Spring and Autumn I Am King

"The thief killed my father, this hatred is not shared by the sky, Lord Ye, please let the boy also go south to save the king from danger, and kill Xiong Sheng to avenge my father!"

At the end of June, Yexian outside the Fangcheng of Chu State was full of trees. Ye Gong Shen Zhuliang's army of King Qin was waiting to leave. After the military hall was finished, the guard of Lu Yang, Gong Sun Kuan, who was wearing filial piety and armor, suddenly came out and bowed down. He had tears in his eyes, hoping that Ye Gong would bring him. Because Sima Ziqi, who was killed by Xiong Sheng, was his father, and the enemy was arrogant in the south. How could he stay in the north?

Ye Gong sighed, walked down the hall, helped Gongsun Kuan up, and said to him, "How could I not know Zi Ping's revenge for his father? But now there are more important things for you to do."

"What's more important than a father's hatred?"

"Of course it's a national affair."

Ye Gong said: "The traitor Xiong Sheng claimed to be a false king, and he was in a hurry to lead an army to attack Yun. The king ordered me to mobilize the three armies outside the city to help. There are 5,000 people left in the Xu and Luyang divisions. The country is insurgent and there are few troops. Zhao Guo is covetous. Although Zhao Hou is still on the Northern Expedition, he is not sure that he will attack our border after learning the news. It may take months or even to quell the rebellion. For half a year, there must be no one in the north, so you have to rely on these 5,000 people to defend the northern gateway of our Chu country, Ziping, can you do it?"

When the country is in trouble, he thinks of a good general, and when he is sick, he thinks of a good doctor. There are not many generals in the state of Chu who can lead one side. Gongsun Kuan is a special case. Leader of the younger generation. Ye Gong has no choice, he must take the main force to the south, and the north can only be handed over to Gongsun Kuan...

Gongsun Kuan is generally knowledgeable, and naturally knows the importance of revenge and defending the north gate for the country. He gritted his teeth and thought for a moment, and finally nodded: "The boy will try his best to guard the city outside Fang! Even an inch of land will not be enough. Let Zhao State take it away!"

"No." Ye Gong said again: "I don't want you to defend every inch of land, but to choose some cities and towns to give up."

"Give up?" Gongsun Kuan was taken aback.

"Yes, after the army goes south, your troops are insufficient, and it is absolutely impossible to completely defend the northern border."

Ye Gong asked people to spread out a map of the northern part of the Chu State, because the Chu State was located in the south, and the map of the Chu State had always been from the south to the north, which was the opposite of the Central Plains.

He pointed to some cities and towns on the map and said: "If I go south, the outside of Fangcheng will be empty. Early in autumn and winter, late next year, Master Zhao will take Zheng State. Once Zheng State is destroyed, Zhao army will enter Chu State. The territory. The Manshi, Jiacheng, and Xibugen, these three cities are located in the north, and are close to the Sanchuan County and Zheng State of the Zhao State. It is difficult to tame. It is better to take advantage of the time when the Zhao army has not yet moved south, move its people and empty the land, and shrink the front to the line of Fen and Rushui, with Yexian as the center, Luyangguan as the west arm, and Dongbugen as the center. For the east arm, stop the Zhao army's southern invasion road..."

Luyang Pass is the Three Crow Passes in later generations, and it is a dangerous place, and Dongbugen is a big city. When King Ling of Chu was able to make a thousand rides, Yexian was built like an iron barrel by Shen Zhuliang. The government is peaceful and harmonious, and the people here also defend the territory of the state of Chu...

"Not only do we have to abandon several counties outside Fangcheng, but also between Chen and Cai. The army that Da Sima had previously stationed in the southern border of the Chen country must all withdraw to the south, and also to the Rushui line. Above Cai, Xin Cai, As a stronghold, only Shenyi is left in the north..."

Shen Yi was the hometown of Shen Zhuliang, and his younger brother Shen Yinzhu was stationed there. Duke Ye planned to let him and Gongsun Kuan form two mutually angular barriers along the Rushui line to block the possible southern invasion of Zhao State to the greatest extent possible.

Gongsun Kuan gritted his teeth with hatred: "These places were all taken by our ancestors, one by one, and Zhao Kingdom was so cheap..."

"This is a strategy for the gecko to cut off its tail, and it is also a helpless move. It is better to keep the walls and clear fields and make the Zhao army difficult. It is better than keeping the population and food resources for the enemy, so that they can gain an inch."

Ye Gong didn't know that once these places were abandoned, it would be equivalent to ending the future northward road of the Chu country, but now that there are traitors in it, let's quell the rebellion first.

He finally admonished Gongsun Kuan: "Remember, if you fight against the outside world, you must first be safe inside!"

...

After explaining the loss, Lord Ye Shen Zhuliang got into the army car and drove out of the city with the division of Ye County slowly.

Although he had made a plan to strengthen the walls and clear the field and shrink the defense line, in Ye Gong's heart, he had no confidence in whether this line of defense could stop Zhao Jun's ferocious attack. He plans to go to Wancheng, and then ask Wang Zilushuai to stay in Fangcheng, relying on Fangcheng and the upper reaches of the Huai River, as well as the divisions of Shen and Xi, the powerful forces of the Chu State, to form a second line of defense. , Chu State will lose its status as a great power from now on...

"I hope it's not as bad as I thought. After all, Hou Zhao himself should be still on an expedition to the north, and the Zhao army will not be able to invade the south for a while. I just want to pacify the Xiongsheng Rebellion as soon as possible, so that Chu will save a little blood."

