After Zhang Laoer finished speaking, his brows were furrowed and his mood was very low. Chen Xiqi asked: "Second uncle, do you think there is something wrong?"
"Although Han agreed to go to war, because Qin captured Yangcheng and Fushu, which was only more than a hundred miles away from Yangqu, the capital of South Korea, everyone in Han was very worried that South Korea would be destroyed by Qin. Someone at the meeting said, If Chu invades, Han and Wei can join forces to deal with it. If Qin comes, how will we fight? Li Hongbang also asked me privately, if Qin attacks Yangqu, will Wei congress unite with South Korea to fight against Qin? What if? The State of Wei was also destroyed by the State of Qin, and the two tribes of Han and Wei may no longer exist!"
Zhang Laoer clenched his fists, his eyes were blood red, and his heart was full of worry. Chen Xi was also very depressed. In his previous life, he was bombed and had to hide in Tibet. He was in panic all day long. In this troubled world, he is still very precarious.
Zhang Wei sent someone to bring back the news. The situation was not optimistic. On the surface, there was nothing unusual in the Chu tribe, but there was a tense atmosphere inside. Pedestrians on the road looked nervous and walked in a hurry. There were armed teams patrolling around, and they saw The outsiders stopped and questioned him. After observing for several days, they found no sign that the Chu State had sent troops to the Chu tribe. Zhang Wei led his own people to stay and continue to investigate.
Zhang Laosheng also came back. As soon as he returned, he immediately called Zhang Laoer and other members of the council clan for a meeting, and asked Chen Xi to attend. The council hall was a huge house with dilapidated walls and many holes. It looked very of ancient vicissitudes.
"This is the mansion where I was waiting before..."
Zhang Laoer said quietly, his eyes full of regret. The prosperity of the past was gone forever. After several repairs, the place could not stop the invasion of time and slowly declined and fell into ruin.
The meeting hall is unusually wide, covering nearly 400 square meters. On the right is a large square table, surrounded by a low round wooden pier. More than a dozen people are sitting there. On the left is a fence with more than 20 cows. These are Cattle are the most important property of the clan, and are under the unified care of the clan members. They are usually kept in the center of the clan land.
In the Wei tribe, no one sat on the ground. They all sat on wooden piers. For such things as kneeling, soft mats were laid, and lacquered wood furniture combinations of beds, couches, tables, and desks were very particular. They were only available in the city. Only wealthy people will sit on their knees.
There are huge pillars around the room, and there are thick beams on top of the pillars. It looks majestic from a distance, but up close, the wood has turned black and has aged, giving off the smell of decay from the inside out.
This is a dilapidated house, it just needs the word "demolished", Chen Xi muttered in his heart, these giant trees are sandalwood and ironwood, which are extremely valuable and will not fall down after hundreds of years, but it is almost there.
Chen Xi's arrival attracted a lot of surprised eyes, and everyone looked at him with interest.
"Second brother, is this young gentleman the one you saved?"
A man in his forties asked. This man was of medium build, with a slender face, three neatly trimmed beards, and a pair of small eyes that were narrowed and shrewd.
"Oh, Brother Zheng Li is here. This is Chen Xi. He has just arrived here not long ago. Although he is young, he often travels abroad to learn and gain experience, and he has some knowledge. Brother Lao Sheng asked me to bring him to listen and get close to all the brothers. .”
Zheng Li is in charge of the accounting room and granary in the ministry. He is meticulous and prudent, and is highly valued by Zhang Laosheng.
The Wei tribe implements tribal-style management. The tribesmen keep what they need for daily hunting and planting. The surplus items can be handed over to the tribe, which will determine their value and keep accounts. Then, according to the balance in their own accounts, they will be paid to the tribe. The shops in the village are used for consumption, and the shops are operated by the tribe. The mountains here are high and the forests are dense, and it is inconvenient for the tribesmen to communicate with the outside world. They basically spend money in the tribe. In times of difficulty, the tribe can also take credit or withdraw cash. The tribe leader and The Discuss tribesmen trade the items handed over by their tribesmen with outsiders, and the price difference is their salary. They are also allocated fields, and hunting and farming are also their sources of income.
The tribe has a granary, and the tribesmen who are allocated fields need to deposit and pay a certain proportion according to the number of acres cultivated every year, which is rotated every year. This part of the food is used to prepare for famine years. If there is a war in the tribe, they will take it from the granary as military rations.
"I've met Uncle Zheng."
Chen Xi saluted respectfully, and a voice with a strange accent sounded: "This little brother is so handsome, with thin skin and tender flesh. He must be a scholar. Has the second uncle found a son-in-law?"
"Ha ha ha ha……"
Everyone mocked him and started making fun of him. Chen Xi's face turned red from laughing and he looked at the speaker. He was a young junior with no name. People called him San Pao. Zhang Lao Er punched San Pao and laughed and scolded him. He said: "You brat, you know how to say weird things, and you always scold the girls in the tribe. You're twenty years old, and you can't even find a good man!"
Sanpao has a tall nose and wide eyes. He is very energetic. His eyebrows are raised slantingly. His eyebrows tremble when he speaks. At first glance, he looks like a mischievous master. His chest muscles are high and full of wild power. There was a bohemian smile on his lips, and he continued to tease Zhang Laoer: "What can I do? You refuse to marry your Qiaoyun to me! I said, uncle, why are you coming back from Korea this time? Why don’t you bring a wife back to warm your bed?”
