Zhao Kuo helped Le Yi onto the carriage, then got on, sat on the driver's seat, and personally held Le Yi's whip.
"drive!"
Zhao Kuo was in a good mood. With Le Yi's help, half of his life was saved.
As for whether the other half can be kept, it depends on whether enough food and grass can be raised.
The strength of gold and soup cannot be defended without grain; the courage of Han Bai cannot be defended without grain.
If there is not enough food and grass, even with Le Yi's help, Zhao will still lose if he should.
Historically, after Zhao Jun was surrounded in the Battle of Changping, Zhao State asked Qi State for food, but the King of Qi refused.
Zhao State had no food to support Changping. In the end, Zhao Kuo died in battle, and his 400,000-strong army surrendered and was buried alive.
From then on, the six kingdoms of Guandong were no longer the opponents of Qin.
Zhao Kuo thought for a while and informed Le Yi about the food problem.
Le Yi said with a smile: "It depends on whether Ma Fuzi is courageous."
"Please teach me." Zhao Kuo said with admiration. I thought about it for two days but couldn't think of a way. Le Yi suddenly thought of a way. He was worthy of being one of the ten wise men of the martial arts temple.
"The people of Zhao State have no food, but the nobles have food." Le Yi said slowly.
Zhao Kuo was silent. The nobles had food, but why should they give it to you?
Not to mention him, it was not easy for King Zhao to get food from the nobles' mouths.
These are not just one or two nobles, but all the nobles of Zhao State.
It is no exaggeration to say that if Zhao Kuo dared to attack these nobles, these nobles would dare to let Zhao Kuo "die with honor"!
Unless Zhao Kuo can make these nobles willingly give away food...
"I hope you will teach me again." Zhao Kuo said again.
Le Yi smiled and said nothing.
He was only responsible for coming up with ideas. Whether Zhao Kuo could do it or not was none of his business.
Seeing that Le Yi stopped talking, Zhao Kuo had no choice but to drive calmly.
…
"Brother, you are back."
When Zhao Kuo returned home, a beautiful figure suddenly rushed towards him from a distance. Seeing an outsider, the figure quickly stopped and looked at Zhao Kuo with his mouth pouted.
"Sister, wait for me, you are running too fast." Another big fat man ran over behind him panting. When he saw Zhao Kuo and Le Yi, he had a stern expression on his face and stood motionless.
Zhao Kuo glared at the two of them fiercely: I will take care of you later.
The two of them shrank their necks, looking scared.
Zhao Kuo said apologetically to Le Yi: "This is She Dimu and She Meitong. They have been neglected since childhood. I hope you will not blame them."
Le Yi didn't care, but there was a sad look in his eyes. He thought of his children and grandchildren far away in Yan country, and wondered how they were doing.
"This is because I hope you will be happy. From now on, you must respect him as you respect your father." Zhao Kuo said to his younger brothers and sisters with a cold face.
"I have met you, Mr. Wang." Zhao Mu and Zhao Tong saluted hurriedly.
"You are not children anymore. For ordinary people, you are already getting married and having children. Don't just play around all day long." Zhao Kuo said angrily.
"I know, brother." Zhao Mu said with his head lowered.
An eldest brother is like a father, so he did not dare to refute Zhao Kuo's words.
Zhao Tong made a face on the side, not caring about the majesty of brother Zhao Kuo at all, which gave Zhao Kuo a headache.
His younger sister has not liked female celebrities since she was a child. Instead, she likes to dance with guns and sticks. She makes trouble all day long and even Zhao Kuo can't control her.
His younger brother, Zhao Mu, was not worried either. He didn't like literature and was not good at martial arts. When he had nothing to do, he stayed with the merchants and speculated on Handan's prices. He was often visited by the government.
Almost all the money earned was confiscated by the government.
"Brother, let me give you one thing." Zhao Kuo thought for a while and said to the two of them.
If you want to prevent others from causing trouble, the best way is not to restrict their freedom, but to find something for them to do.
"Brother, please tell me." Zhao Mu said immediately, and Zhao Tong next to him was also eager to give it a try.
"Send people to collect medicinal materials and send them to Changping. You can collect as much as you need. If your family doesn't have enough money, you can sell the land." Zhao Kuo said.
"Ah? Why does eldest brother need so many medicinal materials?" Zhao Mu said in surprise.
"This is related to whether your eldest brother can come back alive. In addition, let out the news and say that General Zhao Kuo of Zhao State is recruiting retainers, with priority given to doctors and craftsmen." Zhao Kuo said.
