In the autumn of 362 B.C., in the Shaoliang Mountains on the west bank of the Yellow River, a rare vicious battle was fought.

The war is over. In the autumn twilight, the red-armored infantry and cavalry had retreated to the southern hill outside the main battlefield, and the word "Wei" on the Daxu flag was still faintly visible. The hill north of the main battlefield was dark, and the black flag armor was lined up under the banner of the "Qin" character Daxu and was waiting for it, looking angrily at the Wei army on the hill to the south, ready to rush and kill again at any time. The Wei army on the hill to the south also regrouped into two infantry and cavalry formations, and the Qin army on the hill to the north was also looking at it angrily, and was also ready to rush and kill at any time. The blood-red sunset was fading, and the two sides were facing each other to the death, neither of them retreating, nor of them rushing to kill, nor did any of them fight for the heavy corpses and discarded chariots on the battlefield of the valley. It's like the gaze of two tigers facing each other, and neither can leave the battlefield first.

It was a peculiar war, with no winners and losers, and both sides lost.

The Black Legion was personally led by Qin Xiangong Yingshi Xi, and beheaded 50,000 Wei troops in a fierce battle in half a day. The son-in-law Yingqu Liang led 300 dead soldiers, broke through the center of the enemy formation, and captured the Wei army commander Uncle Acne in one fell swoop! According to the scale and evaluation criteria of the early Warring States period, this was a great victory. Surprisingly, instead of breaking up after the commander was captured, the Wei army desperately rolled back in an attempt to regain the commander. Qin Xiangong saw that the three hundred dead soldiers of his eldest son Yingquliang fell into the vast sea of the red Wei army, and in a hurry, he waved his long sword and personally led five thousand elite cavalry to rush into the enemy formation to meet his son. The two armies converged, and the morale was great. Yingquliang took the lead and led the dead to break out of the encirclement. Qin Xian blocked the attack after the judgment, and saw that he was about to break away from the Wei army, but he was shot in the vest by a cold arrow. Qin Xiangong was heart-to-heart, and with a low roar, he almost fell off the horse. At this time, Yingquliang had already handed over his uncle acne to the general of the rear army, and led the dead soldiers to reflexively kill him. The Qin army, led by Yingqu Liang, rushed and slaughtered, and retreated the Wei army to three miles away in one go. When I came back and looked at my father-in-law, the arrow of Qin Xiangong's vest was more than five inches deep, and a black halo had oozed around it. The military doctor was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, but he didn't know how to start?

Qin Xiangong's face was sallow, and he lay on the military couch and said in a low voice: "Quliang, withdraw the army...... Oak Yang. And he fainted.

"Is it a poisoned arrow?" Yingquliang was full of tears, but he didn't panic.

The imperial physician hurriedly nodded: "This is the wolf poison arrow of the Wei State, which is difficult to solve for a while." ”

"Do you dare to pull it out?"

"Arrows shoot fast, and the iron tufts are more than five inches deep, and they can't be pulled out." The Imperial Physician shook his head.

Yingquliang looked around at the general in the tent, and arched his hand to a mighty general: "Big brother, break the arrow." ”

The young general is the son of Qin Xiangong and the eldest brother of Yingquliang, called Yingqian. The meniscus-shaped long sword in his hand was extremely peculiar and rare, and when he heard Yingqu Liang greeting, he walked behind his father-in-law, pulled out the long sword and stood still, his hands couldn't help but tremble slightly. You must know that the arrow cluster penetrates deep into the flesh, and the force of the arrow shaft is in the vest wound. Moreover, the weapons of the Wei State were extremely finely made, and the shafts of the long arrows were made of fine hardwood, and they were repeatedly brushed with tung oil lacquer, which was shiny and smooth, and ordinary swords were difficult to focus on. Even though this crescent moon sword is a divine weapon, it has never cut such an arrow shaft, so what if you know it? Ying Qian was so nervous that her head was sweating, and she secretly prayed in her heart: "Tianyue Sword, which Tianyue Sword, save my father's life." Concentrating, he raised the Tianyue Sword and waved it lightly, only to see a flash of light - the blade had not yet been touched, and the shaft of the arrow had been silently cut off by the sword qi! Ying Qian stretched out his left hand, grabbed the broken arrow shaft in the air, and then looked at his father-in-law, but he didn't notice it at all. Ying Qian let out a long sigh and couldn't help but sit down in the tent.

The generals in the tent also let out a soft "ah" at the same time.

Yingquliang was calm as usual, and ordered: "Immediately class teacher." Who wants to break off? ”

Ying Qian jumped up, "I'll come after the break." Don't kill the dark arrow Wei dog, Yingqian will come to see you! ”

"Big brother," Ying Quliang said in a low voice, "My father-in-law is seriously injured, and now I should focus on the overall situation, and I can't fight." If the enemy does not chase, I will not move. Stick to it overnight, and withdraw immediately tomorrow, don't be rash. I'm waiting for you in Liyang. ”

Ying Qian suddenly woke up, "Okay." The eldest brother understands and returns to the army tomorrow. ”

Yingquliang immediately instructed the generals in the tent: "The former army opened the way, and the Changshi Gongsun Jia led the Chinese army to protect the monarch, and the rest of the generals were escorted by the Chinese army." I led 3,000 iron horsemen to the rear. Immediately pull out the class teacher. ”

The generals agreed, strode out of the tent, and the mountains north of Shaoliang suddenly became tense and busy.

