Chapter 330 Peace Talks Successful
General Gu was clearly dissatisfied. "Little boy, is there no other way to wipe out the Tartars? You're targeting the common people over there. What about the officers? They killed quite a few of our people!"
"That's easy. Then kill all the disobedient high-ranking officials." Seeing General Gu's obviously stunned expression, Xu Zhenying smiled. "General Gu, don't you really think I'm being merciful to the enemy?"
General Zhao Yi said, "The Tartars are very united. If you kill their officials, the people below them will definitely not listen to your offer of amnesty."
"It's okay. There are two ways. One is to let someone from among the Tartars who is willing to surrender to us be the chief commander. Let him do the dirty work of killing people, and he will bear the blame. They are all Tartars, and their internal conflicts should be resolved by themselves. We will not be implicated. The second way is to let someone who is disobedient on our side be the chief commander. Then he can be ordered to kill these people. The crime will naturally be his. We only need to deal with this scapegoat."
Zhao Yi's body visibly stiffened.
The woman's nonchalant manner seemed to have determined the fate of the country.
There were so many changes in the world and piles of bones, all of which were captured in her leisurely words and laughter.
Is this the imperial technique from the superior?
Such a manipulative person, such a shrewd and calculating person, such a calm and detached person, such a cruel and indifferent person, taking one step and looking at a hundred steps ahead, with just a few words, he had already determined the direction of the entire Central Plains for a hundred years -
It is said that smart people can see the general trend of the world in the next ten years, but Xu Zhenying has even calculated things in the next few decades accurately.
This can't help but make people feel cold.
No wonder...the one in the east died quietly at the hands of this woman...
Xu Zhenying...is a natural born emperor!
It was not until this moment that Zhao Yi finally realized that he was no match for Xu Zhenying, and no one in the entire continent could be her opponent!
Xu Zhenying smiled and patted Zhao Yi on the shoulder. "General Zhao, I've been quite frank with you in today's conversation. Can I be sure of your intention to surrender?"
Zhao Yi was stunned for a moment, then stood up.
His eyes gradually became firm, and Bai Ci'en and General Gu behind him both looked at him as if they were facing a formidable enemy.
Today we will discuss victory or defeat, it is right in front of us.
Even Chang Zizai and Zhang Wanjun felt the subtlety of the atmosphere at the moment and became even more nervous!
After a while, Zhao Yi looked at the woman deeply.
Throughout the entire process, her face was filled with a calm and confident expression, as if she could move the entire chessboard with a wave of her sleeves.
Thinking of the rumors about Xu Zhenying being a goddess, Zhao Yi sighed in his heart: Perhaps, the child of destiny really is this eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl in front of him.
Zhao Yi exhaled lightly, then, with a solemn expression, he clasped his hands together, knelt on one knee, and, with a resolute voice and a determined look in his eyes, said, "Your Highness, I, Zhao Yi, lead the three northern cities, 200,000 soldiers, and 1.2 million civilians to request annexation into Jinzhou Prefecture! From now on, I am willing to fight for Your Highness, defend the northern border, and serve you wholeheartedly!"
Bai Ci'en's expression visibly relaxed, and he looked quite delighted. He immediately half-knelt on the ground and said, "Your Highness, Bai Ci'en, is also willing to serve His Majesty Prince Zhao!"
Seeing this, General Gu could only half-kneel to show his loyalty.
"Okay! Okay! Okay!" Xu Zhenying said "Okay" three times in a row, and then, regardless of the gender barrier, he grabbed Zhao Yi and Bai Ci'en's hands and helped them up. "Since you are willing to acknowledge me, Xu Zhenying, I will accept your kneeling this time. But there is no rule of kneeling in my Jinzhou Prefecture. The monarch, ministers, and people are all equal. From now on, there is no need to kneel. The knees of the people in my Jinzhou Prefecture are hardened!"
"Yes!" Zhao Yi and Bai Ci'en stood up, obviously a little excited.
Zhao Yi was also somewhat uncomfortable with Xu Zhenying's enthusiasm.
Even the woman's hand touched him just now.
The two of them were so separated, like a flood or a beast between them. But then he thought again, since he had already acknowledged Xu Zhenying as his master, if Xu Zhenying was a man, he would not be so restrained.
Compared with Xu Zhenying's frankness, Zhao Yi feels that he still has a long way to go.
