Chapter 1228: Carrying on the Past and Opening up the Future (One Hundred and Eighteen) True Intentions

The carriage slowly drove out of the city gate. Just as the sky was getting light, a large number of people preparing to enter the city had gathered outside the city gate. Fan Sui gently lifted the curtain and looked at the group of people from the county who gathered at the city gate.

Tattered clothes and numb expressions almost became the collective portrayal of these people. Fan Sui could not see the joy, anger, sorrow and happiness that a living person should have in them. They gathered silently at the city gate. Some carried baskets, some pushed carts, and some carried baskets. They were the people outside Xianyang City. They entered the city early in the morning, thinking about selling the fruits of yesterday's hard work in exchange for a day's living expenses.

There was a big box at the city gate. Anyone entering the city had to throw two copper coins into the box. This was the city entrance fee. An official sat next to the box with a big horse and a golden sword, staring at everyone who was about to enter the city like a hawk.

Fan Sui sighed and lowered the curtain. This was Xianyang, the capital of the Qin Dynasty. Once upon a time, this was the most prosperous city in Daqin. The people here all stood up high, proud of being a Daqin person. How could it become like this after so many years?

Fan Sui could not see any hope for the future from them. Their current state seemed to be just to live for the sake of living.

The capital was like this, and other places could be imagined. Fan Sui closed his eyes and gently rubbed his temples. Around the capital, officials were still under the direct supervision of the court, and were relatively more disciplined. Even so, the people were overwhelmed. The people in remote areas. Not only had to bear the taxes of the court, but also had to suffer the exploitation of those corrupt officials. I am afraid they were on the verge of collapse.

The peasant uprising in Shu County has intensified. In the few days since he returned to the court, several reports of riots have been received in Xianyang. Although they were suppressed in a very short time, Fan Sui seemed to have seen a bigger storm brewing through the bloody figures in the reports. The local army of Shu County is already in a state of confusion. The governor of Shu County has repeatedly asked the court to send troops to Shu to help quell the rebellion. The court has indeed begun to discuss this matter. The latest proposal is to let Zhou Yu lead an army into Shu County. Now Qin and Chu are in an alliance. Many people think that it is no longer necessary to station an elite army on the border between Qin and Chu.

Although the court is calm now, there are still turbulent waves in the dark. Cui Yuan has several important officials claiming to be ill. It is also difficult to handle the government. More middle and lower-level officials are still hesitant, which makes Fan Sui, although he has the strong support of the King of Qin, still difficult to move forward, and every step is difficult.

Fan Sui disagrees with Ying Ying's clean and neat cleanup, because in this way, I am afraid that there will be no one available in the court, and most officials will be imprisoned. Among these people. There is no shortage of capable officials. More importantly, the purge in the court. Will extend to the local area and eventually spread to the whole country. If it is not good, it will lead to a major incident.

Now the people are living in poverty, if the officials are also living in poverty, the world will soon be in chaos.

So Fan Sui must go to Hangu Pass.

There is a node on this network that makes him difficult to move. As long as this node is solved, everything will be solved. This node is Lu Chao.

"Mingtai, what kind of person do you think the general is?" Fan Sui raised his head and looked at Mingtai, the new commander of the Black Ice Platform sitting opposite.

Mingtai was specially sent by Yingying to protect Fan Sui to Lu Chao's army. This kind of escort work did not require the dignified commander of the Black Ice Platform to go there in person. The last time he returned from Yingchuan, there were many crises, and it was only Zhuo Buqun, the general of the Black Ice Platform, who took charge.

The main purpose of Yingying sending Mingtai was to convey a signal to Lu Chao, an unwavering attitude.

"What kind of person is the general?" Mingtai was stunned for a moment, but he immediately realized what Fan Sui meant. "The general is not only a tough man, but also a smart man."

"Yes, he is an extremely smart man. It is because of this that we have the basis for mutual compromise!" Fan Sui said: "I don't take Cui Yuan, such a fool, seriously, but General Lu should be taken seriously!"

"You don't have to worry too much, Prime Minister. After all, General Lu did not return to Xianyang this time, which shows that he is not of the same mind as Cui Yuan and others, so I still believe that General Lu will make a decision that is in line with the interests of Daqin." Mingtai said affirmatively.

"Is it that simple?" Fan Sui smiled. "If it were really that simple, General Lu is Li Ru's last disciple and the disciple that Li Ru values ​​the most. Over the years, Li Ru has spared no effort to help him rise. Of course, I admit that Lu Chao is indeed talented, otherwise it would be impossible to reach this point. As a literati, he can govern those arrogant soldiers and generals, which is not something that ordinary people can do."

"What does the Prime Minister mean?" Mingtai looked at Fan Sui in confusion.