Dark clouds cover the moon, and the autumn wind is bleak. The position of the Qin army is still tall with military lamps and the sound of fighting. The Wei army on the opposite hill is also a bonfire and military lantern, and it is on strict alert, waiting to recapture the commander in the fierce battle tomorrow. Wei military law: the commander died in battle, and the soldiers were not guilty; The commander was captured, and the generals of the three armies and the guards were all sentenced to death. Now that the prime minister and commander's uncle has been captured by the Qin army, who will dare to withdraw if he doesn't recapture the commander? The generals of the Wei State judged that the Qin people were warlike, and the monarch must be annoyed and angry after being injured, and he would definitely have a revenge war in the coming days, and there was absolutely no reason to take advantage of the victory to withdraw his troops. The first priority tonight is to recuperate, and tomorrow's battle is the real life and death. At that time, people were not very good at stealing camps and robbing villages and other carving insect skills, but also continued the tradition of frontal decisive battles of the dignified array of the righteous banner during the Spring and Autumn Period of the Che War, and the truce was a truce, and very few parties would take advantage of the opportunity of the truce at night to attack the other party's camp. Alert is on alert, that is the inevitable form of the garrison of the army, and the Wei military camp is still quickly drowned in the boundless snoring.

The sun is rising, and the autumn frost is shining. After the Wei army buried the pot and cooked a full meal, the remaining 80,000 iron cavalry came out of the camp and formed a formation, ready to launch a death battle against the Qin army to snatch the commander. According to the rules and traditions, the Qin army should also form a formation, and the two sides should march towards the central valley at the same time, and when the two sides are in a position at the point of one stone, the main general will go out to declare war in dialogue, and then launch a charge to win the battle on the spot. Today's events are quite strange, the Qin army camp is full of smoke, and the battle flag is hunting, but it is not seen to leave the camp for a long time. The deputy general of the Wei army, the current acting commander, is the younger brother of King Wei Hui, known as Gongzi Wei, less than thirty years old, although it is the first time to lead troops to fight, but he thinks very highly of himself. At this moment, he was wearing a big red cloak, looking at the Qin military camp from afar on his horse, and sneered: "Wait for another half an hour, let those poor Qin be full of dead ghosts!" ”

Half an hour passed, and there was still no movement in the Qin army's camp. Gongzi raised his sword and shouted: "The Great Wei army has exhausted its benevolence and righteousness, rushed up the mountain, destroyed the Qin army, and killed ——! The horn roared violently, and the son took the lead, and the red iron horse swept up the northern mountains like a tide, and in a moment he broke through the antler barrier of the Qin army's camp.

However, all the Wei knights were stunned, and the roars and murderous sounds suddenly froze, and there was a terrible silence.

The camp of the Qin army was empty, and there was nothing left. The earthen stove was buried, the tent was uprooted, and only the withered yellow autumn grass and the false flags swayed in the bleak autumn wind. The only discarded items of the Qin army were flags on the edge of the camp and piles of wet wood and smoke.

"Master Ying! Coward——! Childe's angry roar echoed through the valley.

What the Wei army did not expect was that the main force of the Qin army had already calmly retreated at nightfall and returned to Liyang. The pious cavalry also quietly withdrew from the battlefield at dawn. When the sun rose, the five thousand iron horsemen had crossed Luoshui and galloped to Liyang in the southwest. Even if the Wei army wanted to catch up, it was too late.

Ying Qian was so anxious that he kept jerking down his war horse, just wanting to rush back to Liyang as soon as possible. According to his temperament, he must fight a tough battle, catch the Wei dog who shot cold arrows and go back to sacrifice the flag in front of his father-in-law. However, Yingquliang's advice made him tremble, and when he thought about it carefully, he was even more afraid. The father-in-law was seriously injured and in danger, and Yingquliang's status as the crown prince was not clear, so Anzhi would not change his elbows and armpits in an instant? If it weren't for their brothers, maybe the civil strife in Qin fifty-three years ago would have been repeated.

For more than 300 years, the Qin State was made a prince of the west by King Ping of Zhou, and there were very few civil strife. But fifty-three years ago, Qin Linggong died, and his son-in-law Ying Shixi was only five years old. Linggong's uncle, Yingmourning Zi, relied on military power, and under the pretext that the monarch's concubine was young, he seized the throne and established himself as the monarch. Yingshixi, who was supposed to succeed to the throne, was exiled to the Longxi River Valley. Ying Mourning is Qin Jiangong, who died after fifteen years of reign. The son of Duke Jian inherited the monarch and was called Duke Hui of Qin. Qin Huigong was the monarch for thirteen years, and then died. His son succeeded to the throne, which was the Duke of Qin. In the second year of the reign of the duke, the chief of the left concubine Yinggai staged a coup d'état, sinking the duke and the empress dowager to Weishui and drowning, and welcomed the exiled Yingshi Xi to return to the capital Yongcheng and became the monarch. Ying Shixi was thirty-five years old at this time, far away from the center of power for a long time, and his foundation in Yongcheng was already very weak. However, Ying Shixi honed his tenacious will and deep character in the rough life of nomadism in the frontier, and befriended many generals in the Qin army. After he ascended the throne, he was determined to change the poor and weak state of Qin, and in the third year, he moved the capital east to Liyang, causing the whole country to be shocked. One is that the upper echelons of the clan feel that Ying Shiyu intends to get rid of their control, and the other is that the people feel that they are too close to the edge of the Wei army. At the moment when the government and the opposition were panicked, Ying Shiyu did not retreat at all. He paid tribute to the temple and generously vowed that moving east to Liyang was to regain the land west of the river that the Qin State had lost in thirty years, drive the Wei State back to the east bank of the Yellow River, and drive out of Hangu Pass! Ying Shixi's ambition for revenge greatly cheered up the soldiers and people of the Qin State, and the people of the country wholeheartedly supported the enemy, and the upper echelons of the clan were silent. Also, what reason can the clan have against such a feat of revenge that conforms to the will of the people? After Wei appointed Li Kui from Wei Wenhou to change the law, the national strength increased greatly, and Wu Qi was used as a general to fight against the princes. In the past 30 years, Wu Qi led the Wei Iron Cavalry to capture Hangu Pass, and in 64 battles, he seized more than 500 miles of land on the west bank of the Yellow River of Qin, and compressed Qin to a narrow strip west of Huashan. Hangu Pass is lost! The Longmen ferry in the Shaoliang Mountains was also lost! The door of the Qin State is open! If it weren't for Wu Qi being framed by Wei and forced to flee to Chu, it would have been possible for Qin to be swallowed up by Wei. Despite this, Wei still did not stop encroaching on Qin. In the face of Wei's offensive, the Qin State did not have the slightest power to fight back. As soon as Qin Chugong succeeded to the throne, he discussed giving up Guanzhong and returning to Longxi to become a semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral border tribe again.