Although their behavior has moved closer to Jinzhou Prefecture, they are still far behind in terms of ideology.
Only after he finally surrendered did the huge stone in his heart finally fall.
"My trip today wasn't in vain. Once the situation in the northern border is settled, it will not only benefit the people in the north, but also the people in Bianjing. For the past ten years, the people have suffered greatly from the war. But soon, the world will be truly stable, and the people will be able to truly rest and recuperate."
When talking about the grand plans for the future, even General Gu's blood boiled and he looked ready to do something big.
Zhao Yi and Bai Ci'en were both in their twenties or thirties, which was the best time to achieve success, so they were naturally eager to try.
Xu Zhenying smiled at Zhao Yi and looked him up and down, with a feeling that he had some ill intentions.
Zhao Yi had no choice but to bow and said: "Your Highness, if you have anything to say, please tell me. Zhao Yi will do his duty."
Xu Zhenying smiled, "Nothing. I just remembered that today's discussion started with an apology, and I guess it will end with an apology."
Zhao Yi looked at Xu Zhenying's bright eyes, and suddenly his heart skipped a beat.
This woman seems to be more unpredictable than the Zhou family.
Xu Zhenying smiled awkwardly. "Actually, the Propaganda Department had already written the article before the talks. I guess the news of the Northern Territory's surrender had already appeared in the newspapers a few days before our talks, and spread all over the country."
Zhao Yi shuddered, then smiled bitterly: "Your Highness, you are... too cunning and calculating. You are trying to cut off all my escape routes and force me to surrender as my only option."
"But there's one more thing, which is good news." Xu Zhenying smiled shyly. "I was afraid Zhou Mian would attack your family, so I sent people to Bianjing City in advance to hide all your relatives. Don't worry, they are very safe."
Zhao Yi immediately breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Your Highness!"
But soon, Zhao Yi felt uncomfortable.
No wonder the people he sent before couldn’t find their relatives. It turned out that they fell into Xu Zhenying’s hands.
If today's negotiations were unsuccessful, Xu Zhenying would probably take advantage of the situation and put the blame on Zhou Mian. Zhao Yi would definitely fight Zhou Mian to the death, and eventually force him to surrender to Jinzhou Prefecture in order to avenge his family.
Therefore, since the negotiation was successful today, Xu Zhenying could use this opportunity to do a favor.
No matter how you look at it, Xu Zhenying is the winner.
Zhao Yi was once again thankful that he had surrendered to Jinzhou Prefecture, otherwise facing such an enemy would be terrifying.
Fortunately, I am now considered Xu Zhenying's own person.
Xu Zhenying probably won't use these methods on him.
At this time, Zhao Yi couldn't help but feel some sympathy for Zhou Mian.
Although Zhou Mian has some talent and learning, he has devoted all his energy to fighting for power and profit. Who knows how he will die when the time comes.
But at this point, it is useless for Zhao Yi to think too much.
At this point, the North has changed its master!
Zhao Yi suppressed all his expression, stepped aside, and waved his sleeves, "Your Highness, please enter the city!"
But Zhang Wanjun stood in front of Xu Zhenying, blocking her way, "Your Highness, be careful, there's a trap!"
Like Zhang Wanjun, Chang Zizai did not agree with Xu Zhenying entering the enemy camp alone at this moment.
Although the negotiations seemed to be going smoothly, sometimes things could change in an instant. Moreover, they had never had any contact with Zhao Yi, so they naturally had to guard against Zhao Yi's betrayal.
It's always better to be cautious.
Chang Zizai said, "Your Highness, for your own safety, why don't you go back first and let our army enter the barracks together."
Zhao Yi pursed his lips slightly, and his outstretched hand froze in mid-air. He seemed to realize that something was wrong. The talks had just ended, and the two sides had not yet fully established trust, but he actually invited Xu Zhenying to join the camp.
Xu Zhenying waved at Chang Zizai and said with a smile, "Take General Zhao's token and go over first. When you get there, find a loudspeaker and a horse, run around the barracks, and then announce a few things for me."
Chang Zizai listened attentively.
Even Zhao Yi turned his head and looked at her.