Being a doorman was a very popular profession during the Warring States Period.
The main features are as follows:
More money and less trouble.
Stay or go as you like.
Don't look at your boss's face.
No need to work overtime or even go to work.
The only binding force is inner morality.
Theoretically, as long as the boss doesn't kick you out and you are thick-skinned enough, you can keep eating and drinking.
For example, Nanguo Chushi used the Yu to make up for the number.
However, most scholars are thin-skinned and will repay death for receiving some favors.
And when there are more customers, there will always be a few talented ones.
For example, the wise minister Lin Xiangru of Zhao State was born as a retainer.
In addition, many nobles are not short of money, so they like to have some retainers to help them do things.
These diners are short-tongued and merciless. After receiving favors, they will naturally vigorously promote the reputation of the master's family.
After the master's family's reputation grew, more and more followers came to join him.
There is even a tendency of comparison among the nobles to see who has the most customers.
Among them, Zhao Sheng, Pingyuanjun of Zhao State, Huang Xie, Chunshenjun of Chu State, Wei Wuji, Xinlingjun of Wei State, and Tianwen, Mengchangjun of Qi State, are the top ones.
There are three thousand diners all over the world.
Revered by the world.
Although Zhao Kuo originally had some reputation, it was not very high. However, thanks to the help of Qin State, his reputation in Zhao State has now reached the level of Zhao Sheng, the king of Pingyuan.
"Since the State of Qin helped me raise my reputation to such a high level, it's time for me to use it." Zhao Kuo thanked the eight generations of ancestors of the State of Qin in his heart.
"Don't worry, brother. I can collect half of Zhao's medicinal materials for you. It doesn't cost much. It may take some time for doctors and craftsmen, but it's not a big problem." Zhao Mu said, patting his chest.
With his connections among merchants and Zhao Kuo's current reputation, there are many people who want to curry favor with them. As long as the rumor is spread, countless people will flock to him.
"I will also help." Zhao Tong clenched his little fist.
"Whether brother can come back or not depends on you." Zhao Kuo patted Zhao Mu on the shoulder and said solemnly.
"Eldest brother can definitely defeat Qin." Zhao Mu said excitedly, "By the way, eldest brother, mother asked you to come over when you come back."
"I see."
Zhao Kuo personally arranged the yard for Le Yi and walked towards the place where his mother lived.
Zhao Kuo's mother was not from Zhao, but from the Yan royal family.
When Zhao She was young, she fled to the State of Yan. She was favored by King Zhao of Yan and was appointed as the governor of Shanggu County, and betrothed her daughter to him as his wife.
Later, Zhao She missed his homeland, so he returned to Zhao State and worked as a rent collector.
When Zhao Kuo saw his mother, she was mending clothes.
Although the Zhao family is a noble of the Zhao Kingdom, Zhao Kuo did not inherit his father's title, and his income relied entirely on Zhao She. During Zhao She's lifetime, some of the fields awarded by King Zhao not only supported the whole family, but also the retainers and private soldiers. rich.
Even the Yan family had to weave and mend clothes themselves.
"Kuo pays homage to mother." Zhao Kuo saluted.
Yan put down her clothes and looked at Zhao Kuo. She was wearing plain clothes, her hair was a little gray, and her eyes were full of sadness. She was not at all happy because her son had become the general of Zhao.
"Kuo, have you decided to be the commander-in-chief of the Zhao army?"
"I have to accept it," Zhao Kuo said.
Mrs. Yan let out a long sigh and seemed to have aged ten years in an instant.
"Your father was like this when Que fought with him." Yan's face was full of bitterness. She wanted to say something, but in the end she didn't.
After a while, Yan stood up slowly.
Zhao Kuo stepped forward to support his mother.
Mrs. Yan walked to the bed step by step, bent down and took out from the bottom of the bed a sandalwood box more than a foot wide with a black bird pattern engraved on it. Holding it in both hands, very solemnly, she walked to the desk and placed it gently on it. .
"This was left by your father. He said that if one day you lead troops to fight, he will leave it to you." Yan said sadly.
Zhao Kuo sat in front of the desk and solemnly opened the box. Inside was a roll of bamboo slips, with three big characters written on the top bamboo slip: Yanyue Formation.
It's a battle formation!
"Go back." Yan waved her hand, her eyes full of infinite reluctance and pain.
Zhao Kuo had a feeling that his mother seemed to think that he would never come back...
