Spring and Autumn I Am King

The mountain road shrunk to the extent that it could barely accommodate a carriage, and fortifications appeared in front. Two watchtowers, like pine trees on Mount Tai, were clinging to the rock wall.

This is the only way to go from Qufu to Yunyi. Yunyi is the main city of the Meng clan and the fortress of Beibei in the state of Lu. It has resisted the Qi people for a hundred years and has never fallen. It is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it will take a lot of time to take human lives.

But when Zigong came this time, he had to capture it, not with armor and swords, but with tongues...

Continue to go up, the long battlement building appears at the end of the road, this is just an outpost level. Silent faces watched the approacher from the archery holes in the wall and between the battlements, and informed the rear. When he arrived at the pass, a scholar came to greet him with a cold face. He took off his dark clothes and wide sleeves, put on armor, and clenched his hand tightly on the hilt of the sword.

"Zigong, in this cold winter and twelfth lunar month, you will be in Tao for a while, Fei for a while, and Qufu and Yuyi for a while. It's really far from home."

Zifuhe stood on the wall, with ridicule in his words. He had always been on good terms with Zigong, but now they are their own masters.

"Isn't that the case with Zifuzi?"

"My home is here, in Yuyi! As long as there are loyal and brave people like us, Zhao Wuxi will never want to step into the north!"

"Hundreds of rivers have different paths, but they all return to the sea. The roots of the Zifu family are in the Meng family, and the Meng family's roots are in Qufu, and so are the ministers of Lu." Zigong raised his head and told him, "The Meng family and the Zifuzi are in Qufu. The family members have been properly placed by the general, so don’t worry about it.”

"Are you threatening me?"

"If the threat can eliminate the war, I am willing to do it. I have a mission. Can I discuss the old things later? Can you let me in?"

Zifu He was silent for a while, then said coldly, "Open the door and let him in."

The canyon stretched before them, sheltered from east and west by mountains, after passing the last pass. The road began to meander upwards until it reached Yunyi, a few miles away. Looking up from here, the mountains are close at hand, and Zigong seems to be within reach. He bowed to Tai Dai from afar.

Seeing him stop, Zifu He leaned over and pointed to him. "Yu Yi blocked Taidai in the north. After being run by the Meng family for 100 years, it has been extremely strong. The Qi people have always wanted to go south, but countless monarchs have been replaced. Countless soldiers and horses were killed here, but they were still unable to conquer this city. Zhao Wuxi Also!"

"There is no invincible city in this world, and many of them collapse from within." Zigong smiled: "I don't think the Meng family is monolithic."

Zifu He's face stiffened, and he began to talk about him: "Is Zigong here to be a lobbyist? I heard that you persuaded Gongshan not to rebel for Zhao Wuxi, but then he turned his back on him. Shan clan, your lord is a man full of ambition and cannot be trusted. The reason why Confucius' government failed is entirely his fault, Zigong. Have you forgotten the master's ambition?"

"Wei, I didn't dare to forget it, but Zifuzi said it wrong. On that day, Gongshan did not besiege the monarch and committed the crime of treason. If Zhao Bing hadn't arrived in time, I, Master, and Zilu would all have died under the command of Wuzi. Although the Qufu court changed people, the general did not rashly abandon the matter of falling into the four capitals. He respected the emperor. , I do things that I agree with, but the means are not the same, the gentleman is different.

Zifu He had nothing to say, so he was sulking and took Zigong to continue walking. When we arrived in Yunyi, the sky was already dark, the torches on the battlements were bright, and the crescent moon danced on the pitch-black water of the moat stream. The drawbridge has been raised. The iron gate had also been lowered, but Zigong could see the fire inside the gate tower.

There were a lot of armored and soldiers in Yunyi, and the food trucks passed by one after another, but Zigong knew that this was because Mengshi deliberately pulled it out to move around after learning that he was coming. Through this false momentum, he could see that the atmosphere in Yunyi was oppressive, which had something to do with the continuous failures outside: The Meng family had been huddled in Beibi for more than a month, and Jigong Lianyang was sacked by Gongshan Buju. After the defeat, the Meng family suffered again from Ran Qiu, who was marching here from Xuju.

"The general is building up momentum for me and putting constant pressure on the Meng family." Zigong knew in his heart that it was impossible to capture Yunyi before the beginning of spring, so he was sent on this mission.

Just as he followed Zifu He into the Meng family's mansion in Yunyi, he caught a glimpse of Mengsun Heji sitting in the middle of the hall with a sullen face, and his younger brother Mengsun said (Nangong Jingshu) was on the side, when he heard the Meng family's patriarch slap heavily A few cases.

