"Queen mother, what should we do now?" King Qi looked at the Queen Mother Qi at a loss.
The Empress Dowager Qi sighed deeply. At about the same age, King Zhao managed the Zhao Kingdom prosperously and became the overlord. On the other hand, King Qi was at a loss when something happened, and he still came to ask her, a womanly woman. Didn't he know that he was the leader of the country?
It was hard for the Queen Mother Qi to imagine how Qi Guoguo would be defeated at the hands of these uncles and nephews a hundred years later.
"Convene the ministers to discuss." Empress Dowager Qi felt a little exhausted.
After receiving the news, the ministers of Qi immediately realized the seriousness of the matter and did not dare to waste time. They quickly gathered at the palace.
"Your Majesty, Queen Mother, I think we should send envoys to ask for peace from the State of Zhao." Xiang Guo Tian Xiang leaned over and said. He was born in the Tian family of Jucheng. When Le Yi conquered Qi, Tian Xiang's father led the Tian family and the people of the city to defend the country. Jucheng was in power for several years until Tian Dan regained Qi.
Later, Tian Dan was sold by Qi State, and the Tian family in Jucheng became the largest branch of the Tian family.
The Tian family in Jucheng has always supported the King of Qi, and unlike Tian Dan, who was a powerful leader, after Hou Sheng stepped down, the Queen Mother of Qi made Tian Xiang the prime minister of Qi in order to appease the Tian family.
"What are the conditions of Zhao State?" The Queen Mother of Qi asked in a deep voice. Zhao State's conditions were very harsh. Just asking King Qi to issue an imperial edict to apologize to ordinary Zhao people would be absolutely impossible for Qi State to agree to.
This is not even a matter of face. The massacre of the Zhao people was not done by the Qi State at all. If the King of Qi issued an imperial edict to sin against himself, then this shit basin would definitely be placed on the King of Qi's head and he would not be able to throw it away. This is something the Queen Mother of Qi will never tolerate. of.
If she hadn't known that Zhao was at war with Qin, and that Zhao didn't need such an excuse to fight Qi, the Empress Dowager of Qi would have even doubted whether Zhao directed and staged this incident.
"I dare to ask the Empress Dowager, if the massacre of people in the Zhao State was caused by our Qi State, these are all ministers of the Qi State, please tell the truth." Tian Xiang knelt on the ground and said with great sincerity.
He had already made up his mind that as long as this was really done by the Queen Mother of Qi and the King of Qi, he would immediately unite all the Tian clan, send the King of Qi and the Queen Mother to the State of Zhao to make amends, and then select another person from the clan to be the King of Qi.
"Does the Prime Minister think that I and King Qi are like this? Or do you think that Qi State is Zhao State's opponent and will deliberately provoke Zhao State?" The Empress Dowager Qi's face suddenly darkened, she slapped the table and roared.
"Queen Mother, calm down. As long as this matter was not done by Qi State, there is still room for relaxation. I think there are two ways to fight. First, send an envoy to negotiate with Zhao State to delay the time, and at the same time order General Wang Sunjia to return from the front line. Reinforce Linzi. The next step is to find out who was responsible for the massacre of Zhao Guoyi Township." Tian Xiang gritted his teeth.
Proving one's own innocence is a very humiliating thing, especially for a country.
But Qi State has no choice at this time. If it is weak, it will be beaten. If Qi State wants to make Zhao State retreat and save Guo Zuo, it can only swallow tears of humiliation to prove that it has never done this at all.
At this moment, all the ministers felt extremely shameful in their hearts. If King Wei was still there, if King Xuan was still there, how could Zhao dare to do this!
"Does the Prime Minister have any clues?" Queen Mother Qi's eyes were filled with hope.
"There are no clues, but it is obviously impossible for ordinary gangsters to do such a thing. Since this thing was not done by Qi State, whoever benefits from it will be suspected. It is speculated that Qin State and Chu State are the most likely to do it. .Whether it is sending people from the country or spending money to bribe so many gangsters, it is not an easy task and will inevitably leave traces." Tian Xiang said.
"Leave this matter to the Prime Minister. We must find the murderer behind it as soon as possible." Empress Dowager Qi said.
"I accept the order." Tian Xiang leaned over and said.
"Which beloved minister is willing to go to Zhao as an envoy?" Queen Mother Qi continued to ask.
"I would like to be sent as an envoy to the State of Zhao." The doctor Chen Gong stepped forward and said.
"Please my dear, please tell Zhao State that the massacre of the countryside was definitely not done by Qi State. I, Qi State, will find the murderer, and I also ask Zhao State to give me Qi State time." said the Queen Mother of Qi.
"I will accept it." Chen Gong nodded solemnly.
On the other side, Pang Nuan led Zhao Jun slowly towards Linzi.
The people of Qi had already received news of the defeat on the front line. Along the way, wherever the Zhao army passed, the city almost fell into the wind. Soon, Pang Nuan reached Changcheng, which was once the fiefdom of Le Yi.
Pang Nuan received the news that the Qi army withdrew from Yangguan, and the Chu army went all the way north, reaching thirty miles south of Changcheng.