"Ye Gong, please stay!" Just as Ye Gong's car arrived at the south gate of Yexian County, a group of Confucian scholars with loose clothes and sleeves blocked the way. It was the disciple of Confucius. Xian et al.

Ye Gong was in a hurry and felt a little unhappy when he saw this group of people with neat clothes hindering him, but based on Confucius' personal respect, he still bowed to them in the car: "What do you gentlemen need to ask for advice?"

The lacquer carving opened the way: "The villain and the others heard that Bai Gongxiong in the south was conspiring against him and expelled Chu Jun, and Ye Gongxing volunteered his troops to go south, and came here to see him off."

"Thank you, gentlemen." Ye Gong nodded, and was about to leave. Although he often called Yan Hui and other truly learned people into the mansion to ask them, this time, the army also brought Zilu, Gongliangru, etc. The courage and strength of the Confucian disciples are the generals, but for the group of sculptors in front of them, who do not do production and only rely on funerals for people, they have never looked down on them.

But the lacquer carving blocked his way, and said incessantly: "Ye Gong, we all think that Ye Gong will win here, cut the head of the traitor, and make a great contribution!"

"Oh?" Ye Gong was annoyed, not scolding, and asked with a smile, "Why are you so sure?"

Qi Diao said: "I heard that the traitor Xiong Sheng was greedy and violent. He followed the example of Zhao State and implemented evil laws in his territory, making the people's livelihoods narrow and poor, and then using power to force them to fight. After winning, he will give them credits. , you can have fifty acres of land by beheading the fifth level, abandoning etiquette and making merit, this is the way to drink poison to quench thirst. In addition to the following crimes, you will be disrespectful to the Lord of Chu, and you will definitely lose your heart."

He also praised: "On the other hand, Duke Ye, heeding the Master's advice, exercised benevolent governance to the people, reduced or exempted punishments, collected less taxes, and cultivated meticulously; the people of Yedi are loyal, filial, courteous and trustworthy, serve their parents and elders at home, and respect their elders when they go out. Superior, this is an act of benevolence and righteousness."

"It is the rebellious teacher of Xiong Sheng, and it must not be used against Ye Gong's benevolence and righteousness. If we fight, it will be like an egg on a hard stone! The benevolent is invincible in the world! Ye Gong's soldiers, even if they take With grass and trees, you can also defeat the rebels with solid armor and sharp swords and halberds."

Qidiao finished speaking, originally hoping to see Duke Ye's surprised and happy expression, but Shen Zhuliang's expression remained the same, and he just said lightly:

"The gentleman is finished?"

"This……"

The lacquer carving was a little embarrassing, and Yuan Xian, who was next to him, quickly helped him and said: "What we want to say is that since Duke Ye is sure to win, I hope to follow the ancient etiquette. If you win a battle, don't chase deserters, draw your bow and don't shoot arrows, and enemy cars It can help him push the cart when he goes off the road."

"Well, this gentleman saves it, thank you gentlemen." Ye Gong scolded this group of people for being stupid, but he nodded, and let the master go on his own horse.

Seeing that he was about to leave, the lacquer carving was in a hurry, and hurriedly ran over and pulled Ye Gong's horse bridle to understand the real intention of this group of people: "Ye Gong, Ye Gong, this is the case, our Lumi has been supplied on time every month. , but this month, it stopped..."

"Oh I got it."

In the past, the high-minded gentlemen and Confucians were twisting in order to fight rice, but Ye Gong pretended to be suddenly enlightened and explained: "Chu is worried about foreign aggression. If there are foreign enemies, Yexian's food reserves may be insufficient, and the supply of soldiers should be given priority, and the others will not. Where necessary, it will be a little tighter. Of course, there will be no shortage of offerings at Confucius and Yanzi, but you are gentlemen..."

Ye Gong looked at this group of Confucian scholars who had eaten his free food for more than ten years, but had no use for farts, finally removed the disguise of Li Xian corporal, and smiled contemptuously: "Since relying on benevolence, righteousness, ritual and music can fill your stomach, Na Lu Rice, don't eat it!"

After saying that, Ye Gong Shen Zhu Liang Juechen left, leaving only a group of "gentlemen and Confucians" stunned at the south gate of Ye County...

...

In July~www.readwn.com~ Lord Ye had already sent a handsome army to the south, and the vanguard arrived in Yuandu, just as Xiong Sheng did his best to attack Yuancheng. Ye Gongfeng, who was touted by a group of Confucian scholars as "the teacher of benevolence and righteousness", was defeated by Huainan soldiers who were not afraid of death. Escape, escape into Yancheng, and join the army of Duke Ye...

At the beginning of August, the news of the war in Yuancheng came, and the gentlemen and Confucians who advocated that "the benevolent is invincible in the world" suddenly fell silent. With the implementation of Ye Gong's plan of "fighting against foreigners, we must first settle the interior", Gongsun Kuan was also busy building the walls and clearing the fields. More and more people of Chu State moved from Rubei to Yexian County, and some of them continued to go to Wancheng in the south. But most people stayed in the local area. As a result, the food became more and more tight. Gentlemen and Confucians, completely cut off their food, felt their shriveled belly, and could no longer go around to preach ritual, music, benevolence and righteousness.

At the same time, the Zhao army also went south in an unexpected way. On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the Zhao army had already broken through several cities and approached Xinzheng, the capital of Zheng Kingdom...

ps: In Li Bai's "Traveling in the Sun", "Luyang He De, standing in the scene and waving Ge", is talking about Luyang Wenzi Gongsun Kuan. It is said that when he fought with the Han family, the battle was in full swing, and the sun was about to set and the two armies would truce. He waved his sword, and the sun was also afraid of his hostility, so he had to rise a little more and let him play the whole game...