socalfunplaces Chapter 368 Prelude to the Destruction of Zhao
Chapter 368 Prelude to the Destruction of Zhao
The next day.
Handan, the Palace of the King of Zhao.
Zhao Qian received a letter from Lord Chunping.
The letter from Lord Chunping stated that Li Mu was seriously injured and his whereabouts were unknown, and that Sima Shang had been killed for plotting a rebellion.
"My beauty, do you think Li Mu would betray his country?"
After reading it, Zhao Qian pinched the chin of the girl in his arms and asked.
"This servant does not know."
The girl shook her head.
Although her looks were not as stunning as Nongyu's, she was still one in a hundred.
Why has Guo Kai been consistently given important responsibilities?
This is one of the reasons.
These women were all found for Zhao Qian by Guo Kai from all over the country.
"I believe he will not."
He wouldn't do something that would leave him with a lasting stain on his reputation.
Zhao Qian smiled broadly.
Then he grasped the girl's slender waist.
……
Seven days later.
Lord Chunping concurrently served as Grand General, fully responsible for defending against the enemy.
Zhao Cong recommended Yan Ju to join him in resisting the tyrannical Qin dynasty.
Chunping readily agreed.
After Yan Ju arrived at the front line, he suggested that the troops be divided into two groups to form a pincer movement, so that the Qin army would not have to worry about attacking anyone.
"good idea!"
"With General Yan by my side, what worries do I have about not being able to repel the enemy?"
Chunping Jun was overjoyed.
Clearly, Yan Ju was a better strategist than Zhao Cong.
Zhao Cong's success today is largely due to his surname.
Yan Ju humbly stated that he would do his best, but he dared not say whether he could repel the enemy, since Li Mu had also failed to do so.
That very night, Yan Ju personally led 20,000 elite troops to a city less than a hundred miles away.
"Brother Zhao."
"Defend the city, and the enemy will retreat on their own."
"If I'm not mistaken, once the enemy learns that General Li Mu has left, they will most likely try to provoke you. You must not leave the city."
Yan Ju looked very serious.
He had no personal grudge against Li Mu.
Moreover, he greatly admired Li Mu, after all, Li Mu's achievements in the north were undeniable.
"Brother Yan, do you think I'm ignorant of military strategy?"
Zhao Cong looked displeased.
He is a member of the royal family, and besides Lord Chunping, he is second only to him in the army. Why would you, Yan Jujiao, need to teach him how to do things?
"No."
"Brother Zhao has misunderstood."
"The Qin army is cunning and must be guarded against."
Yan Ju quickly waved his hand.
Sima Shang was already dead, and he had no intention of being Zhao Cong's enemy.
"How could I not know that the tyrannical Qin dynasty was as cunning as a wolf?"
Zhao Cong looked disdainful.
Isn't it just about defending the city?
What's so difficult about that?
Seeing Zhao Cong's arrogant attitude, Yan Ju had a bad feeling, but he didn't say anything.
A god-like opponent is certainly terrifying, but a pig-like teammate is even more terrifying!
……
Three days later.
After confirming that Sima Shang was dead, Li Mu had fled, and that Zhao Cong was now the main general of the Zhao army, Wang Jian handed over the task of attacking the city to Wang Ben.
"Ben'er, spread the word that I am sick, very sick."
"He needs to return to Xianyang immediately for treatment."
Wang Jian said solemnly.
Without Li Mu and Sima Shang, the Zhao army is doomed to defeat!
He wants to wipe out the Zhao state in one fell swoop!
This was the first time Wang Jian called Wang Ben "Ben'er" in the army, which shows how happy he was.
If Zhao Jun hadn't changed his general, the outcome would have been very uncertain.
Even if they win, it will most likely be a Pyrrhic victory.
"it is good!"
Wang Ben understood immediately.
Before Wang Jian left, he gave Zhao Jun's spies the opportunity to visit Wang Jian.
Several years ago, Zhao Bao defected to the Zhao state, having been recruited by Zhao Cong.
Although Zhao Cong was not good at military strategy, he was very good at winning people's hearts.
Over the years, he had secretly given Zhao Bao countless sums of money and beautiful women, but he had never allowed Zhao Bao to do anything to betray the Qin state, all for the sake of today.
Zhao Bao is now a centurion, and his position in the Qin army is not low.
Upon learning that Zhao Bao was requesting an audience, Wang Jian raised his thick eyebrows slightly, then put down the military treatise in his hand and ordered his men to remove all the books from the tent.
"General."
How did you suddenly fall ill?
"This is medicine that I had someone buy for me; it can cure all diseases."