At this time, Qin Xiangong Yingshi Xi was deafening and swept away the haze, how could he not win the support of the whole country?

After moving east to Liyang, Yingshi Xi worked hard to make the country prosperous, and personally led the Qin army and the Wei army to start a long-term fierce battle. In the past 20 years, more than 30 battles have been fought, large and small, and there has not been a single defeat. The biggest victory was the Battle of Shimen on the west bank of the Yellow River the year before, in which 60,000 Wei troops were wiped out, the Wei people were driven out of Hangu Pass, and the eastern gateway of Qin was recovered. If it wasn't for Zhao sending troops to rescue the Wei army, it was entirely possible for the Qin army to recover all the land in Hexi in one fell swoop. After the great victory at Shimen, King Zhou Xian, the Son of Heaven, sent an envoy to congratulate and reward Qin Xiangong with a set of noble god of war dresses, which were a commander's cloak and a set of armor embroidered with a cyan battle axe and black and white mysterious patterns on the most precious colored silk. In this Shaoliang War, Qin Xiangong's original intention was to recover the Longmen Ferry and completely drive the Wei people out of Hexi. If it weren't for Qin Xiangong's sudden serious injury by an arrow, the Shaoliang War would be another great victory in Shimen, and Qin would have restored Qin Mugong's status as a great power in one fell swoop.

God, God, could it be that you intend to die Qin? The thought flashed, and a cold seeped into Yingqian's spine.

The pious horse team is the elite knights of the Qin State who have been tempered for a long time, and they are experts in long-distance running. After crossing Luoshui, Ying Qian ordered a thousand-strong team to lay an ambush on the west bank of Luoshui, and if the Wei army pursued it, he would attack it half-crossing, forcing the Wei army to retreat. He himself led four thousand iron horses to gallop towards Liyang non-stop.

Liyang is a small castle on the north bank of Lishui, only more than 200 miles away from Luoshui in the northeast. Two hours later, the black arrow tower of the east gate of Liyang has been visible in the distance, and then over a mountain beam, you can enter Liyang City. At this time, Ying Qian tied up the horse team, summoned his lieutenant and the four commanders to the horse and said generously: "The monarch is seriously wounded by the arrow, and his life and death are unknown. It is difficult to protect the city from accidents. Just in case, I decided to leave behind 3,000 iron horsemen, together with the 1,000 iron horsemen returned by Luoshui, and stationed behind this mountain beam. The remaining thousand horsemen entered the city with me. At any time within three days, but when he saw wolf smoke rising in the city, he immediately entered Liyang. Do you have any other intentions? ”

"But listen to the general!" The adjutant general and the four commanders answered in unison.

"Good! Adjutant General Jing Listens to the Order: From now on, you are the commander-in-chief of the garrison outside the city. If there is a change in Liyang, you can use this talisman to mobilize any soldiers and horses outside Liyang to surround Liyang until the new monarch Yingqu Liang is safely enthroned! ”

"Jing Jian obeys!" The young and heroic lieutenant general took the talisman with both hands, and said excitedly: "Old Qin, go to the national disaster together!" ”

"Old Qin, go to the national disaster together!" The four commanders spoke in unison.

Ying Qian gave up his hand, "All the gentlemen swear by my old Qin people's proverbs, and Ying Qian is so relieved." If the country is safe, all the kings will do a great job. Don't leave it at that, there will be a period later. After speaking, he waved to a commander beside him: "Follow me into Liyang, quickly!" The voice fell, and the war horse under the crotch had already galloped out. With a wave of the long sword of the thousand-strong commander behind him, a thousand iron horsemen swept towards Liyang like a storm.

When he arrived at the east gate of Liyang, Ying Qian saw that the city gate was wide open, the suspension bridge was long and the city head was quiet as usual, so he knew that his father-in-law was still there, and he couldn't help but let out a long sigh and slowly enter the city. However, Ying Qian still had an extra layer of thought, and took the horse team directly to wait outside the gate of the national mansion, and he himself walked into the palace with the Tianyue Sword in his hand. Ying Qian is three years older than Ying Qu Liang, and is a famous fierce general of the Qin army. Qin Xiangong only has these two sons, one concubine and one concubine, but they are both regarded as national cadres and are equally important. Qin Xiangong has never made it clear who the crown prince is. It's just that in the eyes of people, because Yingquliang is a wife, coupled with a calm demeanor, both civil and military, so he naturally thinks that he is the heir to the monarch. Although Ying Qian was already faintly the commander of the Qin army, he admired his younger brother Yingqu Liang and believed that he was the crown prince, and as long as his father-in-law was not present at any time, he would definitely put his younger brother Ying Quliang in charge, and he paid great attention to maintaining Yingqu Liang's authority. At this delicate time, Ying Qian felt that he was older than Ying Qu Liang, and the responsibility was heavy, and many things Ying Qu Liang was not good to come forward, and he had to bear it alone, so he ignored the strict order of "no garrison at the palace gate", and left a thousand dead knights at the palace gate to watch, and carried the Tianyue Sword into the palace alone.