"First, tell everyone in the North that today's negotiations went smoothly and General Zhao Yi has surrendered to Jinzhou Prefecture. Second, all soldiers who remain will have their monthly wages increased by 20% compared to Jinzhou Prefecture's, and will be paid on the 15th of every month without delay. They will also receive twelve sets of clothing for the four seasons, plus an additional bonus at the end of the year. Third, all soldiers' children, whether in the North, South, or Jinzhou Prefecture, will receive free schooling!"
Chang Zizai was a little confused and dazed, as if trying to guess the meaning of the three things Xu Zhenying said.
Xu Zhenying kicked him jokingly, "Hurry up or not! Aren't you usually the loudest?"
Chang Zizai pretended to say "ouch" and said without thinking, "Your Highness, I'll go now."
When Chang Zizai left, Zhang Wanjun naturally moved closer to Xu Zhenying.
After all, she is the only one left to guard.
General Gu still had a happy look on his face, looking quite proud, as the military expenditure problem was now solved.
It seems that the biggest advantage of taking refuge in Jinzhou Prefecture is having money!
Bai Ci'en smiled helplessly: "Your Highness, this move of cutting off the source of the trouble is too cruel."
Zhao Yi raised his eyebrows, with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Bai Ci'en explained, "The first thing is to announce the results of the negotiations to stabilize people's hearts. The second thing is to lure them with benefits and show off the fat meat of Jinzhou Prefecture. If we defect, the soldiers will not be able to eat the fat meat that is about to be eaten, and I am afraid we will become the sinners. The third thing is that most of these soldiers have children. When they are fighting outside, they are most concerned about their children at home. Your Highness uses their children's education as bait, and the soldiers will definitely support you even more. With these three methods, the morale of these 200,000 soldiers in the north is completely controlled by Your Highness. We have no room for defection. If we do, I am afraid the soldiers will not agree. After all, who can tolerate the duck that has been caught flying away?"
Xu Zhenying treated Bai Ci'en differently, sizing him up for a long time as if he were a leek. Then he said to Zhao Yi, "I'm sorry, General Zhao, our talks aren't over yet. I don't know much about you, so we have to be on guard against each other. Please understand."
Zhao Yi laughed dumbly. "Your Highness, your blatant defense leaves me speechless. You don't have to be so frank."
Xu Zhenying also laughed: "When it comes to conversation, we should always be open and honest, trust each other, and be on guard against each other. I'd rather be a true villain than a hypocrite."
After saying this, Xu Zhenying turned around and waved towards a hill in the distance.
Seeing this, Zhao Yi couldn't help but be curious: "Your Highness, what are you doing?"
Bai Ci'en's face froze, and he whispered to Zhao Yi, "I heard there's something called a telescope in Jinzhou Prefecture that can see a thousand miles away. Judging from the direction your Highness is waving, isn't he sending a signal?"
Bai Ci'en spoke softly, but Xu Zhenying still heard it. She smiled and said, "It's not a thousand-mile vision, maybe just a dozen miles at most. A thousand-mile vision isn't possible with current technology."
Zhao Yi and Bai Ci'en didn't understand what technology was, but they were shocked by the fact that the telescope could see over ten miles away.
Xu Zhenying then said, "This telescope... I remember the Great Zhou Dynasty's Ministry of War purchased quite a few. Didn't they send them to you?"
Zhao Yi sneered upon hearing this. "Zhou Mian is guarding me like a thief, desperate to dethrone me from my position as commander-in-chief of the Northern Territory. The military funds he allocates can only cover basic daily needs. How could he be so generous?"
General Gu immediately asked, "Your Highness, can our generals in the northern border also have this thing?"
Xu Zhenying smiled, "Of course. By then, every general above the mid-level will have one."
"Speaking of which--" Xu Zhenying stared at Zhao Yi and Bai Ci'en with admiration on his face. Zhao Yi and Bai Ci'en immediately felt a tingling sensation on their scalps, and intuitively felt that what he was going to say next might be the key point.
"We in Jinzhou Prefecture have a strict and fair selection process for our soldiers and generals. I'm not satisfied with some of your mid-level leaders, and they must be replaced. Also, your previous factionalism must be broken, and the previous situation of obeying individuals rather than the court must also be changed. Since you've joined Jinzhou Prefecture, you must follow the rules of Jinzhou Prefecture. I cannot tolerate anyone enjoying the Jinzhou Prefecture's food while engaging in factionalism."
