The soldiers withdrew the siege of Zheng State, led the army back to the border of Chu State, stationed a large army in Elk, often sent people to inquire about the whereabouts of King Zhao, and let Zhuan Yi and Yue Peng train troops, and went back to Yingdu to meet King Wu and discuss the strategy of pacifying Chu State.

Because Sun Wu's 'weak Chu' policy was not adopted by He Lu, the Wu army's temporary victory on the battlefield made the Wu monarchs and ministers dizzy. The military generals led by Wu Yuan advocated taking this opportunity to destroy the Chu State and incorporate the territory of the Great Chu into the Wu State. Therefore, the formulation of the policy of 'exterminating Chu' allowed the Wu army to try to complete the great cause of exterminating Chu by occupying important border towns and leading from point to point.

The soldiers first entered the main hall of the palace of Yingdu and paid their respects. Xiang Wu Wang Zuoming's war with the state and Zheng Guo, as well as his own views on the current situation:

"The king of Chu is missing, and the minister thinks that the state of Chu is undecided, so he will leave the class for the time being. Although there were many vassal states of the Chu State, none of them could succeed, and the ministers were mainly worried about the princes of the Central Plains. If King Zhao receives the help of the princes, it will be very detrimental to my great cause of destroying Chu. Therefore, the minister suggested that the king should send envoys to the kingdom of the princes and offer them some treasures of the state of Chu to appease the foolish hearts of the princes. ”

He Lu played accurately, the monarch and the minister didn't see it for ten months, and he sighed: "It's been almost a year since the widow left the school, and I always dream of returning to Gusu." It seems that the widow is old, so homesick. ”

The soldiers knew that King Wu had the intention of returning to his division, but the current situation of Chu was a half-cooked meal, which made Wu's soldiers drown in this vast territory. It's like a scoop of water that spills into the parched desert and disappears in an instant.

"The ministers know that the Chu people are not convinced, the hearts of the Chu people are undecided, and King Zhao is nowhere to be found, and there is still a long way to go to destroy the great cause of Chu. The king's personal expedition this time has established immortal achievements, and the minister asked the king to insist on sitting in Yingdu. Complete the final wish to destroy Chu! ”

He Lu nodded, stood up, called the soldiers to follow him, and entered the back garden of the palace.

"Mr. sent troops to Suiguo and Zheng Guo this time, and King Zhao is nowhere to be found. If King Zhao can't get it, and the hearts of the people of Chu are not destroyed, what should be done? ”

"The minister has sent many detailed works to visit the various vassal states of the Chu State, and I believe that there will be a response soon."

"The widow received a report from the prince a few days ago, saying that the country was empty and worried that the country would have bad intentions. Please think about it, sir. The elite of our country poured out, and in the long run, the prince's worries were all reasonable. ”

Wu Yuan agreed with King Wu that if Chu could not be destroyed within half a year, Sun Wu's 'weak Chu' strategy would be adopted. Retired troops and returned to Wu.

The two monarchs and ministers were separated for many days, and King Wu was favored. Feast alone in the back/palace.

It's only a few days. The soldiers left Yingdu and hurried back to the elk.

At this time, it was already April, and spring was in full swing. A two-horse carriage galloped forward on a wide post road. , the smoke and dust that rose filled the neat boulevard. A squad of cavalry followed closely behind, hunting flags. The verdant trees on both sides cast a thick shade.

At this time, I saw a fast horse coming from the opposite side, and when I saw the flag of the soldier, I turned over and dismounted.

The soldier gently lifted the curtain. Glancing at the scenery on both sides that were rapidly receding, he coughed dryly.

The car slowly stopped, and the soldier asked, "Who is coming in front?" ”

"It's a whistle horse from the elk." The guards replied.

The guard brought the man to the car, and the soldier asked in a deep voice, "Is there something wrong with the elk?" ”

The sentry presented a letter and replied, "A letter has been sent to the general in the elkfield. General Zhuan Yi was afraid of important military information, so he ordered the villain to send it quickly. ”

The soldier took the sealed haode bamboo tube, and when he saw that the wax seal at the mouth of the cylinder was as new, he waved his hand and ordered the car to continue to move forward.

The soldier used a short sword to pry open the wax seal and unfold the letter, which turned out to be a private letter written in silk. When the soldiers unfolded it, it was the letter of the deceased Shen Baoxu:

Wen Zixu dug the grave and whipped the coffin in Yingdu, and went around asking for King Zhao. But I think Jun Naiping is an old minister of King Ping, and he used to be a monarch and a minister. Today, he humiliated his corpse so badly, using revenge as an excuse, but wouldn't it be too much to humiliate the ancestors like this? As an old friend, I advise the monarchs and ministers of Wu to return to the country, and from then on, Wu Chu will seek self-peace. Otherwise, I should fulfill the preface of the covenant: 'The king takes the destruction of Chu as filial piety; want to destroy Chu; I should swear that I will save Chu'! ”

The soldiers got the book and muttered for a long time. I thought about it in my heart, and knew that this Shen Baoxu was a good minister of Chu. If he has the ambition to save the truth, he must have his own strategy to save the truth. So what is Shen Baoxu's preservation strategy? The soldiers pondered for a long time. Now that my former friend has made a move, how can I take it?

