Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 181

"Master, you must be careful."

Yan Dan, Gao Jianli, and Dao Zhi landed on their mechanical beasts; they were the main force in negotiating with the Xiang family, while Master Ban was only responsible for providing support.

"I will come back to pick you up in five days."

They agreed on a time to contact each other. Zhuque took off and flew away, while the three on the ground slipped into Shouchun City under the cover of night.

Shouchun was much more prosperous than Jicheng. Especially for Yan Dan, who had personally experienced a year of hardship in defending the city, seeing the bustling night market again inevitably brought back memories.

But as the already deceased King of Yan, his heart was as hard as iron: "Find a place to stay first, and then go to see General Xiang tomorrow."

The three arrived at Yunmeng Market, the market with the most out-of-towners. There, groups of martial arts practitioners dressed as peasant disciples caught their attention.

"With so many peasant disciples in Shouchun City, it's clear that wise people are placing their hopes on the last remaining state of Chu."

Gao Jianli's tone carried a hint of relief.

Dao Zhi crossed his arms and said dejectedly, "If the Farmer Clan had made up their minds to choose sides earlier, their 100,000 disciples could have played a decisive role on the battlefield in Zhao, and perhaps both Zhao and Yan could have been saved."

"Judging from the patterns on their clothing, most of these are disciples of Shennong Hall, and a few are from Siyue Hall. In the end, not all of the six halls of the Farmer's Family came here."

Yan Dan observed very carefully; he could see more details than Gao Jianli and Dao Zhi, who were purely江湖人士 (jianghu figures).

"Shennong Hall, Siyue Hall, that must be the Zhu family and Situ Wanli." Dao Zhi stroked his chin with his thumb and forefinger. "I remember the strongest hall among the peasant families was Gonggong Hall, right?"

"Lu Wei's Gonggong Hall is not only the strongest hall in the Farmer's School, but Lu Wei himself is also the number one expert in the Farmer's School, whose strength surpasses that of the Farmer's School's leader."

Holding the Water Cold Sword, Gao Jianli relaxed his brows and nodded in response: "It is said that the Tian brothers, the fierce tigers of Lieshan Hall and Chiyou Hall, could not last more than thirty moves against Hall Master Lu Wei."

All three members of the Mo family had interacted with Lu Wei, and their relationships were all fairly good.

Dao Zhi still owes the Hall Master a favor. He thought for a long time but still couldn't bring himself to say, "Then why doesn't the Gonggong Hall come to help the anti-Qin movement?"

Gao Jianli owes the Hall Master even more, so naturally he would not and could not question Hall Master Lu's decisions within the Hall.

"The State of Chu is to Shennong Hall what the State of Yan is to Gonggong Hall. And Situ Wanli and the Zhu family are close allies. It is normal for disciples of these two halls to appear in Shouchun City. It does not necessarily mean that they have come to help the State of Chu."

Based on information from Shennongtang and Siyuetang, Xiao Gao changed his initial wording.

Yan Dan shook his head: "We'll see the outcome when we meet General Xiang Yan tomorrow."

Chapter 203 A True Man Should Be Like This

Yan Dan's identity is, on the surface, that of "the successor carefully cultivated by the former leader of the Mohist school, King Yan Dan." His true identity is hidden, but there are others in the Mohist school who have other suspicions.

After all, some of the characteristics he occasionally reveals bear a striking resemblance to those of the previous tycoon...

However, firstly, he did indeed wield the Ink Eyebrow and had crossed the forbidden area of ​​the Mo family, possessing the most legitimate qualifications.

Secondly, even if he were Yan Dan, the Mo family would not strip him of his position as Grand Master.

Thirdly, many of the leaders in the Mohist school possessed cleverness, such as Dao Zhi, Gao Jianli, and Kuang Xiu, all of whom were quick-witted. Many also possessed exceptional technical talent, such as Master Ban, Master Xu, and Butcher Ding, who were all leaders in their respective fields.

As for Big Hammer... he does have some skill, but you can't expect too much from him in terms of intellect.

This shows that there was not a single person in the entire Mohist school who possessed strategic wisdom. The only Mohist who could be considered strategically connected was Yan Dan after the death of Six-Fingered Black Knight.

This is probably the biggest reason why the Mohist school eventually led to its downfall...

The Hundred Schools of Thought among the pre-Qin philosophers lacked a strategic direction for their future development, clinging only to the single goal of overthrowing the Qin Dynasty. Their approach, taking things one step at a time, destined them to be like a captainless ship on a turbulent sea, with only a first mate intentionally steering the vessel unprepared towards the eye of the storm when faced with the unpredictable changes in the world...

The Mohists only thought of relying on the sturdiness of the 'big ship' itself, that is, the solidity of the mechanical city, to withstand all the dangers on their way forward. However, they could not foresee the dangers hidden underwater. How could they not have lost their ship and their people?

Among the various schools of thought that had not yet fully submitted to the Qin state, the Confucianists Fu Nian and Zhang Liang, the agriculturalists Tian Guang and Lu Wei, and the Mohists were severely lacking in talent capable of predicting the general trend.