Although they had never heard of the meaning of middle-level leadership, and it was probably a new term in Jinzhou Prefecture, the two of them understood its meaning.
Zhao Yi said, "This...we had anticipated this before we came here."
Bai Ci'en said, "I've heard that whenever Your Highness conquers a city, he treats the officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty with relative leniency. He either has an inspection team conduct a comprehensive assessment, or he conducts an official assessment before deciding whether to send them or not. Can we also consider using an examination system for our mid-level generals?"
Xu Zhenying nodded. "Of course, the decision on whether to stay or go will be based on the assessment method. But don't forget that most of the middle-level generals in the Great Zhou Dynasty are illiterate. This completely does not meet our Jinzhou Prefecture's talent selection standards."
Zhao Yi immediately said, "These men may not be well-educated, but they have fought for many years and have rich combat experience. Their military exploits are all real, having fought their way through the Tartars with real swords and guns. Under the law, there should be some compassion. Your Highness, can you show some leniency to these veterans?"
General Gu's face turned pale with anxiety, this concerned many of his brothers!
Think of his brothers, each one is worse than him, can't even read a single word! Is he going to be dismissed or fired just because he can't read?
"That's right, Your Highness. My brothers are all brave men, never afraid of battle, and are extremely courageous! I have an older brother who, when the Tartars massacred the city, led two hundred men to protect the civilians and even had his hand chopped off! Now, he's being dismissed just because he can't read. How unfair!"
"Okay, then I'd like to ask, if a general can't read, how can he read military books, how can he learn military tactics, how can he read maps, how can he calculate marching speed and logistical supplies, how can he measure wind speed and attack range, how can he calculate the angle and range of firearms attack, how can he write military reports? Someone who can't read is like a blind person! I'm not afraid to tell you, I don't want illiterate generals, and I don't want illiterate soldiers either!"
The three people were completely stunned.
"Do you know what the literacy rate of our soldiers in Jinzhou Prefecture is?" Xu Zhenying frowned, seeming extremely dissatisfied with General Gu's opinion. "Wanjun, tell them!"
Zhang Wanjun then said, "According to the latest military statistics, our army's literacy rate remains at around 80%. The remaining 20% is because the remaining local troops have only recently joined us and haven't had time to undergo literacy training. However, we estimate that within two years, our army's literacy rate will reach 100%."
Zhao Yi and Bai Ci'en were shocked. "One hundred percent?"
Bai Ci'en was the most shocked, because when he left Qianzhou, although he had discovered that the soldiers of Jinzhou Prefecture were well-educated, the literacy rate was only about 20 to 30 percent at the time. He did not expect that in just a few years, this figure had risen to 80 percent!
Bai Ci'en had studied mathematics in Jinzhou Prefecture, so he explained to General Gu, "Eighty percent means that eighty out of a hundred people can read."
General Gu exclaimed in surprise, "Doesn't that mean everyone can read?! This... this is impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible. You have no idea how much we invest in each soldier. Jinzhou Prefecture's soldiers are carefully selected from the outset, chosen for their endurance, courage, and obedience to command. After entering the camp, the most important things are study and training. Reading should take up half of their time, and the content they learn includes astronomy and geography, military thought, military tactics, physics and chemistry. I can say that any veteran soldier from Jinzhou Prefecture will directly pass the civil service examination. Jinzhou Prefecture's soldiers are trained to be able to determine the fate of the world on horseback and to bring peace to the world with their pens—"
General Gu retorted, "But actual combat isn't just talk! Even if you're well-read, you might pee your pants on the battlefield!"
Zhang Wanjun objected, "General Gu, our soldiers' training isn't like your random gestures. We have competitions, matches, and actual combat exercises. Soldiers take turns commanding. The dozens of kilometers of hills west of Jinzhou Prefecture are our training grounds for actual combat! Only those with the highest cumulative scores can be promoted to general!"
When Zhao Yi heard this, he was so excited that he couldn't calm down for a long time.
According to Xu Zhenying, this is not the training of ordinary soldiers, but the training of great generals.
He even began to doubt whether Zhao Yi could win every battle in Jinzhou Prefecture and stand out from the crowd.
General Gu was speechless!
The cruelty of the promotion system for Jinzhou Prefecture's soldiers completely shattered his last bit of hope.
