Chapter 133 You Have to Choose Between a Sneak Attack and Underhanded Tactics (45)
Besides Qin, probably only Liu Bang and Zhang Liang knew the true nature of this commotion in the warehouse, and even Zhang Liang only figured it out by guesswork.
Meng Tian, who knew some of the inside story, was sent out to contact the court officials in the city, while Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu had to pretend that he knew nothing at all.
Therefore, Liu Bang had no intention of placing his hopes on others. The moment he heard those words, his brain started working at high speed. In fact, the truth is not hard to guess.
By connecting this to the events before, it's easy to guess some of the truth.
No wonder Qin didn't lay a hand on him even when he was courting death; it turns out he was waiting for him here.
For example, the so-called way out mentioned earlier was probably not intended for him, but rather for the many ordinary people in Xianyang.
Xiang Yu knew his own character well. He had already entered Xianyang City. Given his tendency to take his anger out on the entire city, it wasn't hard to guess what he would do there.
However, this path to survival might not be without its benefits for him. Why did He choose him to drive this game? It's because He values him; there will never be another Liu Bang in the world.
Liu Bang convinced himself, mainly because it was truly profitable. Who would want to give up this ancient capital if they could occupy Xianyang?
He immediately declared with righteous indignation, "Our state will never back down. What kind of person would we be if we were afraid of a villain like Xiang Yu!"
Zhang Liang: ...
Zhang Liang fell silent for a moment. Although he guessed that there was a 'human' (spirit) involved, he still couldn't quite understand this statement; it was too niche.
Fan Kuai: ?
Fan Kuai was getting anxious. This was not the time to be reckless. Even if Xiang Yu's claim of having 400,000 troops was exaggerated, Liu Bang's claim of having 100,000 troops was also not necessarily true. If both sides were exaggerating their numbers, 100,000 against 400,000 would not win.
He wanted to speak again to persuade him, but Liu Bang waved his hand and said, "You don't need to persuade me anymore. Heaven's will is on my side, and we will surely win this battle."
They didn't even ask Qin what her specific backup plan was, which fully demonstrated their trust in her. As for whether this behavior would win her favor, it's really hard to say.
At least Zhu Qing'ai wasn't very moved, because she knew very well that Liu Bang wanted to stay in Xianyang simply because he was blinded by the wealth there. After he came to his senses, he was forced to stay there by possible backup plans. In the end, it was all for the political status of Xianyang. It was impossible for him to feel sorry for the people in the city.
But it must be said that he is indeed a very qualified emperor with a regal mindset.
Forget it, let her take care of all these people in Xianyang.
"There's no need to talk about destiny. That's an abstract concept. It's better to fight for it yourself."
She might be talking about destiny, or she might be reminding Liu Bang, or she might be using a highly risky lure to trick people into risking their lives for her.
Liu Bang's gaze drifted slightly toward the Qin side, feeling that a spirit was even less inclined to believe in fate than he was, which was truly... astonishing.
"Do you know why their country was destroyed and that's why I'm still standing here unharmed?" 'Qin' smiled.
Liu Bang honestly shook his head, indicating that he did not know.
Those watching Liu Bang noticed this, but no one asked him why he shook his head. They all felt that something was strange about the warehouse, as if some non-existent 'person' was watching them.
"Of course, it's because we dare to defy fate..."
This sentence has no subject, but it is not difficult to understand.
Liu Bang certainly agreed, after all, he was the same, struggling against Heaven, against fate, and against man.
"Everything in the world has its own way. When a country is destroyed, its spirit also perishes. If you don't want to die, you will naturally have to pay the price."
Liu Bang thought of the spirits still inside Qin, not yet fully digested, and fell silent. Who could be more miserable than them?
In order to suppress the birth of new spirits, the old spirits, barely clinging to life, are allowed to live on.
Before this, they claimed to be a virtuous country—what a lie!
"They've already paid the price, what about you?"
Liu Bang inwardly refused; they had paid a price for nothing, while he had paid the price...
Okay, Liu Bang admitted that he couldn't refuse the choice Qin offered. People die for wealth, birds die for food, and it was precisely because he always put profit first that he couldn't refuse Qin's request.
Because he knows that this choice is the optimal solution at present, and he can even maximize his benefits.
Although Qin will definitely make a huge profit, he won't lose out either.
Therefore, "Xianyang must be in our hands, and we cannot give up Xianyang."
Liu Bang caught a glimpse of Qin's satisfied smile out of the corner of his eye, and also felt the chill on his neck lessen a bit.
So he had no choice at all!
Fan Kuai said a few nice words to Liu Bang, but he was also struggling with something in his heart. He felt that his superior wanted to stay in Xianyang, but he himself was not optimistic about the decision to stay in Xianyang.
He wanted Zhang Liang to say a few more words, so he glanced at Zhang Liang subtly, thinking that Liu Bang might be more willing to listen to what Zhang Liang had to say.
To everyone's surprise, Zhang Liang frowned: "Is that what she's thinking?"
Fan Kuai still has people left: Who?
No, how come only the two of you know? So they're all outsiders?
Liu Bang nodded: "Exactly."
Zhang Liang remained silent, actually feeling that what 'Qin' said was not entirely without merit, just like when she previously said that being an assassin or hiring someone to commit assassination had no future...
But just how much can we hear?
Neither of them said that "she" referred to "Qin," otherwise the group of people who were following the anti-Qin movement might have suspected that their two bosses were suffering from some kind of hysteria.
Even so, things weren't much better. Fan Kuai glanced around, looking at the many trusted confidants standing nearby, including Liu Bang's own brother. He hesitated and asked, "Is that the man, Mr. Wei Sheng, who didn't come...?"