It turned out that since the Ying army was attacked by the Wu army, he heard that King Zhao had fled south; I also saw that some of the ministers went to chase after the king of Chu after hearing the news, and some went to the west and east and fled to a remote place to avoid trouble. This Shen Baoxu fled to the Shibi Mountain in Yiling and lived in seclusion. But he paid attention to the current affairs of Yingdu all the time, when he learned that the soldiers destroyed the temple of the king of Chu and dug the tomb and whipped the coffin in Yingdu; When the Wu army plundered and committed adultery, he couldn't help but feel sad. Thinking that he let go of the soldiers for the sake of all his friends that day, he didn't want Chu to have today's disaster.

Bao Xu thought to himself: "Zixu will definitely destroy Chu, I must not sit still!" So Bao Xu was determined to save his mind. In order to keep the Jiangshan Sheji of the Chu State from being swallowed up by the Wu State, Bao Xu determined his own strategy of preserving Chu: with the help of the power of the princes, the Chu State would not be destroyed.

Shen Baoxu filtered: Among the princes now, only the Jin State, the Qin State and the Qi State can match the national strength of the Wu State. Although the Jin State had the name of overlord, at that time, the monarch was weak and the ministers were strong, and the powerful ministers were in their own ways, which greatly weakened the national strength of the Jin State. And the Duke of Jing of Qi is already old and demoralized, and he has no unscrupulous ministers and unscrupulous generals in the court, so he can't rely on it; Then only the state of Qin can be selected.

Shen Baoxu believes that Meng Huan, the mother of King Zhao, Queen of Chu, is now the sister-in-law of Qin Aigong, and King Qin is the uncle of King Zhao of Chu. To solve the difficulties of today's Chu State, unless you ask for Qin.

After Shen Baoxu determined the strategy of asking Qin to save Chu, he immediately took action. Starting from Elephant Trunk Mountain in Yiling, hike west, day and night.

Although the heel was bloodstained, layers of cloth wrapped tightly around the swollen soles of the feet. Shen Baoxu bled step by step, his clothes were tattered and ragged, and he went through many hardships all the way to Yongzhou, the capital of Qin.

Shen Baoxu arrived in Yongzhou and wanted to see Qin Aigong.

Bao Xu first went to the post house set up by the Chu State in Yongzhou, bathed and changed clothes, and then met the King of Qin as the envoy of the Chu State.

Step on the stairs and look up to the majestic hall. The yellow earth in the west is filled with a fierce atmosphere. Shen Baoxu took a deep breath, followed the footsteps of the guards, and raised his legs to step into the thick black shadow of the red gate, which was the tall black lacquered wooden door of the main hall of the Qin Palace, thick and majestic. The gate is flanked by a long line of red wooden pillars that hold up the towering eaves overhead.

Walking through the gray bluestone floor, I saw the mourning prince sitting cross-legged on the hall. Bao Xu knelt and bowed, and his voice was hoarse: "Foreign minister Shen Bao Xu bows to see the king!" ”

Qin Aigong sat for Bao Xu, asked a little about the hardships, and asked about the current situation of the Chu State.

Bao Xu said: "The state of Wu is now raising troops to invade our country, greedy and greedy, wanting to occupy our land and destroy my country; According to the current strategy of the State of Wu, it will encroach on the princes step by step, starting with our State of Chu. The widow lost his society for a while, fled in the recklessness, and specially ordered his ministers to report to the virtuous monarch, asking the king to read the love of his nephew, send troops to help, and raise troops to relieve the widow's misfortune. ”

Ai Gong also knew about the battle of Wu and Chu, but now the Wu army is strong, and with tens of thousands of troops, the Chu State was almost wiped out, so he was afraid, so he shirked and said: "My Qin State is located in the borderland, living in the west, with few soldiers and few generals, and I am too busy to take care of myself, how can I be able to save people and relieve misfortune?" ”

Bao Xu said: "Chu and Qin are bordering countries, if the virtuous monarch sees death at this time and does not save it, let Wu finally destroy Chu State." Then, Wu's next target may be Qin. If the Qin State can raise a division to save Chu and at the same time it is an act of self-consolidation, the king must know the truth of cold lips and teeth, right? Wu already has the heart to dominate, and the virtuous monarch should be vigilant. ”

Ai Gong disagreed, although the Wu army was lucky to break through Chu, but with the Jin State in front of him, the Wu State did not have the ability to form a threat to the Qin State in front of him for the time being.

"If the king can prosper and save Chu, the monarchs and ministers of my Chu State will all be favored by the virtuous monarch, and they are willing to serve Qin in the north for generations!" Shen Baoxu pleaded in a somewhat pleading tone.

Mourning is still undecided: "How about the doctor staying in the building for the time being, and then making a decision after the widow and the ministers have discussed?" ”

"The widow fled in recklessness and was nowhere to be found. How dare the subordinates live in peace? ”

So Shen Baoxu bowed his farewell and quit the court, and stood outside the court of the Qin Palace, waiting for the news of the monarchs and ministers of the Qin State. (To be continued......)