"Duanmuci, you still dare to come here, are you a lobbyist for Zhao Wuxi?"

Before Zigong could speak, Mengsun Heji gave an order, and after that, dozens of soldiers poured into the hall, holding swords and soldiers to surround Zigong.

"Take this person quickly, and let him use rhetoric to divide people's hearts!"

...

Facing the shining sword that was so close at hand, Zigong was not afraid, but suddenly burst out laughing.

The hearty laughter spread throughout the halls of Shusun's family, making Mengsun Heji feel guilty.

"Why are you laughing?"

"I laugh at the fact that Da Sikong had to turn away the last chance when the Meng family was dead."

"Ridiculous!" Mengsun He Ji forced his composure and looked at Zi Gong coldly, "Although Zhao Wuxi captured Qufu, the entire Beibei is still in the hands of the Meng clan. My Meng clan holds 5,000 halberds and nearly ten cities and towns. Both of them are strong cities with Taidai backed, and the huge Qi state has not been conquered for a hundred years. How can Zhao's son, He De He Neng, be able to destroy the Meng family?"

Zigong gently pushed aside a spear that had come close to his neck, and said, "Without him, there is only one reason..." He glanced around and asked, "How dare you ask about the mourning hall of Lianyang, the chief minister of the Meng family. where?"

"You, how did you know it!" Mengsun Heji was shocked, his bravado didn't work, but Zigong could see through it at a glance? Or are there spies inside?

He glanced at Zifu He anxiously. This small doctor has a good relationship with Confucius and Zhao Wuxi. Could it be that he told Zigong?

Zifu knew that he was suspicious, so he could only sigh and step aside to show his innocence.

In the collapse on the east bank of Jishui, Meng's soldiers were the most well-organized, and they were basically brought back to Yunyi by Quanxu Quanwei. After the Ji's and Gongshan's failures, they became Lu The only force in the country capable of fighting Zhao Wuxi.

However, the enterprising Gong Lianyang broke his halberd at Yangtong Rong in Heyi, and was then attacked by Xujuran Qiu. Gong Lianyang was also injured in the army and died shortly after returning to Heyi. Mengsun He Jida Fear, can only retreat back to the teacher.

Zigong came to Yunyi to negotiate peace on behalf of Zhao Wuxi. Meng Sun He Ji just wanted to make the Meng family look stronger and win more things at the negotiating table.

But Zigong hit the nail on the head, which made Mengsun Heji, who was just like an inflatable puffer fish, wilt all of a sudden.

Seeing Mengsun Heji's face, Zigong knew that he had made the right bet. He lamented: "I came here this time because of the command of the general, to pay tribute to the public servant of the family. It's a pity that we chased Yanghu together. I worked hard in Qufu City, but I didn't expect that there would be swords and soldiers facing each other. one day."

Gong Lianyang is the mainstay of the Meng clan. The Meng clan brothers were able to maintain their strength in the face of the mighty Yanghu, and became the most centralized imperial clan in the interior. This man was a big contributor. His death made the Meng clan feel that the sky was about to fall. . Without Gong Lianyang's decision, Mengsun He Ji, Mengsun said, and Zifu He is also fighting or surrendering for the Meng family. Confused about what to do.

Zigong took the opportunity to enter and said: "Now the general has been ordered by the monarch to be the minister, and he has been entrusted by the public office to beg the ministers. Xibi, Qufu, and Dongdi have all surrendered, and they are four parts of the state of Lu and three of them. The people of Beibi are only ten Yu Wan, the soldiers have been defeated continuously, morale is low, and the bandits are also wandering on the front line of Mount Tai. When the spring is warm and the ice melts, will Da Situ still have the confidence to hold on? It is better to reconcile with Qufu as soon as possible, otherwise, they will also be regarded as disobedient by the Lu people. The Meng family is in danger!"

Mengsun Heji gritted his teeth: "Zhao Wuxi steals the court, and is determined to destroy the Sanhuan. I will not be at odds with him, and I will never submit!"

Zigong shook his head gently: "It seems that Da Sikong has decided to go. Could it be that he wants to join the Qi people?"

Mengsun Heji felt like he was naked, but Zigong saw it through, and he bit his head and said, "So what?"

After the turmoil in the state of Lu, the Marquis of Qi sent troops across Mount Tai to disrupt the situation in the winter, but his messengers were roaming around in various cities in the state of Lu, promising to Mengsun and Heji. If you can enter Qi with the northern contempt of the state of Lu, you can be the chief secretary of the state of Qi and the minister of the state of Qi!