"When the second brother arrives in Hanbu, he must be looking for Widow Sun again!"
The crowd was booing and laughing, when Zhang Laosheng walked in accompanied by two elderly tribesmen.
"I've met Third Uncle and Fifth Uncle!"
"I've met my third uncle and my fifth uncle!"
Everyone stood up and saluted the two old men. They were the two oldest members of the clan. The third uncle was in his 70s, senile and shambling, with white eyebrows and beard. He had kind eyes and a kind look. The fifth uncle was in his 60s. , energetic, with a loud voice, but his legs were a little lame, leaning on a cane, his eyes sharp, and his momentum was very intimidating.
After they sat down, everyone sat down one after another. The fifth uncle looked at Chen Xi at first glance, slightly surprised. Zhang Laosheng hurriedly said to him: "Fifth uncle, this young gentleman was brought by the second brother. He is a scholar. These Tiandu is here and knows all about this matter, so let him come and listen, as a scholar, he might be able to give some ideas or something."
The third uncle was a little dazzled and couldn't see clearly. He called Chen Xi to come over. Chen Xi bowed to the two old men. The third uncle took Chen Xi's hand, looked at it carefully, showed a happy smile, and said: "Well, he is a lovable person." Come on, kid, sit next to your uncle!"
Zhang Laosheng got straight to the point and talked about his trip to Wei. This time he went to Daliang, the capital, and explained the situation to Wei General Wu Qing. The next day, Wu Qing summoned Zhang Laosheng and told Zhang Laosheng that the current situation was very complicated. After the Qin State captured Yangcheng and lost Shu, the main forces of the Wei State were deployed in the counties and counties bordering the Qin State to defend against Qin's attacks at all times. The three tribes did not belong to the Three Kingdoms, but were three independent tribes. Don't say anything about mobilizing at this time. Without an army, even if it can be dispatched, it will be unknown. The three countries should not intervene in the battles between tribes. If the Chu State shows its chariots and horses, it can still negotiate with it. There is no movement from the Chu State, and there is nothing the Wei State can do. .
He asked Zhang Laosheng to go back first and set up a tight defense. The Wei State allocated a batch of weapons to support the Wei army. Zhang Laosheng had no choice but to say goodbye sadly. When leaving, Zhang Laosheng asked Wu Qing, what if the Chu State really sent troops? In response, Wu Qing was speechless.
The people sent back by Zhang Laoer and Zhang Wei also explained their respective situations, and the atmosphere became depressing. At this time, in addition to the Chu tribe, there were also two behemoths, Chu and Qin, weighing on everyone's hearts.
At this time, the people of South Korea and Wei were also worried and terrified. Since the Battle of Changping four years ago, the Qin State had made many big moves. Three years ago, the Qin State attacked Taiyuan and Handan. Wei Wuji rescued the siege, and the State of Zhao no longer existed. This year, the State of Qin destroyed the Zhou Dynasty again. It showed its teeth and claws, and its power was very frightening. The people of the world were shrouded in the shadow of war.
During the silence, the third uncle spoke openly: "I heard that it was this young gentleman who proposed this attack. Was the Chu State instigating this attack?"
Everyone was in a daze, and more than a dozen pairs of eyes shot at Chen Xi, all of them looking in disbelief. Although he was tall, he looked like a teenager.
"Young gentleman, come and tell us how you came up with this?"
The third uncle smiled and looked at Chen Xi with admiration. After Zhang Laosheng told him Chen Xi's analysis, the third uncle was convinced. Moreover, he was even more surprised when he heard that it was a sixteen-year-old boy who proposed it. Incessantly.
Chen Xi stood up and bowed his hands to everyone, with a respectful tone, and said: "Third uncle, fifth uncle, dear uncles and brothers, there is a prairie in my hometown. There are many wolves there, divided into different wolf packs, about 50 to a hundred. The head is a group, and each wolf pack has its own territory and cannot cross the boundary. When a weak wolf pack is violated, they will choose to seek help from a nearby strong wolf pack, allowing the strong wolf pack to forage in their territory. Two packs of wolves They will come together from time to time and howl collectively to declare their territory, in order to deter other wolves that try to invade."
Everyone understood and looked at Chen Xi with admiration. This metaphor was just right. The third uncle was very satisfied. His old face smiled like a flower and said to Chen Xi: "You little man, well, can you Having said this, it seems that I have read through the book, good, very good!"
The situation was quite clear, so Zhang Laosheng said: "Let's talk about it and come up with a solution."
Everyone's faces were solemn and worried. Now it seemed that a war with the Chu tribe was inevitable. The three tribes had fought continuously before, and the population was severely depleted. After decades of recuperation, the population had roughly returned to the state when the three tribes were first divided, and the military strength was similar. At that time, Chu's troops were about 5,000, Han's were about 1,500, and Wei's were more than 3,000. Han and Wei joined forces and could barely fight Chu. The key now is whether Chu sent troops to support Chu. Han Wei and Wei are currently struggling to deal with the threat of Qin. Even if Chu sends troops, it will be difficult for Han and Wei to send troops to support them. If Chu sends troops, Wei and Han will only end up in ashes.
