Now King Qin's army was marching in three directions. The Marquis of Jin led 50,000 soldiers to march along the Yishui River and circle to the west of Xiongdun.
The Marquis of Qi and the Duke of Song led their armies to confront Xiong Dun on the north side and slowly approached him. The key was to have consistent military orders to prevent Xiong Dun from using his best ability of fighting short battles.
The third group was led by Zheng Bo. Its main task was to occupy the land of Fang and Cai to prevent Xiong Dun from plundering eastward.
In these days, the allied forces of the princes fought many times with the Chu army, and they were deeply impressed by the bravery of the Chu soldiers, especially Xiong Dun himself. No one was his enemy, and even armor was useless. The armor was dented.
However, Xiong Dun's situation is still not good. After all, the Chu soldiers are still few in number, and the gains from this battle are so great that the Chu soldiers want to return home. Now they rely entirely on his lofty prestige to suppress them.
In these days, cartloads of slaves, treasures, and food were transported to the Chu State. The entire Chu State's family wealth more than doubled in an instant. Ji Wannan's expedition alone brought so much wealth. It is conceivable that How much wealth is there in Luoyi Wangji?
Luo Su has a clear understanding of the situation on both sides. He came here to end the current confrontation as soon as possible. Maintaining the current huge King Qin army puts great pressure on the finances.
In fact, although King Qin's army has now formed a three-sided siege on the Chu army, the Chu army can go directly down the Han River at any time if it is willing. Now all the five cities in the Han River are in Xiong Dun's hands, and he can attack them. He can retreat and defend, and the strategic initiative is completely in his hands.
Luo Su didn't waste a moment when he arrived at the front line, and directly sent an envoy to the Chu army to discuss with Xiong Dun.
Xiong Dun always wanted to meet Luo Su, which was one of the reasons why he did not retreat. After many years, the two met again, but things had changed.
A wisp of breeze blew in their faces, and the two sat facing each other. Luo Su did not bring any guards. He had thought about whether Xiong Dun could be captured by using guards, but in the end he gave up because it was not necessary and he was not sure.
Xiong Dun poured a full glass of wine for Luo Su and himself, and said with some emotion: "Luo Hou, I have wanted to see you for a long time. I still remember that Luoyi is so big that you are the only one who praised me as the 'pillar of Zhou Dynasty'. , the light of the summers, I didn’t expect that now that we meet again, the king you are loyal to will die in the hands of others.”
Faced with Xiong Dun claiming to be a widower, Luo Su had no special reaction. He just said lightly: "Chuzi and Yuki were afraid of the loyal and upright people Qingjun, so they held the emperor hostage, causing the emperor to collapse in the rebellion. You He is not a regicide, otherwise I would not be sitting here now, but would mobilize all my troops to fight you to the death."
We must first take off the hat of Xiong Dun as a regicide, so that this negotiation can continue. Otherwise, there really is no need to talk. If the revenge of regicide is not avenged, how can Bangzhou's etiquette and laws continue to operate?
"Hahaha."
Xiong Dun laughed heartily and was not angry at all when Luo Su called him Chu Zi, because Luo Su is the queen of Su Wang, and it is almost instinctive to maintain the system. "Luo Hou is such a wonderful person. It's a pity that you are the queen of Su Wang. Otherwise, if I take you back to the Chu Kingdom, I may also be favored by fate."
Luo Su looked at the laughing Xiong Dun and said calmly: "Chuzi, you can't chase what happened yesterday. People always have to look forward. Now that you are alone here, you should retreat and return to Chu."
Xiong Dun put away his smile and said in a cold voice: "The arrogance Luohou said is very ridiculous. I have a hundred thousand troops under my command. Even though Ji Wan's son even raised the army of Zhou Dynasty, he was defeated by me. Now he is advancing into the land of Han River. Occupying Shenlu, we can attack Luoyi directly from all three sides. Do you want to retreat when you say you want to?"