Zigong bent over with laughter as if he had heard a huge joke.

"Da Sikong, ah Da Sikong, you shouldn't have been absent from the battle on the west bank of Daye Jersey last year. If Da Sikong saw the embarrassment and incompetence of the Qi people at that time, he would not have such thoughts. Qi can only survive for a while, until next year when Jin State Xingshi is guilty, the general will come to attack in person, and the city will fall! This is the situation. As for people's hearts, how did the Duke of Qi treat Duke Zhao of Lu and Yanghu? I don't know? What's more, if you really want to join the Qi Kingdom, then Da Sikong will really become a sinner of the Meng family, let's first ask the clan and retainers if they will agree!"

Mengsun and Heji are completely out of the question. They didn't discuss the matter of joining Qi. At least his younger brother Mengsun said that he did not agree with the servants. After all, Meng's sacrificed too many people's lives in order to defend against the Qi people. Naturally, there is a kind of hostility to the strong neighbor to the north of Mount Tai. Meng Sun said that the roots of the Meng family were in the state of Lu, and once they moved away, they would probably wither soon. If this is the case, Mengsun Heji has become a sinner of the Meng family!

All the retainers were reluctant to join forces, and Mengsun Heji felt that he was alone and hesitant.

Zigong said again: "I am here today to show a clear path for the Meng family! The general promised that if the Meng family returns to Lu, I will be able to live in Beibei forever and break with the country!"

"Is this true?" Meng Sun, who was on the side, said that he was a little moved. He has always been a representative of Meng's internal force for reconciliation.

"Can we still trust Zhao Wuxi? Ji Da Situ also surrendered, but was forced to commit suicide. Can Zhao Wuxi tolerate the lord?" Although Zifu He was not forgiving, he did not want to continue. After the battle, he turned his attention to Zigong, and he must give an explanation.

"The Ji family is the culprit, and he colluded with the Qi people to cause dissatisfaction among the people. He took the blame for himself. The situation of the Meng family is different. The status is written into the law and let the people of the country know. But then again, if Da Sikong returns to the court of Lu, it will indeed be a little embarrassing to meet..."

Mengsun Heji was furious: "Are you kidding me?"

"How dare you? I have a two-way solution, which can not only make Meng's family safe in Lu, but also make Da Sikong get his wish."

"any solution?"

Zigong smiled and deliberately sold a thorn: "After the third son is still the Meng family, do you still remember the deeds of Meng Mubo?"

...

"Mengshi has descended." Zhao Wuxi waved the letter paper in his hand and announced to his retainers.

On the day of the sacrificial sacrifice, Zhao Wuxi and his ministers had just put on a suit and were about to go to the temple to participate in the sacrificial activities when they got such good news.

Kan Zhi almost bit his tongue: "So fast?"

Wu Xun smiled and said: "When the winter snow falls, it is not easy for us to enter Beibei, and it is even more difficult for Qi people to cross Mount Tai~www.wuxiaspot.com~ Ran Qiu injured Gong Lianyang during the battle, causing his death. Sitting down, the Meng clan has lost its backbone. They are in a difficult situation now, the lord is unwilling to surrender to me, the people are reluctant to continue fighting, let alone surrender, and the interior cannot be unified. The tongue breaks the heart."

Kan Zhi was a little unwilling. Did Zigong cede benefits that should not have been ceded, so that Mengshi, who was determined to oppose Zhao Wuxi, surrendered?

"Then how did the Meng Clan choose? As the Ji Clan's accomplice, the Meng Clan has always restrained the lord. If he returns to Qufu without any loss, many people will probably have thoughts that they shouldn't have."

"Zigong suggested that Meng Mubo (Gongsun Ao) could be expelled by the Dongmen clan, and the Meng clan could continue. Mengsun Heji ran to Qi, and his younger brother Meng Sun said that he would become the new head of the family, as the second minister of the state of Lu. Above Lie Ji Sun Fat."

When he said this, Kan Zhi also reacted, he didn't care about giving Zigong any more thorns, and hurriedly bowed and congratulated: "Ji Sunsi is dead, and Mengsun Heji has gone, the qualifications of the successors of these two families are not as good as that of the lord. , the lord is now a real dignified minister, and the state of Lu is in power!"

PS: I fell asleep last night, sorry, this chapter was made up from yesterday, and there is another chapter in the afternoon and evening (to be continued.)