The rest of the public discussion was mainly for drinking and idle talk: all important military and political affairs were under the jurisdiction of the department, and the ministers who did not bother to preside over major affairs could only sit and talk. sat until noon, Wei Qi passed the meal up, eight and nine tripods, claiming that it was a banquet from the king. The public security sits, Wei Qi divides the meal, and Mang Mao and Da Liang Wei are placed in front of the public seats one by one. After everyone ate the imperial meal, they drank a jue of wine before they resigned one after another. Wei Qi then invited Mang Mao and Da Liang Wei to the Prime Minister's Mansion to discuss again. The two of them then followed Wei Qi out of the Nangong Gate together.

Under the wall of the South Palace, there is an alley, which is a high-rise compound, but the main entrance is open on the other side, and there is only the back door here; The deep alley is close to the palace wall, and some people are holding a festival to patrol, if they are not close, it is impossible to pass through here. In order to show friendship, Wei Qi sent his father-in-law, uncle and the like away at the Daliang Gate, and took Mang Mao and Daliang Wei from the forbidden alley to Xiangguo's mansion.

Since they entered through the back door, Mang Mao and Da Liang Wei were afraid of seeing something they shouldn't see, so they looked at their noses and noses and mouths without squinting, and followed Wei Qi through the backyard and straight into the front hall. It may have been reported in advance, or it may be that Wei Qi was strict in keeping the house, and there were no accidents except for a few servants and servants along the way. Before this, Wei Qi called a housekeeper and whispered a few words, and the housekeeper ran out.

Entering the lobby, the two of them were about to salute Wei Qi, but Wei Qi hurriedly stopped him and said: "Don't look at me as a face, all the ceremonies pretend to be, in fact, I hate red tape the most." Zhu Qing is good for himself. If I want to perform the ceremony, I have to ask Zhu Qing to go out and welcome you in from the main entrance, and I will talk about it at that time! The crowd laughed and made a gesture.

Wei Qi said: "We move to a close seat, talk on our knees, put the wine in front, and pour our own drinks, but what?" The two said: "That's right, Fang is to let go of his arms." ”

The three of them worked together to drag the three mats to one place, and a group of people put a bearing plate in their hands, burning some charcoal, and placing a warm wine on it; In the other tray were three knights; Then he brought an urn full of wine and placed it under the hall. Wei Qi was about to pour wine, but the two hurriedly stopped and said: "Xiangguo made an appointment to drink himself, how can he not believe it!" After pushing for a while, Wei Qi finally picked up the three lords and filled them up, and only said, "Talk about the friendship of the host, and then the princes are free." The three of them raised the knight and drank together, and the retinue placed the lord in front of the table.

Wei Qi said: "Please meet with the secretaries, there are three discussions." First, how the southwest is arrayed; second, how to settle the soldiers of the four townships; Third, how to properly place the son of Xinling. ”

Mang Mao said: "The first two discussions are not difficult, as long as the Qin army must enter Kaifeng, Captain Liang thinks that he has a plan in his chest." ”

Da Liang Wei said: "In my opinion, if the Qin army must enter Kaifeng, then tomorrow morning one will be out of the west gate, one will be out of the south gate, and it will be divided into thirty miles outside the city." The right army of Beixiang River went to the west gate to join the soldiers; The Dongxiang army went around to the south of the city and held along the river. The Beixiang Left Army entered from the Water Gate to garrison each gate. As for the southwestern garrison, the western and southern townships can each send their local township troops back to the country, and there is no need for other garrisons. The remaining troops are still in place, and the camera can be transferred to all sides. ”

Mang Mao said: "What Captain Liang said is feasible. However, the southwest front line must also send military soldiers to Jingbian, otherwise the villagers will return to the country, and there will be chaos. ”

Captain Liang said: "The general is thoughtful. The soldiers sent to the battalions of the Guili People's Army were immediately Jingbian, and all idle people were not allowed to pass, and they were calm and noisy! ”

Mang Mao said: "Good! ”

Wei Qi said: "If so, then both discussions are decided, only the matter of believing in the prince of Ling, how is it appropriate?" ”

