A Millennium Aristocratic Family Starting from the Shang Dynasty

Chapter 26 Peace talks and knighthood

Ten miles to the west of the capital of the state of Tan.

Qi Gong and Wang Zhao sat opposite each other, neither of them with guards.Outside the big camp, five miles to the left and right, there are five thousand soldiers and horses in formation each.

Wang Zhao took out a jug of wine and filled them up for the two of them respectively, and then said to Marquis Qi, "Mr. Qi, please!"

"Duke Huai, please!"

After the two drank a glass of wine, they began to negotiate.

"Qi Gong invites Gu here to talk about something this time?" Wang Zhao asked directly.

Duke Qi said: "Duke Huai, if you come alone today and want to stop fighting, Duke Huai is willing to retreat back to Huai?"

Wang Zhao said coldly, "Duke Qi thinks that with Bang Zhou's [-] reinforcements, he can defeat our Huai division?"

"Emperor Bangzhou's six armies have already been defeated by our Huai division. Can you win with your hastily prepared [-] mob?"

"As Duke Huai said, the army of [-] was formed in a hurry, which is somewhat different from the Six Armies of the Son of Heaven. But there are tens of millions of people in our country, and the area is thousands of miles away. And how many is there in Huai State? So what if it is defeated for a while? ? If our army can't hold on, how many people in the Huai army can fight against our country?" Qi Gong said with a smile.

Wang Zhao was not afraid of Qi Hou's threats, and continued: "If Qi Gong is really willing to pay such a price, Huai is indeed no match."

Hearing Wang Zhao's words, Duke Qi thought that he was going to give in, and was just about to breathe a sigh of relief, but at this moment, he heard Wang Zhao continue: "But Qihou, do you think that the big and small princes of Bangzhou are willing to continue to fight with Huaiguo? ? And the army is out all year round, how can those Rongdi suppress it?"

"If Marquis Qi is not afraid that Bang Zhou will be broken by Rong Di, he can give it a try."

Qihou's heart sank slowly. It is true that he did not dare to stay here with Huai for a long time. Although Bangzhou was strong, there were still Rongdi rebelling from time to time everywhere.There are not one or two states that have been broken by Rong Di over the years.

"Huaiguo really wants to continue confronting Bangzhou?" Qihou said coldly.

Wang Zhao smiled slightly and said, "Since Marquis Qi wants to negotiate, then show some sincerity and don't threaten Gu."

Qi Hou calmed down quickly, and then said, "What do you want?"

Wang Zhao said with a smile: "Please ask Emperor Zhou to confer Huai country as the duke country!"

"Impossible!" Qi Hou's complexion changed suddenly, and he directly refused.Not long ago, Bang Zhou was annihilated by the entire army of Huai State, even the emperor died, and now Bang Zhou canonized as the Duke of Huai State, isn't this the naked face of Bang Zhou?
Wang Zhao was not angry either: "Is there anything impossible? Isn't the State of Song also the State of Yin and Shang?"

"Song State is Sanke, how can it be compared with Huai State?" Qi Hou said coldly.

"If Marquis Qi agrees, Huaiguo is willing to withdraw and stop fighting!" Wang Zhao said directly.

Wang Zhao asked Bang Zhou for the title of duke because Zijue told him not long ago.The best way to weaken Bang Zhou's destiny backlash is to let Bang Zhou canonize Huai Kingdom as Bang Zhou Fang Kingdom, of course, this is only in name.But even if it's just a title in name, it can weaken the backlash by [-] to [-]%.

That's why Wang Zhao asked Bang Zhou for the position of Duke.

Qihou's face changed for a while, and then he said: "Duke Huai wants the title of duke, so I can suggest to the king, but besides withdrawing troops, Huai country also has to agree to a few conditions!"

"What conditions?" Wang Zhao asked.

"First, let's stop fighting and return to Huai Country! Give up the occupied land!"

