Chapter 482: You even gave up the throne, why don’t you talk about the food and fodder?
Ying Chengjiao rubbed his cheeks with both hands and frowned.
Ying Ji looked at his great-grandson intently, and saw that he did not show any intention of speaking for a long while.
"No need to talk too much. I am hungry. Do you have any food or wine?"
Ying Chengjiao's eyes emerged from between his palms and fingers, and he looked at his grandfather in surprise.
How could the grandfather who had just criticized him, the king who claimed to be unruly, beg for wine and food in the court?
Before he could figure out the idea, his voice had already been shouted out.
"Come here, bring two pots of mutton and a pot of strong liquor!"
Mutton and strong liquor were King Zhaoxiang of Qin's favorite foods, and Ying Chengjiao never forgot them even after twenty years.
"only!"
I don’t know who answered the call, but judging from the voice, he was right beside me, but I didn’t see anyone.
Ying Chengjiao was not thinking about this at the moment, nor was he concerned about who it was or the difference between "Nuo" and "Wei".
"I wonder why I drink and eat meat in the hall? The laws of the Qin Dynasty were made by me to better rule the officials and the people, not to restrict myself."
Yingji's gaze was deep, as if he could see through the skin, flesh and bones and see deep into his great-grandson's heart.
"Grandfather also learned Chu witchcraft? Has he been able to communicate with others' minds?"
Ying Chengjiao learned from the Chu concubine Mi Chu that there were many kinds of witchcraft in the Chu State, and one of them could reach people's hearts if practiced to perfection.
Yingji sneered and looked down on him.
"Why should I learn that? The Chu State advocates witchcraft, and the king's power is not as good as the witch's power. It is stupid to ignore the main thing and pursue the trivial. If you like witchcraft, you can play with it, but you must not take it seriously."
Ying Chengjiao raised his head slightly and smiled reservedly.
"Grandfather, do you know that I have unified the Xiongnu territory and fought all the way from Jiuyuan to Langjuxu Mountain. I was not confused by the yellow sand and grassland that did not change along the way. This was all thanks to witchcraft. Do you still think that witchcraft is not important?"
Yingji thought without hesitation.
"Of course it's not important. Witchcraft is not worthy of the word Tao, which has already explained everything. It's just like the magic of immortals, Yin-Yang magic, and martial arts. It's just to scare the mortal masters and to make one person full and not starve to death. If you pin your hopes on this to dominate the world, oh, if it really works, why is it that my Great Qin has unified the world today?"
King Zhaoxiang of Qin opened his arms, closed his eyes slightly, and said in a slightly intoxicated tone:
"The world is finally in my arms."
The lifelong ambition of the Qin emperors was to break the blockade of the six states in Shandong, go east through Hangu Pass, and unify the world!
Ying Chengjiao raised the corners of his mouth. He found his grandfather a little funny, as if he was watching a drama performance. He thought the performance was really exaggerated.
Ying Chengjiao, who was reborn with his memories, had long known that the Qin State would unify the world.
He had already formed his own worldview and was unable to understand the firm belief that the old Qin people had rooted in their hearts.
Apart from him, the First Emperor, who conquered the six kingdoms in battle, was actually not sure at the beginning that he could really fulfill the lifelong wish of the Qin kings of all generations and unify the country by marching eastward.
From the time when Duke Xiao of Qin appointed Shang Yang to carry out reforms and strengthen the country, to the time when King Huiwen of Qin conquered Ba and occupied Shu, they established a fertile land for grain and fodder.
At this time, the Qin State already had the foundation to unify the world. By the time King Zhaoxiang of Qin employed Bai Qi and fought the Battle of Changping to break the backbone of the Zhao State , the Qin State's power had reached its peak.
If it hadn't been for a series of stupid moves later, such as the retreat at Changping, the advance at Handan, and the killing of Bai Qi... Qin would have unified the world by then.
