"Shhh

Hearing that Qingji was planning to entrust him with a heavy responsibility, Bu Shang couldn't help but gasp and feel shocked.

This is the secretary of Shu State, the ruling minister, which is equivalent to the existence of Dazai of Wu State!

How can Qingji rest assured that he can appoint a hairy boy from Bu Shang?

As soon as Qingji's words fell, even Prince Heng and Fan Li around him couldn't help but look stunned.

"The king, the minister really doesn't dare to be a minister!"

Bu Shang hurriedly excused himself.

However, Qingji still patted him on the shoulder and said meaningfully: "Bu Shang, if the widow says you can do it, you can do it." Ambition is not young! ”

"Few people know your talents. All you lack is experience and an opportunity. ”

"During your tenure as the secretary of Shu, you didn't care about the internal affairs of Shu. However, the preparation for the construction of Dujiangyan must be done! ”

"Minister, obey the king's orders."

Bu Shang smiled bitterly and reluctantly agreed.

Thanks to Qingji, how can he repeatedly refuse?

At this time, Bu Shang was forced to become a water conservancy engineer by Qingji......

Regarding the affairs of Shu, Qingji actually didn't care much about it.

Therefore, such a "Shu Xiang" as a Bu Shang can only be a general ornament.

……

The time entered the twentieth year of King Qingji of Wu, that is, in 494 BC, the eighth month of the lunar calendar.

After Qingji annexed Ba, Chong, Xiyu, and Pingzhou in one go, and forced Shu to pay tribute, he prepared to continue southward and inspect Minzhong County, Lujiang County, Cangwu County, Nanhai County, Xiang County, Guilin County, Jiaozhi County, Qianzhong County, and Dian County in the south of Wu State.

Namely, the nine southern counties.

However, the sky is unpredictable.

Qingji, who arrived in Qianzhong County just in time, suddenly received an urgent report-

Wu's second westward caravan was besieged by the Persians in Loulan City!

Qingji, who learned of this situation, immediately summoned the national captain Sun Wu, the imperial historian Fan Li, and the great Sima Wu Zixu, Prince Heng, and Gongzi Fan in the small palace of Lou Chuan.

Qingji sat on the throne and let Jiao slip pass the battle report in his hand.

"Second and third sons, this is Wu Ming's report to the widow asking for help."

Qingji frowned and said, "About three months ago, the westbound caravan that turned back to China was attacked by the Persians in the territory of Dawan Kingdom. ”

Yin Xi was seriously injured, and there were more than 1,000 dead, Wu Ming had no choice but to lead his troops into Loulan City in order to protect himself. However, the Persians pursued them and besieged the city of Loulan, with no less than 50,000 men. ”

"Now Wu Ming and the Loulan people are sticking to the city and sending people to ask for help."

As soon as they heard this, everyone present couldn't help but look at each other.

The second westward caravan of the state of Wu was three thousand people.

Among them, there were many scholars, merchants, and soldiers, whose main purpose was to strengthen the economic and cultural exchanges between Wu and Western countries, enhance the influence of Wu through the Silk Road, and at the same time peddle tea, porcelain, silk and other items to earn a lot of money for Wu.

】

Looking at it this way, the Wu State Merchant Brigade, which is now besieged in Loulan City, has suffered heavy losses, but there are only more than 1,000 people.

Wu Zixu said worriedly: "King, my Wu country and the Persians have no grudges in the past, and there is no enmity in recent days, and there are business contacts in the past, why did the Persians invade my Wu caravan?" ”

"What the robbers did, how can there be any logic to it?"

Qing Ji said: "The Persians are greedy for my Wu country to rely on the Silk Road to make a fortune over the years, so it is not surprising that they have the intention to rob it. ”

"Besides, just to rob a caravan, why did the Persians move so many people and tens of thousands of people into the Western Regions at every turn?"

"It is not surprising that the Persian army had already received news that the Persian army had conquered the Komides in the east, and now it had invaded the Western Regions."

"However, few people speculate that the purpose of the Persians may not only be the countries of the Western Regions, but also the heart of watching my China!"

"Shhh

Hearing this, Fan Li, Sun Wu and the others couldn't help but gasp and feel shocked.

Are the Persians really that ambitious?

But if this is not the case, why did the Persians have so many soldiers and horses at every turn?

"Thousands of miles of expedition, the Persians are really not afraid of going and never returning!"

Gongzi Fan immediately got up and said, "Father, my son is willing to lead troops to rescue Loulan and rescue the westbound caravan of my Wu Kingdom!" ”

“……”

Qingji didn't speak.

The stakes are high!

There is no room for jealousy, and there is no room for carelessness.

In fact, as early as the first time Qingji sent a westbound caravan to open the Silk Road, he had already guessed that it might lead to an expedition of the Persians.

Because at this time, the Achaemenid dynasty of the Persians was indeed unprecedentedly powerful.

The Achaemenid Dynasty and the Chinese kingdoms were originally separated only by the Western Regions, Yiqu, and the territory of the Commides, but now it has been opened up by the Persians......

Qingji just didn't expect the Persians to come so quickly.

Thanks to the unimpeded Silk Road, Wu has made a lot of money over the years, so much so that in the minds of some merchants from the Western Regions, as well as Western merchants, Wu from the Far East is a place full of gold!

How could the Achaemenid dynasty, which boasted of being the most powerful empire in the world, not covet such a rich country?

"Wu Fan, don't be impatient."

Qingji said slowly: "My Wu country wants to go on an expedition, and when I enter the land of the Western Regions, I must pass the territory of the Qin people and Xirong. How could they easily agree to borrow the word? ”

"This ......"

Gongzi Fan gritted his teeth, and then said in a deep voice: "Father, if they don't agree to borrow the Dao, then even the Qin State and Xirong will clean it up together!" ”

"Reckless man's opinion!"

Qingji scolded Gongzi Fan and said: "This is a major event of the country, and it is very different from battlefield killing. At present, even if the widow raises 100,000 troops to the west, let alone Xirong, I'm afraid that even the Qin people won't be able to pass this pass! ”

"It's Erchen who is impulsive."

Gongzi Fan hurriedly admitted his mistake, but he was still unconvinced, and said: "Father, Wu Ming and they are now besieged by the Persian army in Loulan City, how can my Wu Kingdom not save me?" ”

“……”

Before Qingji could speak, the big Sima Wu Zixu, who was sitting at the bottom, pondered for a while, then got up and said, "The king, the minister thinks that you can't rush to send troops and fight at every turn. ”

"The minister doesn't know much about the Persian Achaemenid Germany, but he also knows that this is a strong country, a big country, and its comprehensive national strength is not inferior to my Wu country!"

"Although the Persians are saying that they are on an expedition of thousands of miles, they are afraid that they will not be able to catch it. However, the westbound caravan of our Wu Kingdom was besieged in Loulan City for a long time, and the time was calculated for several months. ”

"If there are several twists and turns, I am afraid that before the reinforcements rush to the Western Regions, Loulan City will have fallen, and Wu Ming and them will either die or be captured...... In this way, wouldn't it be a waste of labor and money, and a trip in vain? ”

Hearing this, Qingji squinted his eyes and asked, "Zixu, are you letting the widow swallow this breath?" ”

"Please bear with me, the king."