The only one qualified to stand here who hasn't arrived yet is Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu, who comes from a prominent family and is an eccentric nobleman who is keen on farming and has little interest in anything else.
Fan Kuai did not look down on the person; on the contrary, he thought the person was remarkable, since it was rare to find someone who could double grain production.
Liu Bang coughed and mumbled, "Yes and no, let's not ask that. Let's invite Mr. Weisheng first and see if there are any other solutions."
He planned to first assess whether this 'way out' was truly a way out. Although it had the backing of 'Qin,' it was unlikely that 'Qin' would target the old Qin people in Xianyang. However, he would feel more at ease if he understood the situation himself.
Zhang Liang shared the same idea. Although he didn't know what Qin had said, Liu Bang's attitude was quite easy to discern.
“Good. I wonder if Mr. Weisheng has settled in properly after entering the city.”
Everyone knew that Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu brought a lot of things to Xianyang. Before that, they only knew that they were related to farming, but judging from Liu Bang and the other man's attitude, they felt that it was not ordinary.
Liu Bang's fourth brother, who had followed him all the way from Pei County, had some understanding of Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu, so he took the initiative to accept the task of bringing people here.
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Soon, ninety-nine people were brought over. Of course, they weren't chatting in the palace's inner treasury. Liu Bang sent people to inventory the inner treasury's wealth, and then led a group of people to... the reception hall of the Qin King's bedroom.
Since Liu Bang did not consider himself to be king yet, he did not use the main hall for court assemblies. Instead, he sent people to the Qin King's bedroom, where he sat with many people in the reception room.
So many people knelt in a circle, some even at the back, leaving space on either side of Liu Bang.
This was a serious meeting, and everyone, including Qin who was observing from the sidelines, knelt upright, and no one did anything that was improper.
The only one who seemed a little hesitant was Qin Ziying, who weakly said, "Since everyone recognizes where we came from, I, Ziying, will take my leave now?"
Yes, because the Qin state had fallen, he would no longer mention his surname when speaking to outsiders, but would instead use the single character "Qin" to commemorate his lost country.
Although she was still alive, Qin Ziying had a clear premonition that she was no longer 'Qin' and was in a very ethereal and carefree state.
Only when she mentions the many commoners in Xianyang can one glimpse her lingering affection for the people of Qin.
Qin Ziying was not sure what impact the fall of a nation would have on its spirit, but subconsciously he felt that having no name and no real country to match it was definitely a terrible situation.
The reason he asked that question was, of course, because he was testing the waters. After all, Liu Bang had pulled him to sit down with him, and he couldn't just leave without saying anything.
“Hey, no need to be so polite. Ziying, sit here and listen to what’s going on,” Liu Bang said with a wave of his hand, showing no regard for Qin Ziying as an outsider. He continued, “I truly wish to appoint you as my prime minister. If Xiang Yu really attacks, I will need your assistance.”
What else could Qin Ziying say but nod in agreement? "Of course."
In truth, he no longer cared about power. What he was thinking about now was how to make it not seem abrupt to join hands with Liu Bang. Before, 'Qin' had said it wasn't his fault, but the surrendered King of Qin was still him. If possible, he hoped to talk to 'Qin' more.
Of course, he wasn't trying to excuse himself. At that moment, he didn't know what to say; he just wanted to see 'Qin' again.
In the short time he was distracted, the generals were already discussing, with some skepticism, how to deal with Xiang Yu next.
The reason for their skepticism was, of course, because Xiang Yu had 400,000 troops, while they only had 100,000.
After much deliberation, they still couldn't figure out how the other side had lost.
The reason they are speaking such fantastical words here is because of Liu Bang's request. Some people are already frowning and wondering if Liu Bang is blinded by the wealth of Xianyang and is willing to risk his life to stay here, and are even considering the possibility of changing bosses.
Fortunately, Liu Bang kept the theme of the meeting in mind and naturally steered the conversation toward Wei Sheng Jiujiu. His imagination was limited, and he couldn't think of any solution other than the art of diplomacy or military strategy. So when he asked Wei Sheng Jiujiu, he also asked if he had any plans to offer.
As a lord who listens to advice, he looked at Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu with great earnestness, hoping that this "path to survival" would speak up and see whether they would send people to the other side to play dirty tricks, or play dirty tricks when the battle begins.
A sneak attack or a dirty trick, you have to choose one, right?
Before speaking, Wei Sheng Jiujiu subconsciously checked the system's private chat interface; Qing Ai hadn't sent him a private message.
He frowned slightly; that meant he was being given free rein.
He took a deep breath; it was nothing. The solution had already been decided. Of course, 100,000 could defeat 400,000. As long as the other side was afraid, things would be much easier.
“There was a bit of an accident when I was making fertilizer before,” he paused, first giving himself an excuse, “I accidentally got some medicine while trying out the formula, which might come in handy now.”
Making them afraid is even simpler; what could be simpler and more brutal than bringing out gunpowder in the era of cold weapons?
Even in modern times... a group of armed men could chase after the Manchu bannermen...
Moreover, this place is after the Qin Dynasty and before the Han Dynasty.
Liu Bang's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he immediately said, "Spreading poison in the wind? That's excellent!"
"Cough cough, but it's a pity so many soldiers died. Is there any less potent poison? We can force them to surrender and then give them the antidote..."
Wei Sheng Jiujiu:...
"You haven't been getting enough rest; you're even coughing..."
Although on the surface they were concerned about Liu Bang, their words implied that he was daydreaming and spreading poison in the wind. Why didn't they fast forward to the biological weapons section?
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 23:32:35 on August 14, 2024 and 21:01:20 on August 21, 2024!
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