Of course, this is the situation that later generations see from a God's perspective. When King Zhaoxiang of Qin was in power, two choices were placed before the King of Qin, and the road ahead was actually hazy.
Until the results come out, no one knows whether it is right or wrong.
Just like the conclusion that the Battle of Handan cut off the Qin State's way to the east, if Wang Qi was ordered by King Zhaoxiang of Qin to attack Handan, and Wei Wuji failed to steal the seal, and the 80,000 elite troops did not arrive in Handan to rescue Zhao, this would have been the decisive battle for Qin State to regain the throne.
History is a patchwork of choices and coincidences.
It is unfair to judge a hero only by his success or failure.
King Zhaoxiang of Qin, who reigned for fifty-six years and had tried in vain to unify the country by marching eastward, finally saw the whole world become Qin territory.
The First Emperor Ying Zheng could understand this feeling and would be excited, but Ying Chengjiao...
"Grandfather, the wine and meat have arrived. It's best to eat them while they're hot."
Yingji, whose relationship was interrupted, sighed regretfully, but he was reluctant to even give a dissatisfied look to his great-grandson whom he had always doted on.
He picked up a pot of mutton that seemed to appear out of thin air on the table, his eyes showing joy and nostalgia. He used his mouth and nose to take a deep breath from the steaming small pot and exhaled with satisfaction.
Ying Chengjiao personally poured a bottle of wine for his grandfather and asked questions in confusion.
"Grandfather, if you are hungry, why don't you eat? You can't eat meat without wine."
Yingji took the wine jar, took a deep breath before his mouth and nose, his face flushed, and he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"What a strong liquor! Is it you, a little kid, who made it? You always use your smart brain for useless things!"
Putting down the wine and meat, Yingji sat upright and patted his belly gently.
"I am full, so let's stop talking nonsense. I have given you so much time, have you thought about how to respond?"
Ying Chengjiao looked at the untouched mutton and wine on the long table, wondering what his grandfather was keeping in suspense.
But this delay also allowed him to figure out one thing.
His grandfather was still the same grandfather who doted on him. The ferocity he showed was another form of comfort. He didn't have to insist on giving the correct answer. He could just ask his grandfather for advice.
"Gui Guzi once told me a few prophecies, one of which was 'Chu has three surnames, and the Qin will be destroyed by Chu.' I didn't know who these three surnames refer to at first, but I understand it now.
"Zhang Chu, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang in Han have already started an uprising.
“The Second Red Emperor, Liu Bang, a native of Chu who was born in Pei County, is now my guest.
"The Three Chus, Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu, uncle and nephew, are ready to make a move between Qi and Chu.
“I kept Chen Sheng and Wu Guang’s Zhang Chu.
"One is to disperse the Xiang clan's appeal to the Chu State. If the same Chu is used, then if Chen's support increases, Xiang's support will decrease.
"Second is"
Halfway through his words, he saw his grandfather stretch out a hand and press down slightly. Ying Chengjiao knew that this meant to pause, so he stopped talking.
"From your words, I can tell that you are wary of Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu, uncle and nephew. Why is that?"
"Xiang Liang is nothing to think about, but Xiang Yu..."
Ying Chengjiao hesitated for a while, glanced at his grandfather who was waiting patiently without any impatience, made up his mind, and said in a deep voice:
"Cheng Jiao can see through the future. He should have been a baby at this moment, but for some reason he was born a dozen years earlier. He was originally the one who destroyed the Qin Dynasty! He was born with double pupils, and his bravery is unparalleled in the history!"
There are three surnames in Chu, and Chu will be the one to destroy Qin.
Ying Chengjiao could never comprehend these eight words, partly because in his memory, Xiang Yu had just been born at that time and was still in the babbling stage.
Ying Ji nodded thoughtfully and muttered the word "double pupils", but did not pick up his words about being able to see through the future as Ying Chengjiao worried.
His grandfather seemed to have no doubts about his absurd words and chose to believe them directly, just as he had always done.