Even Xiaoyaozi, the founder of the Taoist sect, did not lead the entire sect to openly rebel against Qin.

After the three members of the Mo family found an inn in the Yunmeng market to stay in, Dao Zhi nimbly went out to gather information, while Gao Jianli, as usual, stayed in his room to cultivate his internal energy.

Yan Dan was generally satisfied with his subordinates in the Mohist school. Admittedly, there were no truly intelligent people among them, but it was precisely because of this that he was able to fully grasp the Hundred Schools of Thought. Moreover, the skills that these leaders were good at were really very useful.

After Dao Zhi left, a stick of incense had burned for a while. Yan Dan also left the inn, left the Yunmeng Market, turned left and right, and arrived at the outside of Xiang Yan's General's Mansion.

Before formally representing the Mohist school in the talks, he needed to use another identity to have a private conversation with the Xiang clan chief...

...

In Jing County, far south of Shouchun, it was harvest time. As the head of the hall, Lu Wei naturally harvested the first sheaf of rice since the establishment of Jing County in front of the farmers who were watching.

In this scene of great public attention, Master Lu handled it with ease. He raised the rice stalks that represented hope in his hand and accepted the enthusiastic cheers from his disciples.

The outcry from just one county was so deafening; imagine the scene if they could receive the kneeling worship of thousands in the grand hall of Xianyang Palace!

To achieve that ambition, Master, you must persevere and keep going!

Jing County has reclaimed a lot of wasteland this year. After Lu Wei cut the first piece of farmland, the next step is for everyone to rush to harvest. Today's task is still very heavy.

But the heavier the workload, the more grain will be harvested, and the less likely we will go hungry in the days to come!

The sweat that makes life better is the sweat of true joy.

As he walked up from the farmland, Lu Wei smiled and handed the first handful of rice to a disciple to be made into a specimen to hang in the high hall of the county magistrate's office. Turning to look at the harvesting army, he couldn't help but want to compose a poem:

"The rice and millet are plentiful on the shore of Mirror Lake, and pigsties and chicken coops are closed behind closed doors. The shadows of mulberry and osage orange trees slant as the spring festival ends, and each family helps their drunken guests home."

The seven-character quatrain is a literary form that has not yet been developed, but as soon as Lu Wei casually mentioned it, the sensible disciple beside him, regardless of whether he understood it or not, immediately copied it down and respectfully presented it to the hall master for inspection.

After correcting a few typos, the poem will remain intact and serve as the background for the first sheaf of rice, which will be made into a specimen along with the original poem.

Xiao Yan'er, who was among the top three and four-star managers of the Pearl Grass in Jing County, looked at the imposing hall master on the ridge of the field and then at the obedient disciples with their heads bowed. A few stars flashed in her eyes: This is true power!

'Although the Four Mountains Hall is not as powerful as the Gonggong Hall, once I become its leader, I can learn from my elder brother's methods and develop the Four Mountains Hall as well!'

"Master Lu." Xiao He, the only non-farmer disciple in the entire county, stepped forward and bowed to Lu Wei: "Jing County has made remarkable progress this year. Even though it is only the first year since the county was established, we will be able to support all the disciples in the county on our own and supply a large amount of grain and fodder to Daze Mountain!"

"The people of the world all hope to have enough to eat every day. Under the rule of my Jing County, the people not only have no worries about food and clothing, but also have no heavy labor. It can be called a paradise on earth."

In today's world, ensuring that the people have enough to eat and wear can solve 99% of the problems of governance. The remaining one is due to the insatiable greed of the "mob".

There are indeed no major corvée labor arrangements to be made in Jing County at the moment. As for the construction in the county, that is building their own hometown, which does not count as conscription, so the disciples will not have any objections.

The war is temporarily over, but the current global situation has allowed the people to live too comfortably and easily, which is actually a hidden danger for the government. Once they are well-fed and clothed, they may start pursuing other things they shouldn't be pursuing...

Xiao He noticed this. According to Taoist thought, it would be best to maintain the status quo. However, in addition to being a Taoist disciple, Xiao He was also a manager hired by Lu Wei. To put it bluntly, considering the people was secondary, while considering the development of the Hall Master was primary.

How to ensure the people are well-fed and get back to work is what Xiao He needs to do next year.

Whether it's imposing heavy taxes or expanding eastward across territories, it's all part of the power to govern the people...

“The development of Jing County is of great significance to farmers, but in addition to ensuring that they have enough to eat and wear, there is another important hidden danger in Jing County, which Magistrate Xiao should find a way to solve as soon as possible.”

Lu Wei nodded slightly at Xiao He's praise and flattery, then glanced at the farm disciples working on the scene before suddenly speaking.

Xiao He noticed the Hall Master's actions and glanced at the disciples present, immediately understanding what Hall Master Lu meant by the hidden danger:

"Most of the disciples who came to Jing County from the north are male. There are very few women of marriageable age in Jing County, which is indeed very important. I will arrange this matter as soon as possible."