The palace room of Liyang is very small and very simple, just a large courtyard with six entrances. Not to mention that it can't be compared with the palaces of the Six Kingdoms of Shandong, even compared with its old country Yongcheng, it is also much more simple and narrow. The only strength is sturdiness. Ying Qian didn't want to meet the ministers of the country in the second political hall, he wanted the ministers to think that he was not in Liyang at the moment. He bypassed the main gate and entered the fourth dormitory directly from the side gate, and he knew that the seriously injured father-in-law must be healing in the dormitory at this moment. Sure enough, as soon as I entered the side gate, I saw that there were many sentry posts in the courtyard, and the vigilance was abnormal, which was obviously very different from the relaxed atmosphere outside the city gate and the palace.

Ying Quliang was pacing in the courtyard with a long sword in his hand, and when he saw Ying Qian's figure rushing in, he hurriedly strode to meet him.

"Big brother, you came back just in time, Shaoliang is fine."

"It's fine. The Wei dogs must be jumping to their feet and scolding. Hey, how is my father-in-law? ”

"The spirits are a little better. The Imperial Physician is trying to dig out the arrows. Go check it out. ”

"Let's go, let's go."

"Nope. The father-in-law instructed that as soon as the eldest brother returned, he would immediately go to see him alone. ”

Ying Qian was surprised, "This? But why? ”

"Big brother, don't think about this. The father-in-law has a point. Go ahead. ”

"Okay, you wait, I'll come out as soon as there is something." After speaking, he strode into the threshold.

Half an hour later, Ying Qian walked out of the dormitory, his right hand wrapped in a white cloth, his face was pale, and his forehead was sweating with relish. Ying Quliang greeted him in surprise, "Big brother, what's wrong?" Ying Qian smiled slightly, "It's okay." When Luoshui crossed the river, he rubbed off a piece of skin, and the imperial doctor bandaged it by the way. Yingqu Liang was stunned and was about to speak, but he saw the white-haired old chamberlain Hei Bo hurriedly walking over and whispering: "Second son, the king announced that you will see you immediately." Ying Qian waved his hand and urged, "Go quickly." I'll do something. And he hurried away. Yingqu Liang didn't have time to think about it, so he followed Hei Bo into the dormitory.

The dormitory was empty, none of the doctors were there, and neither was the queen mother and sister. Qin Xiangong was lying on the couch, his naked back was covered with a big white cloth, his head was lying on the pillow, and his face that had always been dark was pale and flushed at the moment. Yingquliang hurriedly walked to the couch and asked in a low voice, "Father-in-law, do you want a doctor?" Qin Xiangong moved the big pillow to his chest, propped his elbows on the couch, raised his head and said, "Qu Liang, sit down here and listen to my father-in-law." Ying Quliang agreed "yes", and then pulled a wooden pier and sat in front of the couch: "Father, son, listen to the teachings." ”

"Qu Liang, my father's road has been completed. My father-in-law didn't make you the crown prince, because he wanted you not to make enemies too early. Right now, you're past the year of your crowning, twenty-one years old. Your father-in-law confirms that you are the crown prince and will immediately become the king...... Don't speak, listen to your father-in-law. Qin Xiangong gasped heavily, his bright eyes staring at his son, "I want to tell you three major things: First, don't rush to revenge. In the past twenty years, the Qin State has been impoverished, and what is left to you is a mess. It is necessary to lie down and taste the courage, enrich the country and strengthen the army. It's not okay to fight like my father-in-law. Second, be kind to your subordinates. Especially the patriarchs of the clan, don't touch them lightly. Third, and the most important one, is to be brothers of one heart and not to be evil. This is my blood oath that I have made Ying pious. If he has two hearts, you can swear your blood to all the people, so that everyone may be punished. As he spoke, Qin Xiangong opened the dark drawer at the head of the couch and took out a roll of bloodstained white silk.

Yingqu Liang took it with both hands and shook it away, and the blood-red eight big characters came into view-if you lose your brother, the heavens and the earth will be destroyed!

"Father-in-law, the Qu Liang brothers have always been of one heart and one mind, why do they torture the eldest brother so much?"

Qin Xiangong shook his head, "Qu Liang remember: it is easy to be of the same virtue, it is difficult to be of the same heart, and it is even more difficult to seek common ground with great virtue." There has always been chaos in the office, how many times has it not been fratricidal? Whoever is pious and wise, you have to rely on him. This blood oath is just in case. ”

Qu Liang remembered his father's teachings: enrich the country and strengthen the army, treat your subordinates well, and brothers are of the same heart. If there is a hard work of the father-in-law, the son has no shame to see the ancestors and ancestors. ”

Qin Xiangong looked at his son quietly, and suddenly laughed: "Okay! Good! Good! Father-in-law is waiting for you in Jiuquan......" Before he could say anything, a mouthful of blood spurted out, and Qin Xiangong threw his hands on the big pillow and passed away suddenly.

"Father-in-law——!" Yingquliang cried and pounced on his father-in-law.