"Send the order, organize the army, and greet the Chu army with me." Pang Nuan was not particularly happy, but said with a serious face.
Unlike the Three Jins, with Zhao as the leader, Zhao and Chu did not set priorities. Both sides were equal. If the two armies fought separately in the past, it would not be important to decide on priorities.
But now that the two armies have joined forces to attack Linzi together, it is critical whether the Zhao army is led by the Chu army.
If the military orders cannot be unified, then there is no need to attack Linzi. Both sides should retreat, because they will not be able to defeat them, and they may be counterattacked by Qi.
In fact, Pang Nuan had no intention of really conquering Linzi. Linzi was once the most prosperous city in the country. If there were no Erwuzi to lead the way, it would take a few months or even several years to capture such a big city. Gather the efforts of the whole country.
With Pang Nuan's tens of thousands of troops alone, even with the help of the Chu army, the possibility of capturing Linzi is slim.
But Pang Nuan had to ensure his own safety.
At this time, the Chu army was far more numerous than the Zhao army. The leader, Jing Yang, was a famous general, and the military advisor was a famous person like Huang Xie. He had the power to destroy the Lu State, and his morale was high. It was difficult for Pang Nuan to guarantee that the other party would not turn against the enemy.
Pang Nuan once studied in the State of Chu. He knew Huang Xie and they had a good relationship. However, he studied to lead troops in combat, while Huang Xie studied to govern the country.
Later, after Huang Xie became the Prime Minister of Chu State, he also invited him to go to Chu State, but he refused.
"The general understands." Qiang Yu said with his fists clasped. From Pang Nuan's expression, he knew it was more than just welcoming the Chu army.
Soon, in addition to the 10,000 Zhao troops who stayed in Lixia to guard the prisoners, the remaining 60,000 Zhao troops received the order and quickly rallied, holding their heads high.
After several months of fighting, the newly recruited Zhao army finally gained some murderous intent.
"Qiang Yu and Feng Quji, the two of you will lead five thousand cavalry and this general to meet the Chu army. The rest of the people are waiting in the camp." Pang Nuan glanced around, nodded with satisfaction, and said to Qiang Yu and Feng Go to Ji Dao.
"No." The two of them clasped their fists.
The cavalry was very fast, and not long after, the Zhao army arrived ten miles south of Changcheng. Pang Nuan ordered to stop the march and wait in Ci, and at the same time sent someone to inform the Chu army.
The Chu army is a guest army. It would be a great honor for the Zhao army to go out ten miles from the city to meet the Chu army. If they continue to meet the Chu army, it will become the Chu army waiting for the Zhao army.
It was not until evening that the Zhao army finally saw the Chu army, with their tall war horses, dark armor, and the spears on their front fingers shining with cold light. After seeing Pang Nuan, all the Chu troops stopped at the same time and put away their spears. Didn't cause any panic.
Pang Nuan's face darkened for a moment, but then he opened a smile and greeted him enthusiastically.
"This must be General Pang Nuan. I have admired him for a long time. Jingyang has met the general." When Jingyang and Huang Xie saw Pang Nuan, they also got out of the car quickly. Jingyang didn't wait for Pang Nuan to bend over and salute, and then helped him. got up.
"Pang Nuan has met Lord Linwu and Lord Chunshen." Pang Nuan said.
"I have often heard Chun Shenjun talk about generals. He said that generals are brave and resourceful, and he is a famous general. If he were in our country of Chu, he would have already made him a king, and asked me to seek advice from the general. However, my blessings are shallow, and I have always been I didn't get to see the general. This time I finally have a chance, and I hope the general will give you some advice." Jingyang took Pang Nuan's hands with great sincerity.
"Yes, if the general can come to our Chu country, his achievements will definitely be higher than now." Huang Xie followed, he was not only thinking about the Chu country, but also thinking about Pang Nuan.
There are too many famous generals in Zhao State, and Pang Nuan's opportunities in Zhao State are limited.
But Chu State is different. The only general that Chu State can use is Jing Yang, and Xiang Pei is half of it. However, Xiang Pei's son Xiang Yan has the qualifications to be a famous general.
In Huang Xie's view, Pang Nuan's ability is no less than that of Jingyang, and may even exceed it.
More importantly, Pang Nuan did not have any power in Chu State. As long as he came to Chu State, the only person he could rely on was the King of Chu. Only such a person could help him and the King of Chu reform.
Standing behind Jingyang was the Jing family. The Jing family was too powerful. The King of Chu could not centralize power without weakening the Jing family.
By weakening the Chu family, it would be difficult for the King of Chu to guarantee whether Jingyang would support the royal family or the Jing family.
Jingyang is the most famous general in Chu State. Chu State cannot live without Jingyang, which makes the King of Chu unable to take action.
If Pang Nuan comes to Chu State, these problems will not exist.
Historically, in order to solve this problem, the King of Chu and Huang Xie invited Lian Po, who was abandoned by the Zhao State and lived in seclusion in the Wei State, to the Chu State. They hoped that Lian Po could bring new life to the Chu State like Wu Qi did. Unfortunately, at that time Lian Po Already old, King Chu and Huang Xie are also old.
