The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 126: The fall of Lu, the plot against Lian Po

In the Battle of Zhaodai, Lian Po defeated an army of 600,000 with only 130,000 troops.

He turned from defense to offense and captured five cities of Yan State.

This kind of record is extremely explosive in history. It gave a shot in the arm to the already declining Zhao State and prolonged its life.

The princes no longer dared to say that Lian Po was old, and all compared him to Qin's butcher Bai Qi.

Lian Po's power was so great that no country dared to look down on the State of Zhao.

Chu State, Ying - also known as Shouchun, the palace of the King of Chu.

When King Yuan of Chu learned about this, he privately summoned the Prime Minister of Chu, Chunshen Jun Huang Xie, and sighed:
"Your Majesty takes care of the affairs of the court, and I have nothing to worry about.

"If Lian Po can be summoned to Chu, I won't have to worry about what happens on the battlefield."

Huang Xie was one of the four noblemen of the Warring States Period listed by later generations.

His official title, Lingyin, was the highest official title in the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, equivalent to the prime minister of various countries.

But in terms of actual power, the Prime Minister of Chu was far greater than the prime ministers of other countries.

The Lingyin of Chu was the highest official in charge of political affairs and issuing orders in the State of Chu.

Hold the reins of power in a country, be in a high position, and lead the people.

He presided over state affairs internally and wars externally, holding both military and political power in one person.

After hearing what King Yuan of Chu said, the Prime Minister, who was so powerful in Chu, thought for a moment and then said with a smile:
"Since my king wants it, Xie should get it for him."

King Yuan of Chu just laughed, thinking that Huang Xie was just speaking in nice words.

[Lian Po was a native of Zhao. He had lived in Zhao since childhood and became a general of Zhao when he grew up.]
[Now he is very old, but still strong and has made great achievements.]
[He is at the peak of his powers in Zhao State. Zhao State will give him everything I can. Why would he come to Chu State?]
Although he thought so in his heart, Xiong Yuan did not pour cold water on it.

"Okay, I will wait for Ling Yin to welcome Lian Po!
"Qin destroyed the Eastern Zhou, and Zhao defeated Yan.

"The two countries in the west and north are really restless."

Huang Xie agreed softly.

“Yes, it’s been an eventful autumn and winter.

"Pingyuan Jun is dead.

"The power of Prince Wuji of Wei, who was famous all over the world, has gradually declined, and the reputation of Lord Xinling for virtue has been taken by Prince Chengjiao of Qin, who is said to be only seven years old.

"The Qin State is a land that can still produce young gentlemen, huh."

He smiled and changed the subject.

"Your Majesty, don't you want to take advantage of this good opportunity when the world's attention is focused on the west and north to do something?"

King Yuan of Chu and Huang Xie had a great understanding of each other. As soon as they heard what Huang Xie said, they knew that their prime minister had a good idea again.

He sat up slightly straighter and his eyes began to brighten.

"What does Ling Yin want to do?"

"Destroy Lu." Huang Xie smiled faintly, his eyes blazing with fire. "As Qin and Zhao expand, our Chu State cannot sit idle. The land in the world is limited. If another country takes one more acre, our country will take one less acre. It is time to take back Ju."

King Chu Yuan pondered carefully and said nothing.

Five years ago, he took advantage of the dividends of the five-nation invasion of Qi, appointed Huang Xie as the chief general, and destroyed the State of Lu.

Thinking of Qi's attack on Song, the five countries of Qin, Zhao, Yan, Wei and Han were afraid that Qi would become too powerful and united to attack Qi.

He destroyed the State of Lu but did not end its sacrifices.

The King of Lu was moved to Xiayi and granted the title of Ju.

In this way, the Lu culture that preserved the important Zhou rituals was not cut off, the King of Lu could not ask for help if he wanted to stay alive, and the Lu nobles would not cause trouble because of the sacrifices.

The other countries had fewer excuses to attack him, and he also gained some reputation for the State of Chu at the national level.

Now, do we want to completely destroy the State of Lu?
He laughed.

“The young wise man that Ling Yin mentioned earlier is quite interesting.

