After several days of arduous negotiations, Qi and Wu finally reached a peace agreement. The battle is over, it's okay, let's go home. Wu Jun, of course, returned with a full load. In the negotiations with Qi State, I also got a lot of benefits.

But King Wu was not happy. The benefits are many, but his people are gone. When he sent out the army, including 20,000 sailors, he brought 120,000 people, and now only 50,000 people have returned.

Wu Zixu felt even more uncomfortable, he had worked hard to manage the army of Wu for many years, and most of it was gone at once, plus the 50,000 people of Wang Sunxiong in the country, 100,000 troops were not small, and it was more than enough for self-protection, but it did not pose a threat to the surrounding powers.

Moreover, Wang Sunxiong's 50,000 horses must defend the Wu-Chu border to the death, and Wu can actually use only 50,000 people, which is far from enough for a country that is trying to dominate.

Although the territory of Wu is not very small, it is sparsely populated and has insufficient soldiers, and it is difficult to recruit tens of thousands of people to serve as soldiers. If there are more people to collect, there will be no one to work on the land. If there is no one to grow crops, who will feed the army? Who will feed these officials, big and small?

Of course, these are all kept secret from the outside world, and in terms of external propaganda, they still hype up the major victories achieved in this war. Even among the soldiers, there was a strong sense of joy after victory.

The army marched day and night, and slowly returned. A day later, when he returned to Gusu, Bo Yao led officials of all sizes to greet him ten miles outside Gusu.

Seeing the smoke and dust rising in the distance, the group knew that King Wu was returning with a large army, and knelt on the ground together, shouting: "God bless Great Wu, long live it!" ”

Wu Zixu, the king of Wu, dismounted, greeted the soldiers and stepped forward to wear colors, Bo Yao held a wine glass to worship Wu Wang and Wu Zixu, and the monarch and the ministers drank the wine of celebration together.

Then the war drums were beaten, the soldiers danced a majestic war dance, some people offered pigs, cattle and sheep, and the monarchs and ministers sacrificed to heaven and earth.

After the ceremony was completed, the monarch and the ministers recounted, briefly reported the situation of the war, and the affairs of the country. Then, the army returned to the camp, and the king of Wu led his ministers back to Gusu, first went to the Zongmiao to report the results of the expedition to the lord and the emperor, and then returned to the court. Wu Zixu reported to the ministers the results of the expedition, how many enemies were destroyed, how many captures, and how many benefits were gained from the negotiations. Wait a minute. The ministers were all rejoicing.

Then Bo Yao announced his retirement from the court, and all the ministers returned to the palace. King Wu returned to the harem, and Queen Gou and Xi Shi led the concubines and talented women to welcome them out of the palace gate, and there was little to celebrate.

King Wu stayed in the harem for a few days, and then took Xi Shi to stay in Gusutai. After a few months of conquest, at first glance, I felt that Xi Shi was more amorous and colorful. Naturally, it is a song of upside down phoenix night and night.

One day, he suddenly reported that Wu Zixu of Xiangguo asked to see him, and King Wu said to Xi Shi: "Madame will play with everyone for a while, Xiangguo will ask to see you, and the widow will come when he goes." ”

Xi Shi pouted and said, "This old man has come to disturb the king again, and we are having a good time." ”

King Wu smiled and was careful: "He is Xiangguo, there must be something." The widow will soon return to accompany his wife. ”

King Wu came to the study, Wu Zixu stepped forward to see that the ceremony was over, King Wu gave the throne, and said: "Xiangguo returned from the expedition, not to rest in the Prime Minister's Mansion, what is the matter with coming to see the widow?" ”

Wu Zixu said: "The old minister misses the king, and he came to greet him, and he also has some words to report to the king. ”

When King Wu heard that Wu Zixu was going to say what was in his heart, he said, "Xiangguo, please speak." ”

Wu Zixu said: "The old minister went on an expedition with the king to conquer Qi, and although he won a major victory, we lost too much ourselves. The reason is that we are too greedy in tactics, and if we put half of it, destroy half of it, and finally destroy it all, our losses will be small, and our victory will be greater. But that's all in the past. ”