"You keep saying 'two'."
Ying Chengjiao rubbed his eyes and tears started to well up again.
“Second, I want to use Chen Sheng and Wu Guang as bait to catch all the big fish hiding under the murky water!
"I want them to underestimate Qin. I want them to think that without my brother, Qin will be destroyed and even the nearest land of Han will not be able to be defended!"
King Zhaoxiang of Qin raised his eyebrows, his face showing strange colors.
"oh?"
Ying Chengjiao held his grandfather's hand.
"The remnants of the six kingdoms always think that our Great Qin Empire is strong because of my brother, the King of Qin, as if the six kingdoms were destroyed by my brother alone.
"When my brother was in power, they were oppressed to the point of suffocation. They could only hide their heads in the mud and ditch, barely surviving. They could only use banditry as a cover and did not dare to openly express their rebellion.
"The emperor is gone, and they don't know what's true or false, so they keep testing the truth and kick out Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, two scapegoats who lack background.
"Okay, then I will do as they wish and give them the news they want. I will announce to the world that my brother has passed away soon and succeed him as the Second Emperor of Qin. I want them all to know that my brother is dead!
"When they are so happy that they cannot control themselves and raise their flags to attack Qin, we will kill them all in one fell swoop! Although I don't like to start a war, since things have come to this point, I will take the lead.
"The remnants of the six nations have already revived their hearts. Even if my brother shows up, it will be difficult for them to remain silent. War is inevitable. My brother destroyed their nation once, and this time I will destroy all of them!"
Yingji's eyes were shining.
"My son, Qie'er, has finally grown up. Although the idea is good, can you be sure of implementing it?
"Ying Zheng destroyed the six kingdoms one by one, but this time you have to fight against six alone.
"If only Zhao was there when I attacked Handan, I would have taken it. But when Zhao, Wei, and Chu joined forces, I lost 200,000 soldiers.
"The troops of the Three Kingdoms were like this, so what about the troops of the Six Kingdoms? If I were in power now, I would only want to avoid their sharp edge, defend Hangu Pass, wait for the opportunity, and defeat them one by one.
"It's exciting to root out the problem, but be careful, or you'll get burned if you play with fire."
Yingji held a wine jar filled with strong liquor and placed it in the east.
"Tian Dan of Qi has risen to power and has won the hearts of the people. The people of Qi respect and love him. Five thousand soldiers can be recruited in one or two days. If he finds another thousand fire bulls, he can recover the seventy-two cities.
"There is also Zhang Liang here who is determined to restore the Kingdom of Han. Although the Kingdom of Han is under your control, who knows whether the back-up plan left by the Zhang family, which has been operating in the Kingdom for 200 years, can arouse the heart of Han?"
Then move a small pot filled with mutton to the north.
"Yan State has the longest heritage. Since the first monarch, Duke Zhao Shi, the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou, Ji Fa, took the title of 'Duke', the lineage has continued for more than 600 years.
"The Yan State has a long history and its people are tough, but the kings are all willing to rest on their laurels, reminisce about the past, and not think about the future, and are obsessed with defending a corner of the north.
"When Yan was still around, we wouldn't have to worry about it, but now Yan has been destroyed. After it was destroyed, it was rebuilt. After it was destroyed, it sought change. Given the nature of the people in Yan, they might be able to produce another Yue Yi under these circumstances."
The wine jug is placed below the small tripod, and the second small tripod is placed side by side with the wine jug.
"Since the separation of Zhao and Wei from Jin, they were both powerful countries in the world. Their military strength is so strong that I don't need to waste my words. The two countries are also like Yan, and their demise is due to their kings.
"In the royal family of Zhao, fathers and sons killed each other, brothers quarreled with each other, they valued martial arts and learned barbarism but forgot etiquette, so that the ministers no longer regarded the king as a king or a father, and they not only did not feel guilty about deceiving and cheating, but were proud of it.
