However, it is said that Nangwa led 60,000 Chu troops to fight with Wu soldiers in Chaocheng, and the two armies faced each other several times, each with its own success. After fighting hard for more than a month, without seeing the victory or defeat, Nangwa was worried that he would return in vain, and he had no face to face the ministers of the court, and he was worried every day, and wanted to find a decent reason to return to the capital.

At this time, the strategist beside Nangwa was called Xiyi, and he was Nangwa's confidant. Seeing this situation, I knew that Nangwa had the intention of withdrawing the army. Xiyi made suggestions for Nangwa: "Although the Jin State is now said to be the country of Fan Ying, the six secretaries are in charge of each other, disregarding the general interests of the country. The Jin clan declined, the country gradually declined, and the hegemony did not continue. Xiangguo can ask the king for his life, put aside the struggle with Wu for the time being, first contact the subject countries around our country, pass through the north, and slowly try to dominate. ”

According to Xiyi's meaning, he can use the excuse of passing through the north and returning to the capital for Chu Tuba.

"It has been more than two months before and after this battle, and the outcome is difficult to decide.

"Now that the season has entered autumn, the climate is getting colder, and our army is going out in the summer, and the soldiers have no winter equipment. Clothing and bedding are not available, one of them; Besides, there were some captures in this battle, and the battle between the two armies was considered a draw, and I did not ask for the king's reward, but it was also indispensable. If Xiangguo wants to withdraw his troops, the villain can offer a strategy. ”

Nangwa knew that although the battle was not completely defeated, the Chu soldiers suffered heavy casualties, and the pioneer Hua Fan was also captured by the Wu army, and he led a full 60,000 soldiers and horses, while the Wu army only had 40,000. Therefore, the Chu army has long been defeated, but it is only superior in terms of troops, so it has not yet shown defeat.

For King Zhao's child, there should be no problem coaxing him. Now the main thing is to be able to withdraw troops smoothly and prevent the pursuit of the Wu army when the troops are withdrawn. Nangwa decided to be a class teacher, just to see what the strategy was that Xi Yi said.

"Sun Wu and his soldiers are very good at using soldiers, if they know that our army wants to retreat, they will definitely take advantage of the situation to chase and kill, then our army will be in danger. It is better to slowly return the main force to the border city first, wait and see for a few days, if the Wu army also withdraws back, naturally everyone will withdraw their troops. According to the current situation, Wu Jun is also extremely tired, and he must also have the intention of returning to the army. ”

Nangwa thought that this plan was feasible, so he left an army to break off, and the main force slowly withdrew into Zhongcheng, forty miles away from Chaocheng.

Sun Wu and the soldiers saw that the Chu soldiers retreated and retreated to Zhongcheng, knowing that Nangwa had the intention of being a class teacher. The two discussed: "Nangwa led 60,000 male divisions to avenge the revenge of Qianyi. He is a dignified countryman, and he has been away from Ducheng for more than two months, and he may be worried that his generals will be outside, and he is afraid that the power will be lost, so he wants to withdraw his troops as soon as possible. ”

The soldiers wanted to pursue, but Sun Wu thought that Nangwa had retreated to Zhongcheng, and the Wu army was not strong, so it would be more difficult to attack the city, so it was better to return to China.

Therefore, the armies of the two countries returned to their respective divisions, and the Wu army captured the vanguard general of the Chu army, and killed more enemies than the Chu army, and in terms of casualties and captures, the Wu army benefited more.

When Wu Jun's squad returned to the dynasty, he Lu was a little strange: "Now that the Chu army has not lost its elite, why did the second secretary withdraw his troops?" ”

Wu Yuan played: "The minister wants to enter the Yingdu every day, but the state of Chu is one of the strongest countries in the world, and there are many subject countries, and the king cannot be underestimated. Although Nangwa was intellectually mediocre, he had a good relationship with the vassal states. This person is known for being a corrupt bribe, and often asks for bribes from his subjects, and is insatiably greedy. If this goes on for a long time, the vassal states of the Chu State will have contradictions with the Chu State, and as long as that day comes, it will be the perfect time for us to take the Chu State in one fell swoop. ”

He Lu followed the advice of the soldiers and sent Sun Wu to Jiangkou to train sailors, and the soldiers helped King Wu to take care of the government, and sent a number of masters of the Longwei Battalion to travel to Chu to inquire about the news.

Since then, the two countries have been at peace, and there has been no attack for the time being. While training troops on a large scale, Wu State stored grain and grass, filled the treasury, and smelted weapons, so as to make military and material preparations for the large-scale attack on Chu.

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It is said that King Chu Zhao got the sword of "Zhanlu", and he said that the sword in his dream was auspicious from the sky, and all the princes knew it. Those vassal states of Chu came to Chu one after another to congratulate the Zhao Dynasty. There are many vassal countries of the Chu State, and the envoys who come and go are endless, shuttling through the Yingdu to congratulate the King of Chu.

Because in the late Spring and Autumn period, the slightly stronger princes began to engage in annexation wars. The vassal states of Chu were temporarily preserved under the wing of Chu, and sometimes the kings of these vassal states would often go to Chu in person to worship in order to express their heartfelt feelings. But it was a coincidence that Tang Hou of the Tang State and Cai Hou of the Cai State both arrived in Yingdu at about the same time, and the two monarchs came to congratulate the King of Chu in person to show the loyalty of the subject country to the King of Chu.