"The kings of Qin throughout the dynasties were all untrustworthy. How could a gentleman emerge from a country as fierce and vicious as Qin?
"If it weren't for Queen Mother Qin sending the message, I really wouldn't believe it, haha!"

Huang Xie bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty, Lu has been destroyed for five years.

"In five years, all the cities that could be restored have been restored, and all the people of Lu who could be restored have been restored.

“For those who still consider themselves as people of Lu, even if another ten years pass, it will be impossible to make them submit.

"As long as Ju is here, and the sacrifices of Lu are here, these remnants of Lu will always have the ambition to restore their country.

"Within the territory of my Chu State, if you intend to restore Lu, that means you are rebelling against Chu State. That is an internal worry for my Great Chu State!"

Bowing down, expressing sincere feelings.

"My king!

"At this moment, the eyes of all the nations are on the west and the north. No one among the princes will care about us taking back a small city like Ju. This is a good opportunity to stop the sacrifices of the Kingdom of Lu!
"Qin and Zhao expanded their territory and strengthened their power.

"We don't have the chance to attack, so we should rectify the situation internally! Otherwise, we will fall behind!"

King Chu Yuan sighed softly.

"But I have promised the King of Lu that I will only destroy his country, not end his sacrifices..."

When Huang Xie heard this, he knew that the king was hesitant in his heart and smiled faintly.

“It’s simple.

"Ju is just a small city. We don't need your troops to help us. We can take it down in a short time.

"Your Majesty, please leave this matter to Xie.

"Xie had a trusted retainer named Li Yuan, who he ordered to disguise himself as a bandit to rob Ju and kill the King of Lu.

“Afterwards, the king sent troops to suppress the rebellion.

"If this happens, the State of Lu will be destroyed and its sacrifices will be cut off, and the king will not accept the infamy."

King Chu Yuan looked hesitant.

"How can there be bandits capable of attacking the county? How can this be hidden from the public? This is against etiquette and law! How will the princes and states view me?"

Huang Xie looked at King Yuan of Chu steadily, his eyes firm and powerful.

"Your Majesty, we are the people of Chu. Why should we care about what the Central Plains think? Should we follow the etiquette and laws of the Central Plains?
"We Chu people are barbarians."

King Chu Yuan sighed and waved his hand.

"Just do as Ling Yin wishes."

Huang Xie showed a slight joy on his face, bowed and replied "Yes", then took his leave.

After Huang Xie left, King Yuan of Chu raised his palm to observe the lines on his palm and murmured softly:

"You helped me become king, so I appointed you Lord Chunshen, appointed you Ling Yin, and granted you twelve counties north of the Huai River.

“Isn’t that enough?
"I am no longer in your control... Don't go too far when doing things..."

The sixth year of King Yuan of Chu.

Bandits attacked Ju and killed the King of Lu.

King Yuan of Chu was furious and sent troops to suppress the bandits and recapture Ju, and buried Duke Qing of Lu with great honor.

From the time when Lu was first enfeoffed by Bo Qin to the time when Duke Qing was destroyed, it was passed down for thirty-three generations and lasted for more than eight hundred years.

The earliest great country established by Zhou was Lu.

The country was destroyed and the sacrifices were cut off, and it completely disappeared.

Zhao State, Handan.

The triumphant Lian Po received the highest level of reception from the State of Zhao.

Ten miles outside the gate of Handan city, King Dan of Zhao personally led hundreds of civil and military officials to wait and personally congratulate Lian Po.

King Dan of Zhao welcomed Lian Po into Handan, and then into the Zhao Palace, where he held a grand banquet in Changle Palace!

When the veteran general Lian Po came back after only being away for a few months, he felt as if he had been there for decades. Everything had changed a lot.

The mat became a chair and the table became a table.

The old general sat on a chair and ate at the table. He felt much more comfortable than kneeling to eat. He sighed that the State of Zhao had really improved.

When the food was served and he took a bite, the old general was even more surprised.

He had been eating Zhao cuisine for more than seventy years, but had never tasted such delicious food.