The Qin State already occupied the lower half of the country.
Chu's time has passed.
"I don't dare to accept it. I can't warm up an old man. I'm lucky enough to be reused by the king and be able to lead the army to serve the country. How can He De be so highly praised by Chun Shenjun and Linwu Jun. The two of them are the white jade pillars of the Chu Kingdom and the purple gold beams that frame the sea. . Nuan heard that the King of Chu once told his ministers that without Lord Chun Shen, he would not be able to become the King of Chu. Without Lord Linwu, even if he became the King of Chu, he would not be able to sit back and relax. It is precisely because of these two that the state of Chu is like this. Powerful." Pang Nuan said quickly.
"After all these years, you still haven't changed at all." Huang Xie shook his head helplessly. He had never heard King Chu behave like this in Chu State. It was obviously made up by Pang Nuan, but it did make people feel comfortable listening to it.
Then, Huang Xie pointed at Qiang Yu and Feng Quji who were standing behind Pang Nuan and said, "Won't you introduce them to me?"
Huang Xie could tell that the two young men behind Pang Nuan were the best among their peers. They were only about thirty years old, and their aura was similar to Jingyang's. They were obviously strong men in the extraordinary realm.
The other one is even more stunning. He looks like he is only in his twenties, and his body exudes spiritual fluctuations of talent. He is obviously a top-notch wise man.
Just by deviating from the army along the way, two young talents appeared in Zhao State. Huang Xie couldn't help but sigh when he thought of the current situation of Chu State.
"This is Qiang Fu, our general of the State of Zhao. This is Feng Quji, our minister of the State of Zhao, and our general's advisor. His father is Feng Ting, the governor of Shangdang County." Pang Nuan said.
"I have admired your name for a long time, and I will definitely pay you a visit when I have time." When Huang Xie heard that Feng Quji's father was Feng Ting, he was immediately in awe.
Feng Ting, this name was unremarkable before the Battle of Changping and not many people knew it. But after the Changping War, the top leaders of all countries remembered this name.
Without Feng Ting dedicating Shangdang to Zhao, there would have been no Changping Battle.
This is a man who changed the fate of several countries with just one plan.
"This junior has met Lord Chun Shen. This junior and my father must sweep the court steps every time, waiting for Lord Chun Shen to visit his humble abode." Feng Quji bowed and saluted.
Qiang Xu also saluted. He was a surrendered general of the Qin State and had no family background.
"Xiang Yan, come here and meet General Qiang Yu. You are about the same age and should have a common language." Huang Xie waved to Xiang Yan as if showing off his own child.
"Xiang Yan has met all the generals." Xiang Yan walked over at a leisurely pace.
"Yes, there are successors to the Chu Kingdom." Pang Nuan said with a smile, "It's getting late, why don't we enter the camp first."
"That's fine." Jingyang and Huang Xie looked at each other and nodded.
Pang Nuan and Huang Xie rode in the same chariot. After getting on the chariot, Pang Nuan said to Huang Xie, "You and I are friends. Tell me the truth. Are the people of my hometown in Zhao State massacred by your Chu State?"
A few days ago, envoys from the State of Qi came to see him and understood the situation. Pang Nuan said that he had no right to stop the army, so he sent someone to escort him to Handan and continue to march.
If it was a few months ago, Pang Nuan would definitely not have cared about this. Since he had an excuse, he would have taken the opportunity to capture Qi's city.
In fact, when Zhao State attacked Qi State, most people thought so.
The only people who really take civilians seriously are Zhao Kuo, a later generation, and a very few people such as Huang Shigong.
But Li Mu was too good at fighting. While he was still confronting the Qi army, Li Mu had secretly destroyed the Yan State. This caused the Zhao State to be full and even exhausted. Even if he captured Qi State's land, he would not be able to survive. Can't digest it.
Everyone has little interest in attacking Qi.
This is also the reason why Pang Nuan sent someone to escort the Qi envoy to Handan. If Qi can find evidence, it will be good for everyone if Zhao can borrow the donkey.
Otherwise, Pang Nuan would have driven Qi Shi out long ago.
It's just so realistic.
"...Some people in our Chu State suspect that Zhao Guo directed and acted, and some people suspect that Qin State did it." Huang Xie was silent for a moment, looking at Pang Nuan and said.
He didn't expect Pang Nuan to ask this question. Did Zhao really attack Qi just because of those civilians?
Are those civilians so important to Zhao Guolai?
"What a fart. Our Zhao State will never massacre its own people at any time, let alone use this as an excuse to attack other countries. What's more, our Zhao State is still at war with Qin State, even if it attacks Qi State, it will not be Now." Pang Nuan yelled.
What age are we in now? Why do we need to find excuses to attack Qi?
"That's the State of Qin." Huang Xie said firmly.
Pang Nuan was not sure whether Huang Xie was telling the truth or a lie. If Huang Xie insisted on lying to him, it would be difficult for him to see through.
"No matter which country it is, as long as it is found out by our Zhao country, our Zhao country will definitely mobilize all its troops to avenge our Zhao people." Pang Nuan clenched his left hand into a fist and his right hand clenched the hilt of the sword and said solemnly.