Fan Sui was silent for a moment, then asked: "Do you think this war is necessary?"

Mingtai was somewhat unable to adapt to Fan Sui's leaping thinking. As a general in the darkness, he had rarely dealt with someone as special as Fan Sui before. After thinking for a moment, he cautiously answered: " The Western Zhao mutiny was not an isolated incident. It was a military coup carefully planned by the Han State against our Qin Dynasty. Its purpose was naturally clear. If we did not make a decisive counterattack, the Han army would probably directly attack Han. Guguan, at that time, we were afraid that we would go back to the most difficult years decades ago, so my subordinates believed that General Lu’s reaction was normal and we must fight back. "

"Then do you think we have any hope of winning this battle?" Fan Sui asked.

Mingtai once again compared the strength of the enemy and ours in his mind, and then replied: "Our opponent is not the Han army, but the Zhao army, so the possibility of winning this battle, I think, is 60 to 70%, one battle If there is a 60 to 70 percent chance of winning the war, it can be done. "

"But I don't think it's even 10%." Fan Sui took a long breath and replied shockingly.

"Not even 10%?" Mingtai was startled, "Chief Assistant, isn't this too alarmist? Why are you so pessimistic?"

"I have stayed in Yingchuan for more than half a year and have the most intuitive understanding of the Han army. General Tan Feng has also done a lot of work. In fact, for some things, your Black Ice Platform should also have a lot of information, or just you I just didn't notice it. Mingtai, if you are as optimistic as you think, why do you think Gao Yuan came to Jinyang City in person?"

"Our view is that first, Gao Yuan can swallow up Western Zhao, but Western Zhao has an army of up to 100,000 in total. Gao Yuan's plan should be to kill people with borrowed swords, and use our swords to help him digest the strength of the Zhao army. In order to help him successfully swallow up the territory of Xi Zhao, I am afraid that he is also worried about the recurrence of Xi Zhao. He is not here just to cheer up. "

"It's the right thing to cheer up, but I think Gao Yuan's more important intention is to stab Jinyang again on the already bleeding body of our Great Qin."

Mingtai was startled, "Chief Assistant, do you think we will lose this battle?"

"It's not necessarily true. If we really lose, it's not necessarily a bad thing. What I'm most worried about is that this battle will last for a long time." Fan Sui sighed. "You should be very clear about the current situation of our Daqin. If this war does not end soon, but continues for several years, what kind of situation do you think it will be like?"

Mingtai shuddered.

"Our Great Qin will continue to recruit troops. In order to fight the war, we have to increase taxes again. A large amount of materials are poured here, and then they are consumed here in vain to fight a war that we don’t know when it will end. Han State doesn’t care. , Their resources and national strength are enough to support them in fighting a protracted war, but can we survive? At that time, the people will be in dire straits, domestic conflicts will be more prominent than now, and Da Qin will really be on the verge of collapse." Fan Sui half-closed. He closed his eyes and said softly.

Mingtai was really frightened, and after a while he said: "Chief Assistant, didn't General Lu take this situation into consideration? He is on the front line, and he is the one who knows best the balance of power between the enemy and ourselves."

"What do you think?" Fan Sui asked. "If he is a martial artist, then that's fine, but a man with both civil and military skills like General Lu, wouldn't he not consider these things?"

"Are you saying that General Lu understands that this is a fruitless war, but why does he insist on continuing to fight?"

"This is politics." Fan Sui said sadly: "General Lu thought very clearly that the death of Li Ru and the king's attitude have meant that the Li school will lose power in Qin. Even if he returns to Xianyang, It can't change anything, but it will tear off the last friendship between him and the king. Only when it reaches this point, the Li school will be destroyed, so not going back is the best choice. But not going back. , he needs a reason to explain to the people of the Li school that he is Li Ru's designated successor. If he abandons him at this time, the people of the Li school will abandon him and he will become a lonely minister. Then his weight will be greatly reduced. Moreover, will such a person who is valued by Li Ru really give up Li's academics? Therefore, he needs a war. First, he must explain to the people of Li's school that I will not go back. But I am responsible for Da Qin, and secondly, this is also the best way to ensure his power. "

"How do you say that?"

Fan Sui smiled and said: "Cui Yuan fell, but why are there so many officials in the court and the local government still hesitant?"

"Because of General Lu."

"Yes, as long as General Lu still holds heavy troops, these people will not abandon Li's academics. Therefore, General Lu needs a war. Otherwise, in peacetime, it will not be very easy for the king to take back the general's military power. It’s a difficult thing, but now, it can’t be done.”

"General Lu needs a war. Whether he can win it or not is not within his scope of consideration. The longer the war lasts, the better for him." Fan Sui said slowly. "This is Lu Chao's truest intention." (To be continued)