After asking in surprise, he found out that it was the child prodigy who stayed in Yan State, and he shook his head and laughed.

"There really is such a prodigy in this world, who is good at everything."

Zhao Wangdan smiled and waved his hands. "Lord Lian, there is more to it than that. Dance!"

Several beauties came in gracefully, dancing around the independent copper pipes in the palace, unbuttoning their belts and clothes to the sound of stringed instruments.

Every time the scented gauze dress was thrown into the air, it would cause a burst of cheers and applause.

The old generals who are still strong on the battlefield shout the loudest and the old birds stand the highest.

He ate fried dishes and drank fine wine with big gulps, enjoying the peak moment of his life.

He saved the State of Zhao and he was a hero of the State of Zhao. He deserved all these.

The veteran thought so and did so.

Indulge yourself and have fun.

He was drunk, but he didn't think he was drunk.

When the banquet was in full swing, King Dan of Zhao personally came down from the platform and toasted the old general with a cup of wine.

Then he looked at the drunk man with sober eyes and asked the red-faced veteran:

"Lord Lian, where is my prime minister? Didn't that boy come back with you?"

Lian Po burped, but didn't stand up. He just sat in the chair and laughed.

"That brat is still in Yan State!

"But the people didn't come back, but the printing came back."

The old general smacked his lips and rummaged around on his body, patting it with his big hands.

The search took a little while, and Zhao Wangdan just stood there waiting with a smile on his face.

Finally, the old general touched the golden seal and a happy smile appeared on his face.

He held the seal of the prime minister of Zhao State, grabbed one of Zhao Wangdan's hands, and slapped it hard with a "pia" sound.

"Your Majesty, look, this is it."

Zhao Wangdan's expression remained unchanged, still looking happy, but the gloom in his heart was rapidly growing.

Before the banquet began, Le Cheng asked to see him privately, and the two were alone for less than a moment.

Le Cheng knew that the banquet was approaching and he didn't have much time left.

So he said without a word,

"Lian Po defeated Yan and returned with this great message.

"The people of Zhao knew Lian Po but not the king. Yan treated Lian Po with the courtesy it gave to other princes.

"When we came back, Xiangbang wanted to come back with us, but Lian Po wouldn't let him.

"Lian Po said to the prime minister: "How can a prince of Qin be the prime minister of Zhao? The prime minister of Zhao should be a man of Zhao who has made great contributions like Lian Po."

"The Prime Minister thought about it carefully and felt ashamed of himself.

"Lian Po is right. His contribution to Zhao is indeed not as good as Lian Po's. He has no face to return to see my king and continue to serve as the prime minister of Zhao. Please ask Lian Po to come back and resign from his post to my king on his behalf.

"Take off the seal of the Prime Minister and have Lian Po bring it back.

“I know my contribution is not as great as Lian Po’s, and I am a mean person for talking behind his back, but I really can’t just sit back and watch all this.

“Your Majesty, if you don’t believe me, please don’t ask me directly. Lian Po will definitely not admit it for the sake of his reputation.

"Your Majesty, wait until he is drunk, then ask him where his prime minister is, and then proceed step by step to ask him what his prime minister said!
"Your Majesty, do you still remember receiving the reports of defeating the enemy twice in Daidi?
"This battle report should have been reported to the general, but you took the initiative to report it directly to my king. It's not that you don't know the rules.

"It was because Lian Po was trying to eliminate dissidents and kill Cheng to claim credit for his achievements. After Cheng's death, he said that it was he who defeated the Yan army in Dai.

"You have no choice but to save yourself!

“Also, our army is approaching Jixia. It is obvious that we can destroy Yan, but Lian Po refuses to allow it and only wants five cities. Cheng is very confused.

"I don't know whether this is the king's intention or Lian Po's intention. What a pity..."

Zhao Wangdan held the seal tighter and tighter until his hand hurt.

He raised his fist and showed it to the civil and military officials and royal family of Zhao.

“This is really strange.

"This bastard asked for the Prime Minister's seal himself, and then voluntarily returned it. Is this a true gentleman?
"This makes me feel guilty for only giving him the title of general but not giving him the tiger talisman."

