In mid-February, when Chen Liuqing returned to Gaoyangli from Chenliu County (Chenliu Town, Kaifeng, Henan), his brother Li Shiqi was still wearing that big deep coat, wearing a Confucian crown, and standing in front of the inner door with his sleeves caged and smiling at him.

That smile, playful and ill-intentioned.

After a long distance, Li Shiqi asked: "Ah Shang, what official did Xiang Ji seal you?" ”

Li Shang pursed his lips and reluctantly whispered, "Township doctor." ”

"What?" Li Shiqi deliberately plucked out his ears: "What official?" ”

Li Shang was furious, and shouted at the top of his voice: "Township doctor! ”

Li Shiqi said with a smile: "Then who did Chen Liugong?" ”

Li Shang said angrily: "Of course it's Chen Liuling. ”

Li Shiqi asked again: "What about Qi Gong?" Who gets it? ”

Gaoyangli, where they are located, is located at the junction of Chenliu County and Yongqiu County (Qi County, Henan), Yongqiu used to be where the Qi State was located, so according to the Chu State system, a "county official" should be appointed in each of the two places, which is equivalent to a county order.

The township doctor is equivalent to the township doctor of the Qin system, and Li Shang wants to be the county magistrate but only mixes with the township chief, of course he is not happy.

This time, Li Shang didn't shout loudly, pulled his brother home, closed the door and said through gritted teeth: "Gong Qi, Xiang She, a milky and dry child of the Xiang family, got it!" I heard that he was the son of Xiang Xiang, Xiang's uncle. ”

"I'm not wrong."

Li Shiqi sighed and poured wine for his younger brother: "Xiang is this person, young and reckless, although he has the courage to come from evil, but he does not understand the sophistication of people, he has nothing to remember in people's achievements, he has nothing to forget in people's sins, he cannot be rewarded for defeat, and he cannot be sealed when he pulls out the city...... You still don't believe it! ”

Li Shang was annoyed, put aside the wine handed over by his brother and said, "Didn't my brother ask me to raise troops and take refuge in Xiangji?" You also personally lobbied Chen Liuling to make him surrender to the Xiang family, how can you make fun of me now? ”

Li Shiqi said with a smile: "Aren't I afraid that Chen Liuling will be too stubborn and refuse to surrender, which will anger Xiang Ji and repeat the mistake of the Xiangyi massacre?" ”

It turned out that since late January, Xiang Ji defeated the Qin army in Huaiyang with a momentum of breaking the cauldron and sinking the boat, and began to go north along the chasm, all the way to attack the city.

The new defeat of the Qin army, coupled with the news that Feng Quji's innocent person was killed from the rear, had almost no heart to fight, and according to Wang Ben's strategy, he gave up the difficulty of defending the plain area and retreated to Yingchuan and Chenggao.

In this case, the Chu army approached Chen Liu, Yongqiu, Li Shiqi did not want the Chu army butcher knife to swing, the hometown turned into scorched earth, thinking that this time can no longer be ambiguous, so he asked his brother to meet the Chu army forward, he chose to sneak into Chenliu County alone, knew it with affection, moved with reason, and persuaded Chen Liuling to open the city and surrender to Chu.

Although due to the situation, Li Shang and Chen Liu had to surrender to Chu, but Li Shiqi was still not optimistic about Xiang Ji, feeling that his pride was only temporary, and he couldn't jump for long.

Li Shang knew his brother's ambition, and said in a low voice: "Brother still thinks that this world will eventually be won by Marquis Wu Zhong?" ”

Li Shiqi said: "This is natural, the situation in the north and south of Qin is quite equal, but I heard that recently, the Xianyang monarchs and ministers have made a lot of tricks, not only killing tens of thousands of palace maids and craftsmen, causing public anger, but also punishing Gongzi Gao and Feng Quji, this time even the princes, doctors and soldiers of the three armies are panicked, and there is no will to fight, and the Chu army can easily sweep the beam." ”

He talked eloquently, and his saliva splashed: "In my opinion, Marquis Wu Zhong will soon be able to break through Wang Ben's army, raise the soldiers of Jingzhou to attack Wuguan, and raise the troops of Shu Han to attack Qindi, and the two roads will join forces to occupy Xianyang, depose Huhai, and collect the pawns of Qin, then you will be able to use the country of Sisai and the country of Tianfu to go out of the customs to kill and restore the six kings, and the scene of Qin's destruction of the six kingdoms will probably be repeated." ”

"In that case, if my brother wants to vote for Heifu, then go ahead."

Li Shang gritted his teeth, originally Xiang Huaiyang broke the Qin army, and his achievements were rumored to be miraculous, he was like many heroes and heroes, all of whom were devoted to this young hero, but after taking refuge, he could not get his satisfactory status, so he was disappointed.