Xiong Dun's face turned cold, but Luo Su laughed.
"As Chuzi said, Gu Nai is the queen of Su Wang. The state, Zhou, Sheji, and destiny are all in Gu's hands!"
He looked straight at the rolling river behind Xiong Dun, and suddenly asked an irrelevant question: "Chuzi, do you know that God's will is like a knife, and those who go against Heaven will be punished.
The six hundred years of the Yin and Shang Dynasties were not immune. The land of Shenlu was indeed a beautiful place, but what would happen if it snowed heavily and the rivers froze? "
When Xiong Dun heard Luo Su's threatening words, he said with a disapproving look on his face: "Luo Hou is really a fantastic idea. I have been born and died. If you don't believe this, how could it be possible in June now..."
As he talked, he saw that Luo Su still had a serious look on his face. He suddenly recalled the legend recorded in the classics that King Su borrowed strong winds from the sky during his Eastern Expedition. A biting chill instantly hit his forehead. .
If it snows heavily and the river freezes, the Chu army will die without a place to bury them!
Xiong Dun's murderous aura immediately rose up all over his body. He stared straight at Luo Su and said in a hoarse voice: "Luo Hou must be joking with me, God..."
Luo Su didn't seem to feel the almost substantive murderous intent. He still said with a warm smile on his face: "Chuzi, sit down and have a taste of this glass of ice wine. When I came alone, I went to the ancestral temple to ask for it from my ancestors." Yes, it’s a pleasure to have a drink at this time of year.”
Ancestor!
King Su!
"Don't joke, Luohou. King Su died as early as King Kang."
As Xiong Dun said this, he couldn't help but reach out and pick up the glass of wine. He felt a biting coldness. When he looked closely, he saw that there were thick ice cubes condensed on it. The dead souls were all gone. He fell down in despair and murmured. : "King Su, is this the blessing of destiny?"
Looking at Luo Su's elegant face, he thought that if heavy snow fell, I wonder how many Chu troops would be able to escape.
Xiong Dun couldn't help but have the idea of killing Luo Su first, and then leading his army to fight with King Qin's coalition forces, so that his life in this world would not be wasted.
Looking at Xiong Dun's expression, Luo Su knew that Xiong Dun was probably already thinking about killing him. He had no intention of really forcing Xiong Dun into a hurry, so he took out a wine baron again, filled it with wine, pushed it over, and said with a smile: "Chu Zi, there is no need to be so panicked. If we want to catch all the Chu army, I will not be sitting here today."
Xiong Dun, who was already shaken, heard this and said hurriedly: "How can Luohou teach the widows, no, the orphans?"
Seeing that Xiong Dun's attitude had changed drastically, Luo Su couldn't help but sigh that the artifact was really useful.
Just now, he used a bamboo stick given by his ancestors to condense ice cubes on the wine cup. Together with the famous deeds of his ancestors and Bang Zhou's unswerving propaganda of destiny over the years, he instantly subdued Xiong Dun.
In fact, even if June Snow is used, it is impossible to freeze a large river. At most, it will only damage the morale of the Chu army and weaken the combat effectiveness of the Chu army.
"Don't worry too much, Master Chu. Although you have arrogated the title of king these years, you are just showing off in the country. I know that when you conquered the barbarians, you still used Zhou rituals to educate and educate. This is your achievement, and it is also the reason why I am here to save you." Your reasons.
At that time, Gu's ancestor, King Su, was engaged in feudalism. The preservation of the destiny of the state and Zhou was only secondary. In fact, it was for the sake of the Xia king and the barbarians. God issued an edict that wherever the sun could shine, it should be turned into the paradise of the Xia.
You are a person who has made great contributions to Zhuxia, so Gu has been easing the relationship between Chu and the emperor, and is even willing to grant you a marquis title.
