Chapter 309 Chen Guo was fooled
The officials of the State of Chen looked at Minister Chen of the Ministry of War with sympathy.
Minister Chen stepped out solemnly, hesitated for a moment, and said with a folded hand: "Your Majesty, I have heard a saying that when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. It would be better to invite the Chu army to cross the border to fight against the Xia State..."
The Emperor of Chen looked somewhat torn.
This sounds nice, like the fisherman benefits from the quarrel between the snipe and the clam. But the real meaning is, "Your Majesty, we can't win, so let's ask the State of Chu for help."
The Emperor of Chen was not very happy about this, because it is easy to invite gods but difficult to send them away.
At this time, a young official stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, if you really invite the Chu army over, I'm afraid my Chen State will fall into the trap and be harvested!"
The officials of the Chen State all looked over.
The Emperor of Chen was a little unhappy at first, but when he saw it was him, he was stunned for a moment, and his tone softened a little: "What do you mean?"
The young official bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have been following the news between Chu and Xia. I found that several months ago, the Xia post office would send letters to the Grand Master of Chu every ten days. According to reliable information, the Fourth Prince of Chu would also come to check the letters on the same day, and he never missed a single time."
The Emperor of Chen frowned.
The young official continued, "Recently, Prime Minister Li of Xia State sent an envoy group to Chu State on the pretext of looking for someone. Chu State not only took good care of them, but also arranged officials to accompany them... Your Majesty, based on these things, I think Chu State and Xia State may have formed an alliance. Once they form an alliance, Chen State, which is caught in the middle, will be in danger."
The Emperor of Chen was startled.
Among the several countries, Chu was the strongest and Xia was originally the weakest. However, after the previous emperor swallowed up Korea, Xia jumped to the second place in terms of territory but with slightly weaker military strength.
Since then, Chu State has been pulling Chen State and Shu State together to deal with Xia State. They even discussed privately how to divide Xia State's territory. But if Chu State changes its mind and forms an alliance with Xia State, then Chen State will be the fat meat caught between two tigers.
Danger, great danger!
The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. The Emperor of Chen said subconsciously, "It's impossible. Chu is most jealous of Xia. How could it possibly form an alliance with Xia?"
The officials of the State of Chen also looked somewhat uneasy. When they heard what the Emperor of Chen said, they also said:
"Chu and Chen have been allied for more than ten years. It's impossible for them to change all of a sudden."
"That's right. Xia is ambitious. Isn't Chu afraid of raising a tiger to cause trouble?"
…
At this time, officials from the pro-Chu faction stood up and pointed at the young official and said, "How dare you! You said that Chu and Xia would unite based on just some ordinary letters and some formal visits? This is clearly an attempt to sow discord."
After hearing this, the young official got angry and said, "Only based on some letters?! Sir, can you explain what kind of letters are they that require the Xia Kingdom's palace to send letters to the Chu Kingdom's Grand Master every ten days, and what kind of ordinary letters are they that require a current Grand Master and a powerful prince of Chu to read together? Do you believe what you said? I think that rather than saying it is a family letter, it is more likely that Chu and Xia are exchanging intelligence privately. That's why it has received the attention of the Chu Kingdom's Grand Master and the Fourth Prince of Chu."
The officials of the Chen State were speechless.
Yes! How could a great master of Chu and the fourth prince of Chu read an unimportant family letter together? Could it be that Chu and Xia were using this channel to communicate with each other? !
The pro-Chu officials suddenly felt guilty, but they still said stubbornly, "But these are just your guesses, and you haven't read the contents of the family letter. Well, let's take a step back and say that your analysis of the letter makes some sense. As for the fact that Xia sent people to Chu to look for someone, you are too far-fetched to think there is a problem. You are just saying this because you don't like Chu."
The young official sneered: "As a citizen of Chen, what's wrong with me disliking Chu? Every time we ask Chu for help, we send gold, silver, jewelry, beauties and food. Don't we give them enough? Do you like Chu?"
The officials of the pro-Chu faction choked and wanted to roar: "Don't go around spitting dirt just to please the emperor! Do you know that if you cling to the emperor's thighs, you have to pay protection fees?"
The young official continued, "Looking at the latter incident alone, it doesn't seem to be a big problem. But what about the current situation? Xia suddenly announced that it would send troops, and Chu said it would not help. If you insist that the two countries have not reached a consensus in private, then I can't do anything about it. After all, a rotten tree cannot be carved, and everyone's sensitivity to politics is different."
The officials of the pro-Chu faction were almost angry to death: "You, you...you are making nonsense and making false excuses for disloyalty..."
The young official suddenly said in a loud voice: "You can say that I am stupid and not good at planning, but you cannot accuse me of being disloyal. I am loyal to the State of Chen, and heaven and earth can bear witness to that. My father died for his advice, and so can I!"
After saying this, the young man lowered his head and rushed towards the pillar next to him.
The pro-Chu officials who had criticized him before were shocked: !!!
They also suddenly thought of it at this moment.
Shit, this guy is the relative of the minister who once died admonishing the emperor! His Majesty specially promoted him to the court for this reason!
The Emperor of Chen was also startled and immediately stood up and said hurriedly: "Save him quickly!"
The palace guard next to him dodged and stood in front of the young official.
The palace guard was hit so hard that his face turned pale and he almost vomited blood. It was obvious that the young official was really banging his head against the wall to seek death and was not just pretending.
Upon seeing this, the Emperor of Chen State placed more trust in the young official.
The Emperor of Chen said softly, "Your analysis is not without reason. There is no need to mention the matter of using the passage to allow Chu to send troops."
At this point, the Emperor of Chen heaved a sigh of relief. After all, the State of Chu was not easy to get along with either.
"As for how to get the Xia Kingdom to withdraw its troops, you should discuss the rules now."
The officials of the Chen State had bitter faces.
Unable to rely on Chu, lacking in strength, isn't this just a discussion of how to give in? !
Everyone was exhausted from discussing it.
In the end, the Emperor of Chen chose the opinion of the young official.
They confiscated the property of all Chen officials who were sent to Xia State as envoys, and gave all the money to General Wu Yi, redeeming two cities and formally ceding the other three cities to Xia State.
After making this decision, Emperor Chen did not forget to comfort himself in the court.
The original intention was to send a sum of money to Xia State in order to encourage their common people and students from aristocratic families to fight among themselves. Now it is just to send some more silver and then join forces with Chu State to take it back in the future.
Chen State officials: ...
They could only nod in agreement awkwardly but politely.
…
Afterwards, the State of Chen sent a special envoy to Daxia at full speed.
The envoy arrived very quickly.
A few days later.
At that time, officials of the Great Xia Dynasty were discussing how to celebrate the Ramayana this year.
For example, how to welcome the return of Wu Yi and his party, how to reward the three armies, and when to let the young imperial master come out to bless them.
Yuan Ruan was quite interested in what she heard, as she had never seen the magnificent scene of the triumphal march of the three armies.
At this moment, she heard the hurried and excited voice of the messenger coming from outside.
"Your Majesty, Chen Guo has arrived in front of the palace with a letter of surrender and tribute!"
Courtiers: !!!