Everyone in the palace laughed.

Shang Qing Lou Chang said with a smile:

“It’s not the king’s fault.

"Except for the border troops, our Zhao State has no other troops. The 130,000 troops are all in the hands of Lord Lian. Where can we find troops for this brat?"

Zhao Cong, a young general of the State of Zhao who came from a royal family, also laughed and raised his cup to pay tribute to Lian Po from afar.

"If we really need another four or five thousand soldiers, we'll put them under Lord Lian's command! And we'll get one or two more cities from the State of Yan! Hahahaha!"

Zhou Yu was once a retainer of Pingyuan Jun Zhao Sheng, and was recommended by Zhao Sheng to become the Chief Justice of Zhao State.

He staggered to his feet and exhaled the alcohol:
"That bastard killed Lord Pingyuan, he shouldn't have been the prime minister!

"Not coming back is just right! You still have some sense of shame!

"In my opinion, the position of Prime Minister must belong to Lord Lian!"

More and more people are talking.

The King of Zhao felt more and more gloomy.

The king had a bright smile on his face as he watched his ministers flatter Lian Po, offer him wine, commend him for his achievements, and criticize Ying Chengjiao.

Lian Po's old and powerful laughter echoed in his ears, passing through his eardrums and shaking his whole body, making his blood surge.

His uncle, Zhao Sheng, the Lord of Pingyuan, had never been so glorious during his lifetime... He completely suppressed him, the King of Zhao!
[With such power, if you want to replace me... you can probably do it without bloodshed...]
Zhao Wangdan tried hard to suppress the murderous intent in his heart.

He is the King of Zhao, not the King of Qin.

King Zhaoxiang of Qin killed Bai Qi but Qin did not fall into chaos. This was because Qin had centralized power since Shang Yang's reforms, and the power of the Qin king was the highest among all the countries.

If Zhao Dan killed Lian Po, who had made such great contributions, he would immediately be deserted by his friends and relatives, and even his uncle, Pingyang Jun Zhao Bao, would not stand on his side.

King Dan of Zhao forced himself to remain rational, not to believe Le Cheng's one-sided words, and not to actively suspect a meritorious minister.

He placed the golden seal in his hand on the table in front of Lian Po, and there was a clang sound.

In front of all the superiors of Zhao State, King Dan of Zhao asked the old general with a smile:

"That fellow is the most talkative. When he gave the seal of prime minister to Lord Lian, he must have complained a lot."

Amid the crowd's laughter again, the triumphant veteran laughed the loudest.

"really!
"That guy said that his contribution was not as great as mine, and that he couldn't continue to be the prime minister if he came back with me. I would definitely snatch him away, so it would be better for him to stay in Yan State and continue to be the prime minister.

"We are both generals of the State of Zhao, but why do I have the troops to defeat Yan, while he has none..."

The old man continued speaking, imitating the plaintive tone of Qin Master Cheng Jiao. The atmosphere in Changle Palace became increasingly better, one wave higher than the other.

Only Zhao Wangdan felt disappointed.

What Lian Po said is in harmony with what Le Cheng said.

almost.

Can match.

When the old general said that he had defeated Yan's army but Ying Chengjiao had no soldiers at all, this automatically formed a picture in King Dan of Zhao's mind.

Lian Po, fully armed and armed, removed him from the throne and replaced him with a young-looking prince of Zhao.

Mutiny is an old tradition of the State of Zhao.

King Wuling of Zhao, a great and brave man, died just like that.

Yan State, Ji.

The posthouse is the main room of the courtyard where Ying Chengjiao lived.

Ying Chengjiao took small sips of the sobering soup sent by the King of Yan.

After listening to his apprentice's narration, Bai Wuxia was stunned and felt a chill in his heart.

"When you wanted the general of Zhao, did you intend to murder Lian Po?

"When you were lying in Lian Po's arms, were you thinking about killing him?"

Ying Chengjiao drank the soup mouthful by mouthful with an indifferent expression.

"He has made such great contributions, he won't die."

(End of this chapter)