"But... General Gu, how could you have prejudged that your brothers wouldn't be able to learn to read? My Jinzhou Prefecture has a method of learning to read that's much faster than the Great Zhou Dynasty's. Perhaps General Gu is the one with the most backward academic performance?"
This statement undoubtedly successfully provoked General Gu. He raised his eyebrows and said, "How is this possible! How could I, Old Gu, be the one who lost my tail?!"
Xu Zhenying smiled: "That's not necessarily true. But..."
Xu Zhenying changed the subject, "General Zhao is right. Legal principles are nothing more than human feelings. We should analyze the specific situation. If it is really the situation described by General Gu, we can also keep him as an instructor or grant him some honorary title and leisure position. This can also be regarded as the court's retirement support for them. Are the three generals satisfied with my words?"
At this moment, the three of them immediately relaxed their expressions.
Although it was different from their expectations, considering the strict selection process of Jinzhou Prefecture, it was extremely difficult to keep this group of old generals who could not read a single word as instructors.
Zhao Yi cupped his hands and said, "In that case, thank you very much, Your Highness!"
Bai Ci'en also said: "Your Highness's action is unparalleled in benevolence and righteousness."
Xu Zhenying smiled and said, "I think Chang Zizai is almost there too. Let's talk while we walk."
As soon as he finished speaking, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky, like crying and complaining, and the raindrops fell on the grass and trees.
"It's raining. The weather isn't good." Xu Zhenying said softly, then looked at Zhao Yi again. "How about this? General Zhao and I will take the same boat, and Wanjun, you can stay with General Gu and the others. After we get ashore, we'll wait for Elder Lin and the others to arrive, and then we'll go to the barracks together."
Zhao Yi looked at the rain in the sky and smiled with relief, saying, "Good things take time. Your Highness, please come aboard and visit our northern military camp. The soldiers have been waiting for you for a long time!"
Xu Zhenying also said, "Yes. If we unite the north and the south, the war will end and the people can live a stable life."
"Everything is thanks to Your Highness."
Xu Zhenying smiled and tilted his head to look at Zhao Yi. "They say General Zhao is the backbone of the North. You, the backbone, must not imitate the officialdom of the Great Zhou Dynasty and flatter me. You must know that flattery is looked down upon by your colleagues in Jinzhou Prefecture. General Zhao, just maintain your pragmatic character."
Zhao Yi's smile was a little awkward.
The two teams moved separately. The boatman Chang Yuanshan rowed the boat over, and Zhao Yi and Xu Zhenying stood on it one after another. Amid the sound of the rain, Chang Yuanshan stretched out his arms and rowed to the east.
Zhao Yi took advantage of this gap to immediately report the situation in the northern border to Xu Zhenying.
The two parties involved thought it was nothing special after the peace talks were successful, but when Xu Zhenying made a gesture, the whole mountain became excited.
Especially Old Lin and Zhou Houfang, they almost ran to tell each other as soon as they heard the whistle on the top of the mountain.
The success of the peace talks between the North and the South marked that they were one step closer to the unification of the Great Zhou.
It also means that they can capture three prefecture cities in the northern border without bloodshed and increase their troops by 200,000!
Your Highness did it.
She gained the greatest benefit at the cost of minimal casualties.
Today, the territory of the Thirteen States has instantly become Seventeen States, with only five states left. The Great Zhou Dynasty will end its more than ten years of turbulent and warlike days!
This is a resounding victory!
Only the soldiers of Jinzhou Prefecture were complaining. They had followed His Highness out hoping to gain some military merit, but they hadn't even fought much, and the Northern Territory was so frightened that they surrendered voluntarily just by hearing the name of His Highness Prince Zhao.
They could only accept the land of the four states.
Although he was complaining, the pride on his face was very obvious.
Soon, Lin Lao and his men, along with the 3,000 soldiers who stayed behind, rushed to the other side without stopping and took a detour.
By the time Xu Zhenying and his companions' two small boats were swaying in the middle of the lake, the shore was already full of people.
Both sides already knew that today's peace talks were successful, so they were all talking and laughing. Old Lin, Zhou Houfang, Zhao Qiaonian, Zhang Chao from the northern border, General Meng and others all lined up in a line by the lake.
As soon as the ship docked, everyone came to greet it.
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