Chapter XVIII Military Power

Since the establishment of Xiong Xin as the king of Chu, the Xiang group has slowly evolved into the Chu group. However, this banner did not show much effect, and the group's ranks did not develop more rapidly than before, and the number of generals and troops did not increase as a result.

On the contrary, Xiang Liang had to spend more effort and effort to regain his authority. He is eager to make meritorious contributions and wants to prove his ability to the world in the shortest possible time, proving that he is the boss in this group, and Xiong Xin is just a decoration and a puppet.

With great momentum, he won several battles in a row, and even broke through the defense line of the Qin Dynasty government in one fell swoop, approaching the capital Xianyang. In the battle with Zhang Han, the most courageous general of the empire, Xiang Liang was also victorious.

He can't wait to capture the capital Xianyang, as a way to prove that the world belongs to the Xiang group and not to anyone else, including Xiong Xin, of course.

He thought victory was in sight.

【Song Yi】

However, a subordinate general beside Xiang Liang did not think so. The general's name was Song Yi. He saw that General Xiang Liang had a feeling of pride and contempt for the enemy, and felt that this was a dangerous signal. He decided to muster up the courage to persuade General Xiang Liang, hoping to attract the attention of General Xiang Liang.

"The arrogant soldiers will be defeated, and the Qin soldiers are increasing day by day, I am really worried about you, general." Song Yiyi said to Xiang Liang solemnly.

But General Xiang Liang didn't take him seriously.

Xiang Liang never felt that this general had much ability. Xiang Liang, who has been familiar with military books since childhood, is full of confidence at this time, and he feels that he should go forward bravely instead of letting the tiger return to the mountain. Xiang Liang believes that Song Yi is not the core layer in the barracks, and he does not understand the situation at all. In this critical period of the decisive battle, Song Yi actually made wild remarks and shook the morale of the army, which would only be bad.

As a result, Xiang Liang expelled Song Yi from the military camp and carried out another unimportant task - to send an envoy to the state of Qi.

After Song Yi was kicked out of the barracks, he felt indignant in his heart. He told others everywhere that Xiang Liang would definitely lose the war like this. On the way to Qi, Song Yi met with the envoy of Qi, and he was impatient and told the envoy of Qi the original story. He said, Xiang Liang is bound to fail, you better slow down, so that you may be able to avoid death.

Sure enough, before Song Yi arrived in the Qi State, the news came that Xiang Liang was defeated and died.

Xiang Liang died, and the entire Chu State Group was shocked. Only Song Yi was the happiest, he was proud of his clever calculations, proud of his accurate analysis. He said that he had already advised General Xiang Liang that he really ended up like this today.

Song Yi's face was filled with a proud and complacent smile.

Xiang Liang, the most prestigious general in Chu, was defeated and killed, and almost all the generals, soldiers and people in Chu were shocked and panicked. The man who had the best hope of taking over the world left them. The great general who could best guarantee their personal safety was gone from them. His death is as heroic as his father Xiang Yan, and history seems to repeat itself.

The saddest is his nephew Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu felt a bolt from the blue, his uncle, who had always relied on him, his uncle who treated him like his own son, and his uncle, who was his strong backing and backer, actually left at this time.

24-year-old Xiang Yu never thought that his uncle would leave so early and leave him alone. He was not yet fully in control.

Xiang Liang didn't think about this problem before he was - Xiang Yu was still young and couldn't lead the Chu Group at all. If Xiang Liang could have predicted his death, it would be even more unlikely that he would have listened to Fan Zeng's proposal and set up Xiong Xin as king. Because with Xiang Yu's qualifications and strength, it is far from enough to replace himself, and he is far from being able to suppress Xiong Xin. The leadership of the Chu State Group will substantially turn to Xiongxin.

Xiang Liang did look away.

【Bear Heart】

Bear Heart is not as unworldly and gentle as it seems on the surface. He has always been unwilling to be Xiang Liang's puppet. Hearing the news of Xiang Liang's death, Xiong Xin'an couldn't hold back the joy in his heart, because the mountain that was pressing on his head finally fell.

But soon he began to struggle again. Xiang Liang is dead, who can resist the central army of the Qin Dynasty? Who can act as a general? Who has the ability? Do you still want to appoint Xiang Yu as a general? Can't he get rid of the suppression of the Xiang family in his life?

He had to find a way to cultivate his own power. But he is not familiar with the generals around him, and he does not have his own henchmen.

He could only grope slowly.

At this time, the envoy of the State of Qi who had escaped the catastrophe came to meet Xiong Xin, the king of Chu, and praised Song Yi's military foresight. Before the battle was fought, he was able to foresee defeat, what a military genius! (The soldiers were defeated before they fought, which can be described as knowing the soldiers)

After a short investigation, Xiong Xin decided to cultivate Song Yi as his confidant, and appointed Song Yi as a general, living above Xiang Yu, and all military power belonged to his command. Xiang Yu, as the representative of the Xiang Group, served as a lieutenant general; Fan Zeng, as the representative of the initiative to support himself, served as the last general.

Xiong Xin finally took a crucial step in cultivating his own cadres, trying to gain his political dominance from the unexpected incident of Xiang Liang's death. He had to hold fast to the power that fate threw at him.