He said: "Although I only got a township doctor, but I also have thousands of people under my command, there is no problem in asking the Chu army to ask for a customs clearance talisman, and my brother can take a detour from the land controlled by the Chu State to Jianghan." ”

"My brother ......"

Li Shiqi was speechless, and reached out and touched his brother's head.

"I remember that you didn't hit your head when you were young, are you really stupid, or are you fake stupid?"

Li Shang jumped up and said angrily: "You old drunkard, you really don't distinguish between good and bad, I am kind enough to help you, what do you do to me!" ”

Li Shiqi smiled: "I laugh at you for being confused, I'm going now, it's too late." ”

"The scribes in the army of the Marquis of Wuzhong are probably overcrowded, especially Confucianism, I know that this group of people in the same way, chasing power and wealth, such as chasing flies and smells, there will be many people who want the wind to defect. Even if I go to work, first, there is no one to recommend, and second, I am old and sixty years old, and I am afraid that I will not be able to enter the eyes of the people who welcome guests. But if I don't talk to Marquis Wu Zhonghou in person, how can he know my ability? ”

"It's better for me to stay, mingle among these six countries, and when the Marquis of Wuzhong settles the pass and will attack the six countries in the east, I will try to take refuge. At that time, I will be able to present the six kingdoms to the Marquis of Wuzhong, who can attack first, and who can die later, so that I can catch the last ride and entrust me with a heavy responsibility! ”

"That's it!" Li Shi Qi slapped his palm:

"I'll go tomorrow and let Chen Liuling do my work, and I will also mix up an official and a half-job, and be a little strategist in the Xiang Nationality Force, although he is not reused, he can move around freely!"

……

On the 15th day of February in the first year of the Second Emperor, Su Jiao, the commander of the Qin army, who had suffered a great defeat in Huaiyang half a month earlier, returned to Wancheng tremblingly, wanting to meet Wang Ben and state the new movements of the Chu army between Liang and Chen.

But he was stopped by Changshi Gantang.

"Don't hide it from General Su."

Su Jiao is Wang Ben's right-hand man, a more relied on general, Gan Tang pulled him and said in a low voice: "Tongwu Hou, I was so angry that I fell ill again......"

"Is the captain sick?" Su Jiao was horrified, the battle of Huaiyang, they were inexplicably won by the opposite generals, and their morale plummeted, the reason why they were able to reorganize the front in Yingchuan and Chenggao was because the soldiers believed that there was Tongwu Hou in the rear to suppress the formation, although they lost for a while, they would eventually sweep away the traitors!

Now that Wang Ben was so sick that he couldn't be a director, Su Jiao was suddenly shocked, and he only felt that the sky was about to fall.

"It's because ...... Defeat at the front? He asked guiltily.

Gan Tang shook his head.

"That's because, the matter of the court?" Su Jiao also heard the rumors that Xianyang beheaded the Feng family and punished Gongzi Gao, which was also one of the reasons for the low morale of the front.

Gan Tang still shook his head and sighed: "The Marquis of Tongwu has been angry with these two things half a month ago, and it took two days to wake up, and this time he was sick again, but it was because of Heifu's ......."

He then briefly told the funeral held by Heifu in Wanshan in Xiangyang a few days ago for Feng Wuxue, Feng Hijacking, Gongzi and others, rehabilitated Feng, and sent people to publicize Hu Hai's evil deeds.

"Heifu, complaining about the Feng family?"

As a friend of Feng Zai's before his death, Su Jiao was simply shocked:

"Wait, wasn't it Heifu's plan to divide the wedge before, pretending that Feng Zheng had surrendered, so that Feng was convicted of treason? Now he is mourning for Feng Zao! In this world, there are really such brazen people! Does he want to emulate King Goujian crying Wu Zixu? ”

Gan Tang said meaningfully: "Gou Jian can cry Wu Zixu, it is also because Wu Wangfu did kill the loyal ministers by mistake, and there is a villain in the country!" ”

Su Jiao hurriedly coughed: "Ah Tang, don't talk nonsense." ”

Gan Tang bowed: "Anyway, this matter is coming, and people who understand the matter know that this is Heifu's plan." But ordinary soldiers and heads don't understand. ”

"Everyone only knows that the Feng family is indeed a loyal minister of Daqin, and Prime Minister Zuo is also very good to the soldiers in Wancheng, and when the news of his death came, they were all filled with righteous indignation and scolded the court, but they secretly praised Heifu for understanding righteousness and distinguishing between public and private. Those stories deliberately arranged by the rebels, such as the absurd words of His Majesty's greedy son Gao's wife, and Feng Zheng's horse refusing to eat grass and dying, are also secretly circulated in the army, and it is difficult to prohibit them......"