The white-haired old chamberlain walked in gently, held Yingquliang and whispered: "The prince's day is mourning, and the big thing is important." ”

Yingquliang whimpered and got up, wiped his tears quietly, and said thoughtfully: "Hei Bo, please ask General Yingqian quickly." ”

When Qin Xiangong arranged the funeral, none of the ministers were around. As a long-tempered monarch, Qin Xiangong certainly knew that this was a taboo for arranging the aftermath, so naturally he would not mean to do so. His original intention was to arrange the affairs of his two sons properly, and then summon several important ministers and elders to affirm and arrange auxiliary matters. However, he did not expect that his arrow wound would suddenly attack, robbing him of his only chance to summon the minister at the last moment.

Qin Xiangong died suddenly, and the major events of the monarch's succession to the throne did not reach the ministers of the public clan, and the originally simple and clear court situation suddenly became complicated. If the forces that support Ying Qian take the opportunity to make trouble, the first target of the mystery is Ying Quliang, who accompanies the king alone. At the same time, none of the ministers accepted the important task of assistance, which would also make the ministers suspicious, and there was a possibility that many accidents would arise in the air. Ying Quliang thought calmly, although the two brothers saw their father-in-law at the last moment, and the elder brother Yingqian saw him, but Yingqian's father-in-law was still there when Yingqian saw his father-in-law; After Ying Qian left, when he was alone with his father-in-law, his father-in-law died suddenly, which was undoubtedly not good for him. Besides, the father-in-law only stated that he had left a written edict for himself and left it suddenly. If someone takes the opportunity to make trouble, not only will he be suspected of killing the king, but the person who sent the trouble can declare that the father-in-law's edict is fabricated. The key figure at the moment is Ying Qian, and only he can stand out from the crowd. If there is nothing to do, there is nothing to do in the country. If there is something to do, civil strife will arise. What will happen to the eldest brother Yingqian? Yingquliang was suddenly unable to get it. Although Yingqu Liang has always had a very close brotherhood with Yingqian, thinking that Yingqian's thoughts at this moment are really about the safety of the country, he can't help but flash a trace of vigilance - why did his father-in-law want his eldest brother to make a blood oath? Could it be that there are really clues that have been noticed by my father-in-law?

Yingqu Liang's spine was chilled, if this is the case, how will the situation be cleaned up?

At this moment, in the political hall, the ministers and elders of the Qin State were even more anxious waiting. I don't know how the king's injuries were? I wonder if the monarch has determined a successor? It is necessary not only to think about the countermeasures for the monarch to recover from his injuries, but also to think about how to deal with the death of the monarch and the new monarch's accession to the throne? All of these are confusing and impossible to discuss because of the uncertainty of the king's injuries and the uncertainty of the prince. The ministers were pacing silently in the hall, and no one knew what to discuss. Even so, no one left the government. Ministers with a little experience know that the period when the monarch is critically ill is the time when the power of the temple is most likely to overturn, and unexpected and huge changes may occur at any time. In the more than 400 years since the Spring and Autumn Period, there have been too many stories of this kind of day and night. Not to mention that the famous Duke Qi Huan was critically ill and was trapped, which led to the traitorous seizure of power, that is, Qin Linggong, the father of the current monarch Qin Xiangong, was also taken by his uncle during his critical illness and became independent. Therefore, when the monarch was seriously injured and critically ill, the ministers of the country almost without exception pushed away all state affairs and stayed in the position closest to the monarch every step of the way. Commanders and local officials, including those who led troops abroad, were also driven back to the capital as much as possible to stay in the central area. The greater the variables of the power of the temple, the tighter the courtiers' heartstrings. This kind of restlessness and tension will continue until the new monarch establishes that the situation is clear, and it is possible to end.

Right now, the ministers of the Qin State are in this state of anxiety.

Changshi Gongsun Jia intentionally or unintentionally paced in front of Doctor Gan Long, and asked, "Does Doctor Shang have any teachings?" ”

Doctor Gan Long is white-haired, thin and slender, and is the minister in charge of the monarch's reliance, and the old officials are all over the Qin State. However, at this most critical juncture, he was not recruited into the palace, but like all ministers, he could only sit in the government hall, which in itself was a disturbing sign of change. Changshi Gongsun Jia asked for advice, apparently wanting to find out Ganlong's reaction to this change. Gan Long replied lightly: "Changshi often follows the monarch, what do you have to say?" ”

It was a subtle counterattack. Changshi is in charge of the monarch's secrets, and he is a close confidant of the left and right, but he is also in the government hall at this time, which is more unusual than the minister in charge of leaving the monarch in a crisis. Gongsun Jia asked for advice, obviously unable to stand the torture of inner tension. Gan Long's faint cross-examination, but clearly expressed an extraneous meaning, no need to tempt, you are more weak than me. This made Gongsun Jia feel embarrassed, so he had to smile and say: "Gongsun Jia is only a shallow learner, how dare he teach?" ”

The ministers were nervous and anxious, all wanting to hear what to say. Seeing the dialogue between the two important ministers, the doctor Gan Long and the chief historian Gongsun Jia, they gathered one after another, but they couldn't ask. At this moment, questions such as "how is the king's injury?" and "who will the prince be?" should never be asked, because that would mean that the questioner has two minds. So although the ministers gathered around, they just looked at Gan Long silently.

Unexpectedly, Gan Long was not silent at the moment, he arched his hand to the ministers who came around, and said loudly: "God bless and protect the Qin State, and the monarch's arrow wound has been greatly improved." Our ministers should discuss the plan, write to the monarch, take revenge, and crusade against Wei! ”

It's really clever and sophisticated. It not only avoided taboos, but also gave the ministers the best topic to gather in the political hall. The ministers were relieved and echoed one after another: "What the doctor sees is that he should crusade against Wei and recover Shaoliang!" "That's right! Avenge the king's revenge! As soon as the topic began, the ministers suddenly became active, and groups began to discuss the battle of Shaoliang, while testing the responses of others in various ingenious ways.