"Impossible!" Wang Zhao stood up suddenly and refused directly.

"These lands were obtained through bloody battles between our soldiers from Huai State and Xu State. How can we give them up?"

"Duke Huai, let's not talk about this for now, can we talk about it after listening to the conditions?" Qi Hou was not angry and continued.

"Please speak!" Wang Zhao sat down again and said.

"Second, send back the bones of Emperor Zhou!"

"Thirdly, Duke Huai, please send back the captured soldiers of Bang Zhou! If Duke Huai agrees to these three items, I will ask the emperor for orders to make Huai country a duke country!"

Wang Zhao thought for a while, and then said: "The land of Tan State can be returned, but the land of Zhongwu State cannot! The bones of Emperor Zhou can be returned. As for the captives, they have been rewarded to meritorious ministers. Trade slaves!"

After arguing with each other, Qi Hou and Wang Zhao finally reached an agreement.The land of Zhongwu State was owned by Huaixu, and Bangzhou’s captives needed to be exchanged for slaves. Wang Zhao made some concessions on this point. One Bangzhou soldier did not exchange three slaves as usual, but two slaves for one.

As soon as Marquis Qi returned to the camp, other princes gathered around one after another: "Duke Qi, is there any prospect of peace talks?"

Almost none of these vassals wanted to continue to fight with the Huai country. The Huai country is not those barbarians with weak strength, but the elite who defeated the Six Armies of the Son of Heaven. Princes, after a great war, the savings of more than ten years are gone.How will we deal with those barbarians?
Duke Qi immediately informed everyone of the results of their business.

"Duke Qi, does Huaiguo really say that the emperor wants the emperor to be a duke's kingdom?"

"It's just a name, even if he canonize Huaihui, will he go to pay tribute? Will the princes of Shandong regard him as Bangzhou Fangguo?"

"Confused, this is what Huaiguo wants!"

"It's not impossible to confer the title of duke. Anyway, the land of Huaisi belongs to them. This time, the former king's Southern Expedition is no longer there, so it can cover up a thing or two."

After hearing the conditions discussed by Duke Qi, everyone discussed a lot, but in the end, most of them agreed to designate it as the duke's country.

As for whether the emperor agrees or not, basically no one thinks that the emperor will refuse. After all, if he refuses, the emperor's six armies captured by Huai country will not be able to return.If there is a chance to exchange the emperor's six armies back, the emperor will definitely agree.

As for the land of Zhongwu country, other than Qilu and other countries, the others don't care at all. After all, it is too far away from their Fang country, and these lands have nothing to do with them.

Now that the decision has been made, soon the canonization of the emperor was sent over, and Huai country was canonized as the country of dukes.From then on, Huai State became the country of dukes recognized by Bang Zhou.

Immediately afterwards, the army of the Huai State began to withdraw slowly, and the army withdrew all the way to the territory of Zhongwu State, and then a team of guards escorted Zhou Tianzi's coffin to Qi State.Then Qi State, Lu State and other vassal states escorted all the way to transport the coffin back to Chengzhou.

The exchange of prisoners will be carried out next. There are 3 Bangzhou soldiers captured in the Huai state. At the beginning, Bangzhou's 6 army was defeated, and there were many dead, injured and sick.According to the ratio of prisoners of war exchange, at least [-] slaves can be obtained this time.

Some of these slaves will be distributed to soldiers as rewards, and the other part will belong to the royal family.

According to the regulations of the Huai State, slaves can also obtain the status of nationals after they have made great contributions. Although the hope is small, it is still a hope.At the same time, the laws of Huai State also clearly stipulated that killing slaves at will is not allowed.

After all, if the Huai country wants to develop, it needs a large population.

The assassination king's southern expedition did not return, Duke Huai sent the coffin back to the court, and the emperor sealed Zhao Yuhuai as a duke. ——"Historical Records Zhou Benji"

(End of this chapter)