However, Xiong Xin also looked away.

【Song Yi】

Song Yi was not as wise and martial as he himself said, and he was not as clever as the envoys of Qi touted. He is already over half a hundred years old, and he has no military talent, and he doesn't even have much experience in leading troops to fight.

This is the first time he has led so many troops. The current mission is to go to Zhao Land and rescue the rebel teams of the neighboring country. Because since Xiang Liang's army was extinguished by the Qin Dynasty, Zhao Di has been listed by the central government as the most serious area.

However, on the way to Zhao Di to rescue the revolutionary team, Song Yi seemed slow, as if the war was not important. He is not as anxious as Xiang Liang to make military exploits, and for him, it is already a great honor to be able to command the military power.

I saw that the central army of the Qin Dynasty poured into Zhao Di, and the revolutionary team of Zhao Di seemed to be about to be overwhelmed.

In other words, other generals must have been anxious and anxious when they saw this situation. However, Song Yi seemed a little excited. He felt that it was a great opportunity, and that he didn't have to do anything.

Song Yi wanted to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight.

He thought, when the two of them fought to the death, he would go to reap the benefits of the fisherman. If the Qin army fails, then our mission is accomplished; If the Qin army is victorious, then the soldiers will inevitably be exhausted, and then take the opportunity to attack them again. It's the best of both worlds! It's nothing more than leading troops to war. (Now Qin attacks Zhao, and if he is defeated, he will be defeated, and I will accept it; If I don't win, I will lead the troops and drum to the west, and I will raise Qin. ）

However, his subordinate Xiang Yu didn't think so. The Qin army is stronger than the Zhao army, and the Zhao army is currently being pressed by the Qin army to fight. If we don't send troops to rescue the Zhao army, then the Zhao army will be defeated, and then the Qin army will concentrate its forces to attack us. It is better to take advantage of the fact that we are attacking with the Zhao army inside and outside, and we will definitely be able to break the Qin State. (Chu strikes outside, Zhao responds inside, and the Qin army must be broken.) ）

But General Song Yi did not take him seriously.

Song Yi didn't think that this general, who had not yet grown up, had much ability. Fight in armor on the battlefield, you can do it, because you are young; But when it comes to strategizing and commanding wars, you're far inferior to me, or because you're too young.

Song Yi not only did not lead his troops to battle, but also did not allow his subordinates to rescue Zhao Di without authorization. He also issued a military order specifically against Xiang Yu, and anyone who thought he was brave and resolute, but did not obey the command, would be beheaded. (Fierce as a tiger, very like a sheep, greedy as a wolf, and beheaded those who cannot be supplied.) ）

After the military order was issued, Song Yi felt majestic and high-spirited. He was proud of his strategy and good management of the army. He thought that by using the general's power and his own authority, he could suppress the hairy boy Xiang Yu. He began to enjoy the benefits of being a general, drinking and laughing and singing in the barracks every day.

However, Song Yi underestimated Xiang Yu's ability and underpredicted his own danger.

【Xiang Yu】

Originally, Xiang Yu was full of hatred for Song Yi, he felt that the death of his uncle Xiang Liang had a great relationship with Song Yi, if it were not for Song Yi to disturb the eyes and ears in the army and harm the morale of the army, it would not have led to the defeat of his uncle Xiang Liang in the war. Moreover, Song Yi also obstructed the visit of the envoys of Qi on the way, affecting his uncle Xiang Liang's judgment of the situation. In addition, Song Yi took advantage of the death of his uncle Xiang Liang to successfully ascend to the throne and suppress himself.

In addition, from an official point of view, Xiang Yu was also full of resentment towards Song Yi. Xiang Yu was very disgusted by Song Yi's practice of commanding troops but not sending troops, sitting on the mountain and watching the tiger fight. He believed that this would only lead to a missed opportunity and ultimately a loss of the war. As a hot-blooded general, Xiang Yu really couldn't bear this kind of sergeant's misery and fearful approach of not fighting. In public and private, Xiang Yu is incompatible with Song Yi.

Xiang Yu made a decision that would affect him for the rest of his life. After consulting with his subordinates, he broke into Song Yi's military camp and cut off Song Yi's head without saying a word, just as decisively and resolutely as he killed the Huiji County Guard with his uncle Xiang Liang.

He carried Song Yi's head and walked out of the barracks to announce to the whole army that because Song Yi had rebelled against the Qi State, Xiong Xin, the king of Chu, had secretly ordered them to correct Song Yi on the spot. (Song Yi and Qi conspired against Chu, and the king of Chu ordered Yu to punish him.) ）

The whole army was stunned. But now that it has become a fact, they have no choice but to surrender to Xiang Yu's account. After all, the prestige of the Xiang Group is still at its peak.

Xiang Yu was proclaimed a general, replacing Song Yi and partially restoring the Xiang family's position in the Chu Yi army. Since then, Xiang Yu's life has been like a hanging, winning many battles, successively defeating the two main forces on which the Qin Empire depends, especially the most courageous imperial general Zhang Han. Xiang Yu not only became the most prestigious general in Chu, but also became the leader of the princes of the world, higher than the prestige of his uncle Xiang Liang.

This is what King Chu Xiong Xin never expected.