xu Da raised his eyebrows and said doubtfully: "Oh! From what the princess said, did you figure out a way to get the explosive formula?"
Xu Yu half-truthed and half-deceited, and said with a forced smile: "Brother Emperor, what do you think of exchanging it with my younger sister?"
When Xu Da heard this, he immediately couldn't laugh or cry. He was about to scold Xu Yu a few words, but Zhou Chunyan interrupted with a smile: "Your Majesty, I think Yu'er's method is good. Youdao is a hero who has a hard time with a beauty. Instead of marrying Yu'er That good-for-nothing prince of Chu State, it is better to let Yuer marry the sixth prince of Chen State. As long as we can obtain the formula of explosives, why should we continue to rely on others!"