Mang Mao said: "This matter is the most tricky. The body of the son's daughter, and more than 10,000 military pawns are the time to use force, and they all need to be properly withdrawn. However, as soon as the backbone moved, the whole army immediately collapsed. If the army is scattered all over the field, chaos will inevitably arise and cause great harm. If the army is dispersed according to the routine, the army will work in vain, how can it be to the world, how to the soldiers! ”

Wei Qi saluted and said: "The king was benevolent for a while, and wanted the people of the deserted country to live in peace, but he ended up embarrassed to this point, and the thought of it is emotional. Mang Qing was burdened with a heavy responsibility, and he returned in vain, but he was upset, so why not make people sigh. The son of the noble family of Xinling, eating and lying down, the wind and rain, the king is uneasy. It is expected to be more than everybody! ”

The two of them saluted in unison and said, "How dare the ministers not do their best to repay the king's kindness!" ”

Mang Mao said: "Roughly speaking, the people's army outside Putian City will be disbanded immediately after the Qin people occupy Qifeng. Before that, the fears of the Qin people took advantage of the gap to attack the garden. There are two difficulties in this matter, one is that it is not known when the Qin people will occupy Kaifeng, if it is delayed for a long time, and the army will run out of food, it will become chaotic and out of control. The second dilemma is that after the army is dispersed, the prince and more than 10,000 soldiers are safe, if there is no proper law, and the people are provoked, there are unspeakable. The best strategy is to add military merit to each of them when the army is dispersed, so as to avoid the food payment of the family that year. ”

Wei Qi cried and said, "Ouch, my General Mang, I have said that this strategy is not feasible...... Don't fight, I'll give you the answer: approaching the end of the year, celebrations, feasts, and rewards should be spent in the palace; Soldiers, courtiers, ministers, village elders, and craftsmen should be paid for money and food; …… Ahem, let's put it this way, it's not enough to cover it all. Fifty or sixty thousand households are given food a year, how can they get less! ”

Mang Mao said: "Xiangguo is a little safe, this 500 miles is a famine, the king is benevolent, and he can't be saved." If you save it, you will open a position. If it is broken by military merits, it is just the same. Wouldn't it be both! ”

Wei Qi said: "That's not how the account is calculated. Opening a position for relief is only regarded as benevolent government, and the amount of relief is all determined by the king. And the free food is real! ”

Mang Mao said: "What is Xiangguo's opinion? ”

Wei Qi said: "Where do I have a plan?" I will only withdraw the prince of Xinling and the military soldiers to the city, and the people's army will be dispersed or gathered by him. But it must not be! ”

Mang Mao said: "You can't do it. As soon as the soldiers withdrew, the people's army had no leader and no support, if they plundered all the way, their violence would be even worse than that of the Qin army, and they would be like locusts crossing the wilderness, which could not be replicated. ”

Wei Qi said: "I knew I couldn't." What if the people's army disperses in a hurry! ”

Mang Mao said: "This is a rout. According to the law, it should be beheaded. ”

Wei Qi clapped his hands and said, "If the king makes an order, how about the rout of the army and return to his hometown to avoid death?" The army was also dispersed, the food was collected, the soldiers were saved from death, except for a few fierce criminals, the rest must return to their hometowns, and their people were not a little less. If you are hungry, you can open a warehouse for relief. How does it work? ”

Mang Mao said: "The affairs of the military state, how can it be child's play!" Self-collapse without a fight is the first taboo in the army, not only the soldiers should be beheaded, that is, the whole army will be the general, and there is no capital crime. ”

Wei Qi said: "Do extraordinary things at extraordinary times, just this one example, never again...... Otherwise, not only will I not be able to get by, but the king will also reject it. It's good if Mang Qing has other plans, otherwise the king asks, what is Mang Qing's right? ”

Captain Liang, who had been silent, suddenly said: "I wish to go to the army and return to the son of Xinling." The affairs of the people's army no longer bothered the king. ”

Mang Mao said: "What does Captain Liang want?" ”

Captain Liang said: "Only according to what the general said, drive the enemy behind for a long time, and then follow him with death!" ”

Mang Mao said: "The Qin people are the first to talk about merit, and the 100,000 army is inevitable!" ”

Da Liang Wei said: "Profit the country, what is the plan for life and death!" ”