King Wu sighed, "If Sun Wu hadn't left, we might not have made these mistakes. ”

Wu Zixu said: "Sun Tzu is a soldier saint, and he is far from it." King, we have lost all the sailors in this expedition, and we are facing the Taihu Lake and the river at our back, so the sailors must be prepared. ”

King Wu said: "What Xiangguo said is extremely true, how can Wu have no water masters. However, this expedition, we consume too much, and the rebuilding of the water division should be done slowly, not in a hurry. ”

Wu Zixu said: "Yes! In due course, I will remind the king. In addition, the loss of the Wu army this time is too great, as far as the current situation is concerned, the country has something to do, it is difficult to deal with it, and the minister asked the king to issue a recruitment order to replenish the soldiers. ”

King Wu said, "This is okay. But we can't recruit all at once, so that no one grows crops, what do we eat? What do the army eat? It can be recruited in batches within two or three years, and now the Qi country is not destroyed, but there will be no trouble in a few years. The trouble is the state of Chu and the state of Jin. Now the internal fighting in Jin is very strong, and there is no time to cause trouble with the outside world. The state of Chu has Wang Sun Xiong watching, and it is enough to maintain the situation of no war and no peace. ”

Wu Zixu said: "In the matter of recruitment, the old minister will draw up a plan according to the king's will, and submit it to the king for review and approval before implementation." There is another matter that the old minister must report to the king. ”

King Wu didn't feel a little annoyed, this Wu Zixu had a lot of things. Say, "Say, what else?" ”

Wu Zixu said: "Wang Sunxiong's army withdrew from Yueguo, and Yueguo was left unattended. ”

King Wu refused: "Xiangguo is old!" Wang Sunxiong left the Wu-Chu border, and the army of Chu could reach Gusu within ten days. Who can stop the army of Chu? Do you think that the state of Chu has forgotten the hatred of whipping corpses? On the border of Wu and Chu, the two armies confront each other, so that the balance can be maintained, and if the balance is broken, the state of Wu will be in danger. Besides, there is not a single soldier in the country, there is no danger, and the garrison in the country is a waste of our limited resources. The prime minister is not allowed to discuss this. ”

Wu Zixu sighed secretly, Wu Guo was in danger. He said, "What the king said is that the old minister is confused. ”

King Wu said: "Is there anything else going on in Xiangguo?" ”

Wu Zixu said: "There is nothing else to do. It's just that the old minister has a feeling in his heart and wants to talk to the king. ”

King Wu said, "Oh? What does it feel like? ”

Wu Zixu said: "It was this war, originally Wu was out of the way, it was a little related to Wu State, but it could not be fought, but I didn't know what was going on, so I fought." ”

King Wu said, "What does Xiangguo mean? ”

Wu Zixu said: "Lao Chen thinks that there are people here who are making trouble. ”

King Wu said, "Really? Who does Sangkook think is making trouble? ”

Wu Zixu said: "Fan Li! ”

When King Wu heard this, he immediately denied most of it in his heart. Isn't this a rehash of the same old tune? Over the years, Wu Zixu and Fan Liboyao have always been at odds, even if they don't obey King Wu, they are reluctant to do everything. Now that Fan Li is not here, can you blame Fan Li for this war?

King Wu said: "Xiangguo suspects Fan Li of being a troublemaker, is there any evidence?" ”

Wu Zixu said: "There is no evidence. But some things are too suspicious. The king, please think about it, Fan Li sent an envoy to the Lu State, and his mission was to persuade peace, but as soon as he went, there was a fight, and the Lu State arrested all the kings of the Lu State. He said that he would go back to Chu to mourn, and Chu called him. It's so coincidental that it's doubtful. ”。

It can't be said that Wu Zixu's words don't make any sense. King Wu pondered for a while and said: "In this way, if Xiangguo is willing, you will work hard and go to Chu Guowan to have a look to see if Fan Li is keeping filial piety in the three households." ”

Wu Zixu said: "The old minister obeys the order! ”