Zhao Bao feigned sincerity.
"I'm getting old."
"It's already at its last gasp." "The future of my Great Qin belongs to you."
Wang Jian answered while coughing.
He acted as if he were on his deathbed, as if he could die at any moment.
Seeing this, Wang Ben brought over the tea, but Wang Jian deliberately didn't hold it properly, spilling it all over himself.
Zhao Bao was overjoyed when he saw this.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, he left the tent.
Wang Jian immediately regained his vigorous and energetic demeanor and returned to Xianyang by carriage.
If you're going to put on a show, you have to go all the way.
……
The next day.
Zhao Cong received Zhao Bao's letter.
Wang Jian is nearing the end of his life and has secretly returned to Xianyang for medical treatment.
"it is good!"
Zhao Cong and Chunping Jun couldn't help but clap their hands in delight.
Lord Chunping asked if it was possible to take advantage of the enemy's illness to kill them and launch a counterattack against the Qin army, but Zhao Cong waved his hand and said no.
Who knows if Wang Jian was just acting?
Even if he was truly ill, he wouldn't lose by defending the city, but launching a counterattack against the Qin army would be very risky.
Lord Chunping didn't care about this. He was only the Grand General in name. How to actually defend against the enemy was a matter for Zhao Cong and Yan Ju.
……
Ten days later.
Wang Jian entered Xianyang.
Then they changed carriages and returned to the State of Zhao.
Wang Ben smiled broadly when he saw that Zhao Cong dared not leave the city.
He really underestimated Zhao Cong.
But it's not a big problem; he can still use reverse psychology.
So he had someone send Zhao Cong a woman's dress.
The shouts outside the city were deafening, ranging from Zhao Yan to Zhao Qian, from the Empress to Lord Chunping.
Although Zhao Cong felt annoyed, he was still able to hold back, but Chunping Jun could not.
Because it was said outside the city that he was having an affair with the Queen and wanted to do what Lü Buwei of Qin did, and that he was Zhao Qian's adoptive father.
If this matter were to reach Zhao Qian's ears, it would cause a lot of trouble.
Although he has not yet been granted the title of "Queen," he has recently been frequently visiting her residence, raising suspicions of impropriety.
Thinking of this, Chunping Jun went to Zhao Cong's residence with righteous indignation.
"My lord, what brings you here?"
Zhao Cong asked.
Are you deaf?
Lord Chunping angrily questioned him.
"I am not, but this is clearly a provocation tactic by the enemy."
"Therefore, Your Excellency only needs to pretend you didn't hear it."
Zhao Cong suggested.
Chunping Jun's face darkened upon hearing this. He wanted to pretend he hadn't heard it, but he was afraid that Zhao Qian would hear it!
What will the person who initiated this think when they hear it?
"A subject who humiliates his lord shall die!"
"I heard that Wang Jian's son also gave you a woman's dress."
"If you can endure it, why don't you just put on that woman's dress?"
Chunping-jun said irritably.
"If it can repel the enemy, I am willing to wear it."
Zhao Cong said.
He has one advantage: the more anxious others are, the calmer he becomes.
The calmer others are, the more anxious he becomes.
So he's not flustered at all right now.
Lord Chunping saw that Zhao Cong was as stubborn and unyielding as a rock in a latrine, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence even after pointing at Zhao Cong's nose for a long time.
Out of sight, out of mind, Lord Chunping returned directly to Handan.
Without his intervention in Handan, the insults and curses hurled by the Qin army at the front lines could easily reach the ears of Zhao Qian and the Queen.
……
Several months later.
Winter goes and spring comes.
No matter what, Zhao Cong refused to leave the city, and the Qin army really couldn't do anything about him.
Left with no other option, Wang Jian had to place his hopes on Guo Kai once again.
Xu Lin then sneaked into the queen's residence once again.
Before meeting the chieftain, Xu Lin found Li Mu, but Li Mu was unwilling to defect or help Zhao Qian.
Seeing that Li Mu was determined, Xu Lin sighed helplessly.
This matter can only be planned after the Zhao state is destroyed.
"The front lines are saying that I have an affair with Lord Chunping?"
"After the late king's death, I have remained chaste and have never had an affair with anyone."
Upon hearing the insults hurled by the Qin army at the front, the Queen was so enraged that her eyebrows shot up.
Then he dismissed the people around him.
After the maids had gone far away, Xu Lin slowly walked out of the shadows toward the Empress.
"When was the last time the Empress Dowager had a erotic dream?"
"Am I the male protagonist of that scandalous dream?"
Xu Lin asked with a smile. (End of Chapter)