"Since Wei Wenhou, the kings of Wei have been blind. They are ingrained with the idea of not knowing how to judge people. Shang Yang, Zhang Yi, and Wei Wuji were all talented people, but they were all suspected. The destruction of Wei was God's will.
"But the times are different now. Zhao and Wei were destroyed once, and the rulers who controlled the two countries are no longer around. In the past, Ying Zheng massacred Zhao, and you refused to allow the nobles of Wei to enter Han.
"The two countries are attacking Qin with hatred in their hearts. Their momentum is like a raging fire. Can you stop them?"
Ying Chengjiao picked up the wine jar and handed it to his grandfather.
"After all this talk, Grandfather, are you thirsty? Drink this bottle and listen to what Cheng Jiao has to say."
King Zhaoxiang of Qin refused to take it and waved it away.
"You have a bad memory, kid. You saw me drink the whole bottle and pass it to you."
Pick up the wine jug placed in the middle, representing the State of Zhao.
King Zhaoxiang of Qin opened the lid of the pot, took a deep breath, and his face showed an intoxicated look.
"It's really good wine, you said so."
Ying Chengjiao looked at the bronze wine jar filled with strong liquor in his hand. He shook it gently, and the wine flowed out and almost overflowed from the jar.
This is clearly full? Why did grandpa say it was empty? Are you kidding me?
He picked up the bottle, put the bottle into his mouth, and drank it all in one gulp. The hot wine filled his entire mouth.
He wiped his mouth, discarded the little doubt about the empty bottle, and said with a smile:
"Grandfather was right. Having lost his country and suffered extreme humiliation, Cheng Jiao was really troubled by the rebellion of those who were determined and willing to sacrifice their lives for the restoration of their homeland. He didn't know what to do.
“But the remnants of the six kingdoms that are now in rebellion are nothing but a group of self-interested gnats who claim to miss their homeland, but in reality they are just loath to miss their past glory, wealth, and power. Do they deserve it?
"They still think that the world belongs to the nobles, and that Qin is a barbarian country in the northwest that got lucky.
"They thought they could bring the power of the orthodox Chinese to deal a head-on blow to the Qin State. They thought they could take advantage of the astronomical phenomenon of Mars guarding the heart and destroy our Great Qin. They thought that our Qin State would be in chaos after losing the emperor brother and would not be able to defeat them.
"Oh, I, Ying Chengjiao, have been scolded for ten years without saying a word, do you really think I'm a scoundrel who only plays with women in the brothel?
"After I took control of Han, the iron mines in Han were mined day and night. I don't even know how many weapons and equipment I can produce today. Even if my Qin army is full of armor, they can't even break through our defense.
"Since my grandfather gave me power, I have built water conservancy projects, focused on farming, and gathered the efforts of hundreds of schools such as Mo, Nong, and Yin-Yang to develop logistics. Now in the treasuries of Ba and Shu, the ropes for stringing money have all rotted, and the granaries are full.
“We are inferior in soldiers, weapons and equipment, and food supplies. Grandfather, how do you think they can defeat me?
"My brother, the emperor, was conquering the six kingdoms and received donations from Ba Qing. He thought that the food and grass donated by Ba Qing belonged to Ba and Shu, so he was so moved that he conferred the title of a chaste woman on her.
“If he knew that Ba Qing’s donation was only 20% of the grain and grass for Ba and Shu, I wonder what his expression would be. It’s funny just thinking about it, hahahaha.”
Yingji's face was already flushed with alcohol, and the blush was very obvious. He chuckled and put down the wine jug.
"You even gave up the throne, why don't you give up the food and fodder?"
Ying Chengjiao curled his lips.
"He only wanted to expand the territory and achieve eternal achievements, without caring about the people's strength. From the fact that he faked his death to encourage the remnants of the six kingdoms to rebel, we can see what kind of person he is. If it weren't for the food and grass that restricted him, the Qin army would have already conquered the Xiongnu in the north and the Baiyue in the south."