At this moment of buzzing, a group of ironclad warriors drove out of the government hall with neat and heavy steps, and lined up in a sonorous formation, guarding the courtyard outside the gate. The armor is distinct, and the spear is shining. The general who led the team was the pious general Zi'an!

There was a sudden silence in the political hall. Beads of sweat broke out on the foreheads of the ministers, and they opened their mouths and looked at each other. Could it be that the monarch suddenly collapsed? Yingqian wants to seize the throne and stand on his own? If so, probably no one can stop it. Although Ying Qian was not the commander of the Qin army, the 50,000 iron cavalry he led were almost all the elites of the Qin State. In addition, he is pious and sympathetic to the soldiers, treats the generals well, and is a fierce general who takes the lead in fighting evil battles, and has a very high prestige in the army. He wants to seize the throne, and it is really difficult for Yingquliang to find a force to contend with. The most real thing about the confrontation of power is to see who has a heavy army. Although Yingqu Liang is also a wise and brave general, after all, he is still young in the army and often assists the monarch in government affairs, which cannot be compared with Yingqian's direct control of elite cavalry. The brothers really want to meet each other, and the Qin State is in a catastrophe!

For a time, the tension in the government hall reached its peak.

After the formation of the armor soldiers ended, there was another heavy and hurried footsteps, and Ying Qian held the Tianyue Sword and led two rows of generals with swords to strode into the political hall. Ying Qian waved his hand, and the generals in helmets and armor stood solemnly in two rows behind the political affairs hall, each with their swords in their hands, standing silently and upright, just like two rows of stone-carved warriors. Ying Qian stood at the gate of the political hall and said loudly: "The courtiers are seated in a row and wait for the king's edict." ”

The ministers hesitated and slowly sat down in front of their desks according to the usual order of rank. As soon as I sat down, I saw the old chamberlain Hei Bo with two young chamberlains walking into the center of the front of the political hall. Hei Bo took a roll of parchment from the copper plate held by the little chamberlain and unfolded it, and read aloud: "The subjects of the Qin State, etc., in the battle of Shaoliang, this prince was seriously injured by arrow poison, and he felt that he had no future, and he made his son-in-law Yingquliang the crown prince and succeeded the monarch. The ministers of the state must do their best to assist, and those who have two hearts will be punished by everyone. September 16, the twenty-third year of Yingshi. ”

As Hei Bo recited, the ministers were suspicious again, and there was silence, and no one even dared to speak in response to the usual command. Judging from the edict, there is no doubt that the monarch has died. However, if the monarch is really so sober, why is not a minister aware of such a major matter as the appointment of the prince? Besides, Ying Qian has never made a positive statement, in case there is fraud, it is Ying Qian's temptation, and actively echoing the edict will not immediately cause a catastrophe? Not responding, not speaking, at most it is a crime of disrespect, and the law does not govern the people, at most it is just a demeaning and left-moving movement. If you accidentally take the lead and annoy Yingqian, it will be a major event that will affect the nine clans, and it will be too late to regret it. People are of the same mind, and the same heart is the same, and there is a strange silence in the government hall that has never been seen since the announcement of the monarch's edict.

In the silence, the political hall resounded with a pious and coarse voice: "I respectfully invite the new monarch to ascend the throne——! ”

With the shouting, the two attendants took the lead, Yingquliang was dressed in cloth clothes and wore a black jade crown, and calmly entered the political hall. The ministers were stunned and bewildered, and their deep fears and doubts continued, and they forgot the great gift of supporting the new king, and remained silent, and the government hall fell into a great embarrassing situation.

Suddenly, Ying Qian's face turned pale, and he shouted angrily: "The monarch will leave his will, and the new monarch will ascend the throne, who will not obey?" There is such a stone! Striding back, the blue light of the Tianyue Sword flickered, and silently swept past a stone pillar in front of the door of the political hall. Ying Qian sneered, waved his left hand, and with a loud "bang" on the upper half of the stone pillar, he fell on the steps and rolled down the courtyard! The mirror-like incision in the lower half of the stone pillar shines with the light of Aomorimori, which makes people shudder.

The two rows of generals shouted in unison: "Support the new king!" Hooray——! ”

Only then did the ministers of the political hall wake up from the nightmare of fear and suspicion, and they fell to the ground and shouted: "Welcome to the new king!" "Long live the new king——!"

Doctor Gan Long shouted: "General Yingqian has made meritorious contributions, long live the general!" The ministers hurriedly shouted, "Long live General Yingqian——! ”

Ying Qian roared: "How can this be reasonable? How does piety relate to kings? If it is rude, it will be pious and ruthless! ”

The government hall was immediately silent. After these verifications, the ministers have made it clear that the overall situation will not be turbulent, and Ying Qian is sincerely assisting his younger brother Ying Quliang to succeed the monarch. However, the new monarch did not speak, and the ministers remained silent. Once the son of heaven and a courtier, how the new monarch will act, no one will find out the details, rashly speak, the good luck is unpredictable, it is better to wait.