Even without Lu Wei's reminder, County Magistrate Xiao had already planned for the gender imbalance: "With a bumper harvest in the county, we can use the grain as an incentive to attract and buy a large number of women of suitable age from other places."

The north was frequently plagued by war, especially the state of Chu, which was preparing for war against Qin. As a result, a large number of men were conscripted, and most of the surrounding counties had a severe surplus of women who had to take on farming or even labor tasks in the fields to support themselves.

Jing County has grain, so male laborers may be hard to find, but female relatives are not difficult to obtain.

After a large number of women arrive in Jing County, they can develop the silkworm breeding and textile industry there to make money, making the best use of everyone's talents and creating a stable base for grain and finance for the Master.

"Well, besides development, Jing County will also face the attention of the Qin State in the future. Does Magistrate Xiao have any plans on how to continue to make Jing County more transparent?"

Jing County is located in the ancient Yue region. As long as they submit, the Qin state is unlikely to send troops to attack them. After all, local power is always key to the rule of a region when transportation is inconvenient.

However, Jing County, being too wealthy, is highly likely to be subject to heavy taxes and corvée labor by the Qin state. This hidden wealth is worth considering.

“We can use江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and江湖义气, a code of honor) and 'troublemakers' to spread the reputation of this place as a poor and desolate place.” Xiao He’s idea was not very sophisticated, but combined with the remote geographical location of Jinghu, it was effective enough: “I have inquired and found that the original name of Jing County was Dahu Village. In the past, there was an outbreak of epidemic in Yue. This reputation for a serious epidemic can naturally keep people away from afar.”

As the two walked and talked, when they passed a row of disciples, Ji Yan took the opportunity to walk out in full view of everyone, carrying the Jingni Sword, and called out "Hall Master Brother".

Ever since Lu Wei gave her permission to row a boat off the island, the little girl has frequently traveled to Jing County. For her, a vibrant county under construction offers many novel experiences.

Even though the disciples of Jing County didn't know Xiao Yan'er's identity, they could tell from her clean appearance, the exquisite sword she carried, and the brocade she wore, especially the two-star pearl and grass ornaments from a farmer's family, that she was not from an ordinary background, so they didn't dare to make things difficult for her.

Most people have good eyesight, but with so many disciples of the Farmer's Clan, there are naturally quite a few foolish and wicked people who covet the sword in Ji Yan's hand.

However, they dared not openly rob in Jing County during the day. At night, the highly skilled Xiao Yan'er would cautiously row away by boat, causing a small group of disciples who knew of the Jinghu Medical Manor to look on with horror and speculate about her identity...

At today's autumn harvest meeting, Xiao Yan'er, who was showing her close relationship with the Hall Master, felt completely safe in Jing County.

If any fool tries to harm her again, she can kill him in public without fear of trouble.

Lu Wei naturally understood the girl's thoughts, so he casually squatted down with a smile and gently patted her head before standing up to continue discussing the development of Jing County with Xiao He.

After the two walked away, they felt the ingratiating gazes from the three-star and four-star farm managers. No matter how clever Xiao Yan'er was, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

'Now I can go to any of the more important places in the county!'

------

The rebellion in Xinzheng lasted for three months, which delayed the Qin army's conquest of Wei by three months.

However, during these three months, the Qin state was not entirely unprepared on the battlefield.

The conquest of Wei was part of the conquest of Chu. After conquering Wei, the main force of the Qin army would immediately move south to attack Chu. Therefore, the conquest of Wei could not be delayed for too long, lest it affect the timing of the attack on Chu.

However, Daliang was more fortified than Ji, and the Wei army was generally stronger than the Yan army. Moreover, the wealth of Wei, located in the heart of the Central Plains, was far beyond what Yan could match.

If Daliang City were to be defended to the death, and the Qin army were to choose a methodical approach to attack, it might take two or three years, or even longer, to completely capture it.

If we delay, things might change...

Just like the Battle of Handan after the Battle of Changping, which dragged on for two years, the Qin army was eventually defeated by the combined forces of Wei and Chu.

To quickly conquer Daliang City, a more ingenious strategy is needed.

During the past three months, Wang Ben has carefully studied the map of Daliang City, and the strategy of attacking with water naturally came to mind.

The dense network of rivers surrounding Daliang City is both an advantage that led to its prosperity and development, and a disadvantage that will also lead to its downfall!

After careful investigation, Wang Ben postponed the conquest of Wei until the following spring to devise a plan for a water attack.

He plans to take advantage of the Yellow River's spring flood season to divert water to irrigate the city!

This move would cause enormous losses to ordinary civilians in the city and would be contrary to natural law. However, from a military perspective, it is the option that would cause the least harm to the Qin army.

Wang Ben didn't care about the deaths and injuries of the Wei civilians; he was a soldier, and winning the war was the only thing worth pursuing.

After this battle, he didn't know if he would have another chance to participate in the destruction of a country, so the destruction of Wei had to be done brilliantly!

Wang Ben is not young, and his father Wang Jian destroyed the Zhao state and defeated the Yan army. He himself will destroy the Wei state. It can be said that father and son have destroyed two states. How glorious!