In the early morning of that day, Cai Hou paid homage to King Zhao, and the two monarchs met in the court, and Xiangguo Nangwa accompanied the King of Chu to accompany him. Because Cai Hou was already old at this time, King Zhao was also very polite to Cai Hou, and the two gentlemen talked and laughed happily.

Cai Hou ordered the waiter to present the congratulatory gifts he brought to the king of Chu this time: treasures, jewels and beauties, as well as a mutton fat white jade pendant and a silver mink fur. This jade pendant is not simple, the whole body is extremely moist, crystal white, like condensed oil. The silver sable fur was light gray in color, without any variegated hair, which was extremely rare.

Cai Hou said: "Although this jade pendant is not big, it is really difficult to find one with such a texture, and the widow only got two." Give a virtuous gentleman, and the widow admires one. This mink fur is mainly this coat color is difficult to see so pure, the widow only got two, and the other one was worn by himself, this fur is not only warm, the texture and color are extremely haode. ”

The attendant on the side of King Chu took these two gifts, and when he saw it, he held it over and looked at it, and he was also amazed.

King Zhao was very happy, and also gave Cai Hou some gifts in return, and ordered to go down, settle Cai Hou well, serve carefully, and be sure to treat him with heart. and sent Zuo Yin Zixi to accompany Cai Hou to play.

Within a few days, Tang Hou, the monarch of the Tang Kingdom, also arrived in Yingdu and also brought rich gifts to congratulate the King of Chu.

This Tang Hou came to the Chu State to worship this time, and he came in a "horse" carriage. These two horsemen are rare in the world.

This horse is covered with a layer of light white hair, with a strong physique and a long neck, which is a rare good horse in the world. This horse-drawn cart is not only fast, but also very stable, unlike some horse-drawn carts, which shake violently. Tang Hou is very fond of this horse and regards it as a treasure.

King Zhao saw Tang Hou, and he still treated him politely and very thoroughly. Ordered Zixi to arrange the pavilion post and receive it with Cai Hou.

However, it was said that Cai Hou returned to the post house, and before he could rest for a while, a waiter came to report: "Lord Xiangguo Nangwa has a book to worship." ”

It turned out that the Xiangguo bag tile saw that Cai Hou had two pieces of the same mutton fat and white jade pendant, and two pieces of silver sable mouse qiu. Now I saw that Cai Hou gave a jade pendant and a mink fur to King Zhao, and Cai Hou kept one for himself. Because Nangwa loved these two treasures very much, he wanted to ask Cai Hou for them and take them for himself.

After Cai Hou knew the meaning of the sangwa, he was reluctant to send it away, and he did not reply to the book.

A few days later, Tang Hou also arrived in Yingdu, and Nangwa heard that the horse had also arrived, and asked Tang Hou for a horse, but Tang Hou still refused to allow it.

Nangwa was very angry when he saw that Cai Hou and Tang Hou did not agree to cut their love. In front of King Zhao, the second monarch slandered: "The minister got a tip, saying that Tang Hou and Cai Hou were friends with Wu Guo in private. These vassal states are all people who sway from side to side, if the state of Chu is strong, he will take refuge in the state of Chu, and if the state of Wu is powerful, he will join the gate of the state of Wu. These are extremely unreliable. ”

King Zhao was a little unconvinced: "These two gentlemen have traveled thousands of miles to congratulate the widow, how can they collude with the Wu State?" If there is collusion, how dare they come? ”

"According to the detailed report sent by the minister, Tang Hou and Cai Hou have formed an alliance with Wu State, and this time maybe the two of them came to our country to test the truth. The king might as well put Cai Hou and Tang Hou under house arrest and prevent them from returning to China. Once they are allowed to return to China, they will definitely form a party with Wu Guo, which is not good for our country. ”

Although King Zhao still didn't believe it, Nangwa insisted on doing so, so he had to order the forbidden army to imprison Tang Hou and Cai Hou in the pavilion. 1,000 soldiers were sent to surround the Erjun Pavilion Station, saying that they were guards, but in fact they were imprisoned.

The second gentleman also knew that he had been retaliated against by Nangwa, but the more Nangwa wanted to take it by force, the two gentlemen just refused to give it. Seeing that these two people were really stubborn, Na Nanwa was unwilling to give in. Cai Hou and Tang Hou have been under house arrest for more than a year.

But the prince of the Tang Kingdom has been guarding the country for his father, and seeing that Tang Hou has been paying homage to the king of Chu for more than a year, but he has not seen his father return to China, he is very worried, so he sent the doctor Gongsun Zhe to the state of Chu to find out.

That Gongsun Zhe took a few entourages to Yingdu of Chu State, knowing that the king was under house arrest and was not allowed to return to the country, and he also knew that it was because of the horse, and he was taken by Nangwa.

Gongsun Zhe opened the joint and entered the post house where Tang Hou was imprisoned to visit Tang Hou.

Gongsun Zhe knelt in front of Tang Hou, sighed, and persuaded: "King, is it important that the two horses are important or is the country and the society important?" Wouldn't it be enough for the king to give the two horses to Nangwa? It is more important than anything else that the king can escape and return to the country. Otherwise, will they die of old age? ”

Tang Hou said angrily: "This horse is a rare treasure, rare in the world, and the widow is very fond of it, and he is reluctant to sacrifice it to the king of Chu, not to mention that he is a country?" This person is greedy and shallow-eyed, as long as he likes it, he will coerce and take it. He wants to take it by force, but the widow would rather die than obey! ”

Gongsun Zhe saw that Tang Hou did not obey, so he had to find another strategy.