It's just that in this battle of Hanshui River, you made a big mistake, and all your previous achievements have been wiped out. I want to ask you, are you willing to accept your guilt and make meritorious service? "
Xiong Dun knew that he had no ability to refuse, and now he just wanted to bring the Chu army back to Chu State.
These people followed him on the expedition. He couldn't let them all die in a foreign country, so he said dullly: "Marquis Luo, please speak frankly. In the current situation, does Gu have any other choice?"
Seeing Xiong Dun's statement, Luo Su began to think about the countermeasures and said: "Chu Zi, you have to submit a confession to Luoyi, which points out these points.
First, claiming the title of king is just an expression of anger. You know in your heart that you have not been ordered by heaven, so you have never called yourself emperor. Now you are willing to deprive yourself of the title of king, surrender to the state and Zhou, and release the nobles who were previously captured.
Second, you raised an army to rebel against the emperor, but you did not get any reward for your great achievements. Unexpectedly, the emperor was killed by a traitor, and the mountain collapsed. You were heartbroken and felt guilty, so you offered the treasures of Chu to be buried with the emperor. To show loyalty to the king.
Third, you will definitely not be able to occupy the land of Shenlu. The land of the Five Kingdoms will be taken back by the Tang Dynasty and the two princes, and they will send important ministers to establish the feudal states. This will be good for you and me. The three lands of Deng, Lu, and Bo will be left to you. , otherwise you may not be able to explain it to the country.
This time I let you go back, but you must move forward. Our ancestor King Su once said that there are three thousand miles of beautiful rivers and mountains to the south of the Chu land. "
Xiong Dun's mood gradually calmed down. Seeing that Luohou was still thinking about him, he was a little moved. He solemnly saluted Luo Su and said: "I swear an oath here in front of the Han River. The day Luohou is in Wangji, Chu Bingfeng will Never go north. If future generations of Chu monarchs are lucky enough to go to the Central Plains, let them go to worship in front of Luohou's tomb."
Both of them knew that even if they were to pay tribute again, Xiong Dun was different from other princes in that he would not be able to go to Luoyi to pay homage to the emperor. After this separation, the two of them might never see each other again.
As for Bingfeng's promise not to go north, firstly, it would give Luo Su a boost, and secondly, he understood that if he retreated, he would never have the chance to go north again.
"Luo Hou, see you later!"
Xiong Dun turned around and left.
"See you later." Luo Su stood up to say goodbye to Xiong Dun and watched him drift away.
…
"Old Ancestor, Xiong Dun is going here, the south is vast, and Chu State will definitely be a serious problem for our country Zhou in the future."
"You still chose to let him go."
"Ancestor, you are extremely wise. Did Su do the right thing?"
"I can know a thousand years in advance and a thousand years in hindsight, but I can't say a word. I can only teach you some principles of life. How to do things depends on yourself."
"Su understands."
…
As soon as Luo Su returned to King Qin's marching camp, a group of princes gathered around him, "Master, what do you think Xiong Dun said?"
Some of these people hope that the negotiations will break down so that they can seize power in the war, and some hope that the peace talks will succeed because the war is not the important thing now, and the political issue is the big issue.
Luo Su informed everyone of the results of their discussion.
"Master, are you kidding me?"
"Can a person like Xiong Dun agree to such a condition?"
"It's normal to give up the land of Shenlu, but he can also give up the land of Tang Sui? Is he really going to surrender again?"
Voices of disbelief came one after another. Xiong Dun was not weak in strength. The most important thing was that he could bring the whole country together. The two sides had different goals for this war from the beginning. This was the root of the stalemate between the two sides. reason.
The Five Kingdoms of the Han River are far away from the Central Plains. They have a sparse population, many barbarians, and are said to have miasma. They are barbaric places. Even if they are granted a title, not many nobles are willing to go there. For most princes, establishing a country here is a waste of manpower. Material resources are wasted.