Gan Tang's face was anxious: "Because of this, the Marquis of Tongwu fainted again in anger, and it has been half a day now." ”

At this moment, the guards hurriedly came out and whispered beside Gan Tang: "The Marquis of Tongwu is awake!" To see the long history! ”

"Please wait a moment with General Su." Gan Tang hurriedly entered, but saw that Wang Ben, who was in a skeletal shape, had to rely on people to support him before he could sit on the couch, his eyes suddenly became sour, and he stepped forward and said, "Tai Lieutenant!" ”

Wang Ben waved his hand, and the first thing he asked was business.

"This half-day ...... Cough...... Can there be urgent military affairs? ”

Gan Tang said: "No, it's just that Su Jiao came back from Yingchuan and wants to report the movements of the Chu army, can you let him come to see him?" ”

Wang Ben shook his head and raised his head to take a deep breath.

"Shang Jun said it."

"All the art of war."

"It must be based on political victory!"

"If the national government is defeated, no matter how hard the front line fights, and wins a hundred battles, it will be like Wei Wuji, Li Mu, and Xiang Yan......

"In the end, it's useless!"

He slammed his fist on the bed: "Heifu has always been good at robbing with fire, and the Feng family and Gongzi Gao's case have been used by the rebels. At present, the people of the three armies are panicking, and there is no fighting spirit, and the matter has reached the moment of burning eyebrows, Wang Ben, there is one thing that must be done! ”

"Gan Tang, prepare pen and ink, I want to play Xianyang Palace!"

After Gan Tang spread out the paper, Wang Ben drank his saliva, slowed down for a while, and then slowly dictated:

"The minister dares to bow again."

Then there was no more, Wang Ben stared and paused for a while, before pointing at Gan Tang: "Han Fei's words about traitors, I don't remember, you write it." ”

Gan Tang's intelligence is no less than that of his father Gan Luo, and he immediately reacted: "Is it in the chapter "Rape and Murder of Ministers"? ”

Wang Ben shook his head: "Yes! ”

Gan Tang then read while writing: "Han Ziyan, all traitors want to obey the heart of the master in order to win the fortune of their relatives." It is the Lord who is good, and the minister is praised; The Lord hated it, and the ministers destroyed it...... Therefore, the lord will be hidden from above, and the minister will be heavier than the bottom, which is called the minister of the master! ”

When he wrote this, he already understood Wang Ben's thoughts, and said excitedly: "Tongwu Hou, why write like this next?" ”

Gan Tang read it in his mouth, and the pen was like flying: "With the sage of Qi Huan Gong, there are also Yi Ya, Kaifang, and Erection Diao, conform to the righteousness, and serve food with steamers, in order to gain the trust of Huan Gong, and be good at political affairs internally, block up and down, harm loyalty and goodness externally, and cause chaos and discipline." ”

"Lang Zhong ordered Zhao Gao, the relics of Zhao, fortunately Emperor Rende, promoted to a minister. However, he does not want to serve the country, but ignorant of reason, insatiable greed, more than profit-seeking, the subordinate master, endless desire, flattery, and reuse, which the world knows. ”

"High, today's easy teeth! Today's high has more evil ambitions, dangerous and contrary travel, isolating China and foreign countries, robbing His Majesty's prestige, and his ambition Ruotian is often Qi Xiang. Slandering and harming the Feng family and Gongzi Gao, the relatives are painful, and the enemies are fast, such as Wu Dazai's Tongyue! ”

"When the ministers hear it, the ministers suspect their kings, and they all endanger the country; The concubine suspects her husband, and all of them are in danger of the family. Your Majesty is young, and the mistakes are all the crimes of Zhao Gao. The world is turbulent, the three armies are restless, and rumors are everywhere, all of which are high. Alone and urgently cut high to thank the people, the people's hearts can be safe, and the Great Qin Sheji can be protected. ”

"Goodness, great goodness, what you wrote is exactly what I want to say."

Wang Ben looked at the young Gan Tang with emotion, as if he saw the heroic appearance of his father Gan Luo, if the genius had not died early, he must have become the mainstay of Daqin, maybe he would not have to be alone like this.

He stretched out his hand: "This last sentence should be written by the old man himself!" ”

Gan Tang hung his head, put the pen on with both hands, and tears fell to the ground.

Wang Ben held his right hand with his left hand, trembling, but with great force, he drew four words on it:

Crooked, like his stump.

And word by word, just like his determination!

"Please punish Zhao Gao!"