Ying Qian walked forward, bowed deeply, and said in a loud voice: "Please declare the national policy of the new monarch." ”

Yingquliang has been standing in front of the Central Monarch's seat, calm and calm, without the slightest cramped panic. At this moment, he said calmly and clearly: "Ministers, my father-in-law died suddenly, and Yingqu Liang was appointed to succeed the monarch. At this time of crisis, this prince applied to the opposition in the Ming Dynasty: first, the ministers of the country, each performing their own duties, did not move, and the state affairs were still under the control of the senior doctor Ganlong. Second, Yingqian's general Shaoliang had a great contribution in the battle, and he was promoted to the head of Zuo Shu and led the soldiers and horses of the Qin State. Third, the senior doctor Gan Long and the grandson Jia of Changshi presided over the national funeral ceremony of the father-in-law. ”

The ministers let out a long breath and shouted in unison: "Obey the order!" ”

Yingquliang walked in front of Gan Long and bowed deeply: "The doctor is old and old, and he is the minister of national mourning, Yingquliang is deeply disturbed. During the state funeral, if there is a disturbance, the doctor will ask for the right to kill and take away. ”

Gan Long was moved and excited, bowed down and trembled: "The old minister was greatly favored by the ancestors, and he was entrusted by the king, dare not obey his orders?" ”

Ying Quliang looked around at the political hall and said loudly: "The rest of the matters will be handled according to the previous rules. Scattered Dynasty. ”

The ministers had both the constraints of national mourning and the excitement of the new monarch's enthronement of the national policy. But it is neither joyful nor convenient for it to make a sad voice at this time. So they got together in twos and threes with the terms of reference, and solemnly discussed many things that must be done during the national funeral.

Yingquliang had already left the political hall and hurried to the Lishan military camp in the southwest of Liyang.

He's going to do a big thing. In his opinion, this matter was even more important than pacifying the courtiers. He only took Hei Bo and a hundred ironclad knights who had fought side by side with him for many years, and rushed to the Lishan military camp without stopping. By this time it was already dark. It was also the former army commander Zi'an who had just rushed back to the barracks when he came out to greet him, and he was surprised: "The monarch has just taken the throne, how can he leave Liyang?" ”

"Zi'an, how is Uncle Acne?" Ying Quliang ignored Zi'an's suspicions.

"Old horseman! Hmph, don't say a word, don't eat a mouthful of food, the cow is very stubborn. He should be taken to sacrifice the flag before the spirit of the first king. Zi'an reported angrily.

"Take me to him." Yingqu Liang concisely commanded.

Uncle Acne was imprisoned in the Yamane Stone House in the Lishan Military Camp. He has been the prime minister of Wei for more than 20 years, and since Wu left Wei, he has been serving as a commander and leading troops from time to time. He defeated the Korean Zhao State Chu State and the Han Zhao allied army, and he can be regarded as a prominent figure in the world with both civil and military skills. However, he suffered two heavy defeats in the war with Qin, one was the Battle of Shimen three years ago, losing 60,000 soldiers and losing Hangu Pass. And then in this battle of Shaoliang, he was inexplicably captured by the Qin army. He was already a sixty-one-year-old man, and he felt that the battle of Shaoliang had been lost, and he was ashamed and angry, and he did not speak, eat, or drink, and he was going to starve himself to death by thirst and atone for his incompetence. After three days of self-torture, he was so pale and dry that he was dying on the straw mat. When the stone door of the cell rumbled open, he didn't blink his eyes.

"Uncle Prime Minister, Yingquliang is polite." Yingquliang bowed deeply to the uncle who was curled up in the corner.

Uncle Gong closed his eyes, neither sat up nor opened his mouth to answer. He admired the young general who had captured him alive, but he was reluctant to talk to him on such an occasion.

Zi'an was so angry that he yelled loudly: "Uncle Lao, this is the new monarch of the Qin Kingdom, you dare to be stubborn?" ”

Uncle Gong moved slightly, but still didn't open his eyes or speak.

Yingquliang arched his hand and said: "Uncle Prime Minister, don't be ashamed of the battle of Shaoliang. None of us won this battle. Although the old prime minister was captured, my father-in-law was also wounded by your army's cold arrows and died suddenly. Seriously speaking, Wei is slightly better. What does the prime minister think? ”

Uncle Gong couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise, Ying Shixi, a formidable rival, died? Really? If this is the case, there is no possibility of suicide for himself. According to the customs of the Qin people, they must kill themselves to pay tribute to the monarch before the Qin sacrifice of the public spirit. It is also a good thing to be able to fight and die with the fierce enemy Yingshixi, so what are the regrets? Thinking of this, Uncle Acne smiled coldly, "In that case, Uncle Acne's head is yours." When is the surgery done? ”

"The old man is very different. Yingquliang is not to kill you, but to let you go back to Anyi. ”

Uncle Gong laughed, "Yingquliang, Hugh has to mock the old man." Soldiers can be killed, but not humiliated! ”

Yingqu Liang said: "How dare Yingqu Liang insult his predecessors? Letting the old prime minister return to Wei is a painstaking effort for Yingquliang. Qin and Wei fought fiercely for many years, and the people were devastated, and the casualties were not counted. Yingqu Liang succeeded the monarch and plotted to live and farm in peace for the common people of Qin, and did not want the two countries to be at odds. Yingqu Liang knows that the old prime minister understands the righteousness and wants to conspire with the old prime minister, and the two countries have a truce, I don't know what the old prime minister wants? ”

"Duke Qin, really don't remember the revenge of killing your father?" Uncle's confused and chaotic old eyes gradually brightened.