But they knew that Sui Tang was a core interest for the Chu State. Once they gave up this place, Luoyi would soon be able to rebuild a line of defense.
"Although Xiong Dun has surrendered, the defense against the Chu State cannot be left behind. Gu has decided that after the crown prince ascends the throne, he will ask the new emperor for golden titles and canonize four people in Shendi, Suidi, Tongbai and Tanghe. He will be a marquis three hundred miles away and station troops for three years to stabilize the four kingdoms."
Four marquises!
This is a big deal. The canonization of every marquis means the redistribution of wealth. Therefore, the canonization of princes is becoming more and more cautious. Only real princes and princes can be canonized.
As for whether the emperor would disagree, that was impossible. Ji Xi was not yet an adult, and Luo Su would definitely be in charge, just like the former King Su.
The only difference is that when Ji Zhao was regent, it was a testamentary edict issued by King Wu himself. He was the general regent of Zhou Dynasty, acting on behalf of the king in political affairs, and had all the power of the emperor. Luosu had no posthumous edict, and many people would oppose him. When the time comes, Luoyi There must be some fighting among them.
After Xiong Dun handed over the apology letter, Luosu sent an army to take over the land of Shenlu. Only when these two cities were in hand, the confrontation was completely over.
Xiong Dun retreated quickly. He still needed to return to the country to reward the nobles in the country, and he also needed to explain the reasons for his sudden withdrawal.
King Qin's army also began to slowly evacuate, and most of the troops were brought back to the feudal country by the subordinates of the princes. As for the princes, naturally they would not go back. The preparations for Prince Ji Xi's enthronement ceremony began when Luo Su left. This time, when he returns, He wanted to support Ji Xi on the throne.
Many people came to ask Luo Su when he would establish the crown prince. Even if Ji Xi's accession to the throne was a certainty according to etiquette, the merit of supporting him would be recorded in the book, and various rewards would be listed at that time.
Originally, everyone would be the first to get to know the prince before this kind of thing, but now Luo Su refuses to take the credit for his free work. It is obvious that he has a plan on this matter.
Under this situation, even those princes who did not deal with Luosu did not dare to become the target of public criticism.
Luo Su could only tell everyone over and over again: "There is a good plan in the lonely belly. When I return to Luoyi, I will tell you."
In fact, Luosu had already made a list of those who would support him. Politics was no small matter. The next political order in Luoyi would be laid out from this support.
The most important thing now is to recuperate and not fall into internal fighting, so Luo Su spent a lot of thought. After returning to Luoyi, the princes finally received Luo Su's list.
Facing this list and thinking about Luo Su's intentions, everyone could only admire her. She was worthy of being Queen Su.
There are a dozen princes on the list, divided into four groups.
The first batch is the three most powerful princes among the Ji surnamed Luohou, Yanhou and Jinhou. This is to announce the recognition of his successors by the princes surnamed Ji. Luo Su deliberately did not include Weihou among them.
The second group is the two kings and three Ke. As Bangzhou's guests, their political status is still very high, demonstrating Bangzhou's destiny and orthodoxy.
The third group is the heavyweight relatives of Qi State. They are powerful and can demonstrate the power of the emperor.
Finally, there are other representatives of princes with different surnames. Their existence mainly proves that Bangzhou is not only a place for concubines, but also that the emperor treats all his subjects in the world benevolently.
As everyone persuaded Ji Xi to join, the Zhou Dynasty ushered in a new emperor, Ji Xi.
…
King Chu Dun, defeated the Zhou Dynasty, attacked Ba, and suppressed the barbarians. In more than a hundred battles, he was always victorious and invincible. Everyone at that time called him the master of war.
The waiter said: Why not go north to ask for the throne?
The king said: "The Marquis of Luo, the queen of King Su, is in charge of the king's business. The destiny is in Zhou. I respect the sky and know the destiny, so I don't go north." ——"Historical Records·Chu Family"