"Father's enmity is selfish, and war is public. If Yingqu Liang is not sincere, he is willing to be punished by God. ”

Uncle Gong looked at the young monarch in front of him with a solemn expression, and felt that he actually had a convincing sincerity, calmness and self-confidence, and he could distinguish between public and private in one sentence, and he couldn't help but secretly appreciate it. It has been his idea for many years to strike troops with Qin, but Qin Xiangong has been attacking Wei for many years, vowing to recapture the entire Hexi, and he has to accompany him if he doesn't want to fight. In his opinion, the prime minister of Wei, the Qin State has been compressed, and the real rivals of Wei are the rising Qi State in the east and the Chu State in the south. Every time he fought against the Qin State, he did not approve of the general Pang Juan leading the troops, what he was afraid of was that Pang Juan would kill the Qin State completely, and the blood feud with the Qin State would become deeper and deeper. He knew very well the fierceness and tenacity of the old Qin people, and believed that this tribal prince who had fought for hundreds of years in the encirclement of the Rongdi tribe was by no means easy to destroy, and he should be satisfied if he could compress the Qin people into a desolate corner. Wei's goal was the fertile land of the Central Plains, not the wilderness of the west. But after the Battle of Shimen and the Battle of Shaoliang, he felt that this desire to strike the army seemed impossible, Qin Xiangong hated Wei like a madman, and with him, Wei could not get rid of this entanglement. In the past few days after being captured, he had already thought about it, committed suicide and martyrdom, and recommended the general Pang Juan to fight to the death with Qin Xian, completely solving the years of entanglement with Qin. However, all of a sudden, it turned around, Qin Xiangong died, and the new monarch of Qin took the initiative to call out the army and make a truce, isn't it providential?

My uncle sighed for a while, "Okay! The old man believes in you, and his word is certain. It's just this boundary, but I don't know what Duke Qin plans to do? ”

"Based on the boundaries before the Battle of Shimen, the land west of the river is still Wei's."

"Oh? Qin Gong didn't feel that he had suffered too much? Uncle Gong was so surprised that he couldn't help but sit up against the wall.

"Twenty years from now, I'll take it back." The Yingqu beam is a word and a board.

"A word?"

"It's a deal." Ying Quliang smiled, "Old Prime Minister, it's time to eat." ”

Uncle laughed heartily, "Yes, you're full, it's good to go on the road." ”

"Wait." Yingquliang said with a smile: "The old prime minister is slowly coming to rest, and three days later, Yingquliang sent someone to escort the old prime minister back to Anyi, not to mention that he was captured, but that he was the envoy of King Wei." ”

Uncle Gong was surprised again, and couldn't help but struggle to get up and smiled: "Gong Qin, my uncle has read a lot of people, and he has a public mind, and in a few years, he will be great in the world." ”

Ying Quliang respectfully bowed his hand, "Qu Liang is only a shallow learner, how dare he be the old prime minister?" ”

Uncle Yang sighed: "It's a pity that the old man doesn't have much time to come, and he can't compete with Yingjie in the world." He laughed and fainted.

In the early morning three days later, Yingqu Liang personally led 300 iron horsemen to escort a bronze chariot out of Hangu Pass.

The white-haired uncle said goodbye to Yingqu Liang Yinyin outside Hangu Pass, and galloped towards Anyi, the capital of Wei.

Autumn frost and white dew, grass and trees are yellow. Ying Quliang stood at the head of Hangu Pass and stared at the distant car, the bright red banner of "Wei" had dissolved with the field on the horizon, and he was still standing there, letting the cold autumn wind blow on him.

According to the rules of the Warring States Period, it is difficult for a minister who has been defeated twice to remain in power. Even if Uncle Gong is a veteran of the two dynasties of Wei and is deeply relied on by King Wei Hui, this position of prime minister may not be guaranteed. If this is the case, isn't the peace treaty of Qin Wei's dismissal an empty word? And if Wei continues to use troops against Qin, how long can Qin hold out? Yingquliang knew very well that his father-in-law had fought fiercely against Wei for many years, and his original intention was to recapture Hexi and then blockade Hangu Pass to rest the army and raise the people. However, the more Qin fought the poorer and poorer, and the land of 500 miles west of the river was still not recaptured, how could the Qin State continue to fight? For a rich and powerful country like Wei, even if it loses a few times, it will not hurt its vitality. However, the Qin State could not do it, and the Qin State could not afford another defeat. The baggage was exhausted, the grain was exhausted, and the able-bodied men were so killed and wounded that there was hardly anyone left to plough the fields. If there was another failure, the Qin State would really have to retreat to the Longxi River Valley and redo the half-farming and half-pastoral tribes. At this time, although the Qin State had won two major victories on the surface, its national strength was on the verge of collapse and became a paper harrier in the wind that could not withstand the defeat of the first war. In the Warring States with a lot of swords, this is an extremely dangerous last situation. If the army can be stopped for a few years and slowed down, the Qin State may still have hope of regaining its strength, otherwise, the Qin State will disappear from the Warring States Powers. Now it is a national mourning, the situation is not peaceful, if the Wei State takes advantage of the civil strife to come, wouldn't it be a catastrophe?

Yingquliang felt that the burden on his shoulders was as heavy as a mountain.

If the strike is successful, Hangu Pass will be re-delivered to Wei within a month. Since the Qin tribe was established as a vassal state, for many years, this Hangu Pass has been the gate of Qin's national destiny. With Hangu in hand, the Qin people are calm. Losing Hangu Pass, the Qin people were as nervous as the spears and swords of the enemy with their chests exposed. In such a lifeline of Hangu Pass, the father-in-law and the Qin people took back the bloody territory, but he handed it over to the Wei State, can those patriarchs of the clan agree? Can the people of the government and the opposition understand? Although Yingqu Liang was thoughtful, believing that only in this way could Wei feel that it was a huge city to reoccupy Hexi without using swords, and it would be possible to let Qin State go, and if the current situation was in place, it would be almost impossible, and Wei State would never let Qin State blockade and cultivate after two major defeats. Although this is the case, after all, Hangu Pass is too important to the Qin people, can the subjects in the country accept it?

Heaven and heaven, could it be that the Qin State is going to perish in the hands of my Yingqu Liang?