Were all of Great Qin's generals educated and scholarly generals?
Why were they so eloquent?
He really didn't know how to refute Yang Yinglong's words. Of course, he didn't want to refute Yang Yinglong either. He just wanted to clarify his position and attitude. He wanted to show that he wasn't loyal to Yang Yinglong, but was doing his duty.
That was what he said, but it was not up to him to decide whether the other party believed him or not.
"I have nothing to say."
He expressed his helplessness in this way.
"You don't seem to be a loyal follower of Yang Yinglong, and you don't seem to want to die for Yang Yinglong?"
Zheng Ying smiled.
"I … I still have my family …"
"From the fact that you're eating and drinking, and even bathing and changing your clothes, I can tell that you don't want to die. However, whether you die or not is not up to me. Once we reach the capital, we'll see what His Majesty decides."
Zheng Ying shook his head and looked at him. "By the way, tell me, what were you thinking when you suggested Yang Yinglong attack Sichuan?"
"This … is naturally because Sichuan has the smallest number of soldiers and is the easiest to deal with. Moreover, there are many ambitious people in Sichuan. As long as we defeat Ma Qiancheng and kill Wang Xiangqian, a large number of people with bad intentions will emerge in Sichuan.
Moreover, the terrain in Sichuan is easy to defend and difficult to attack. It's very suitable for a separatist regime. Daqin has only been founded for a year, and its foundation is not stable, nor is it rich. If we want to start a full-scale war, I'm afraid we can only negotiate, and Sichuan will be conquered by Yang Yinglong. "
Sun Shitai was still very honest.
Zheng Ying nodded and said, "What you said is basically right, but you still have three mistakes. First, Ma Qiancheng may not lose so quickly. Second, if Sichuan is defeated, there is still an army of our army in Yunnan, which can go north to support at any time.
Moreover, there is an army stationed in Hanzhong that can launch a pincer attack from the south. You might not be able to gain a foothold in Sichuan. Thirdly, you've underestimated Great Qin's national strength. His Majesty has already prepared military supplies for half a year. "
"Half a year's military supplies?"
Sun Shitai was stunned. "160,000 soldiers? Half a year's worth of military supplies?"
"Yes, half a year's worth of military supplies and half of Jiangnan's strength have been used to supply these 160,000 soldiers. His Majesty is determined to win this battle and sees this battle as the true battle to establish the Daqin. You have underestimated His Majesty's determination."
Zheng Ying's face was filled with pride.
"How many peasants would that require? Aren't you afraid of trouble? "
Sun Shitai found it hard to understand.
"This … If you have the chance, you'll see it. I won't say anything more. However, your plan is also a gamble. It's too much of a gamble. There's no guarantee of victory, right?"
In response to Zheng Ying's question, Sun Shitai forced a smile and said, "How can there be a perfect thing in this world? Sometimes, marching an army or fighting a war also depends on the will of the heavens. Man proposes, God disposes. Even if I can calculate everything, I can't calculate God. "
"At least you have some self-awareness."
Zheng Ying nodded and said, "All right, go back and obediently wait for His Majesty's punishment. If His Majesty doesn't kill you, consider yourself lucky. If His Majesty kills you, consider yourself unlucky. However, you deserve it. Don't blame anyone."
Sun Shitai bitterly nodded.
"This student doesn't dare to blame anyone."
After Sun Shitai left, Zheng Ying thought it over and over again and finally wrote a letter. He gave it to his personal guard and had it delivered to the capital as quickly as possible.
From Bozhou to the capital, the battle report arrived first, taking 14 days. Zheng Ying's letter arrived later, taking 15 days.
When Xiao Ruxun received the battle report, it was already the beginning of February. The capital had already celebrated the New Year and the Lantern Festival. The people of the capital were rewarded by Xiao Ruxun with rice, meat, and cloth. They had a good New Year and had a good meal together.
Although the people of the capital could gradually eat two meals to fill their stomachs, and some families had begun to move towards three meals a day, it was still not easy to eat meat.
Therefore, Xiao Ruxun widely promoted the raising of poultry and livestock in the villages and towns of Northern Zhili to enrich the table of the people. He also promoted the planting of beans to make tofu and put it on the market so that people could eat more tofu and get enough protein.
If they couldn't eat meat, they would eat tofu temporarily. In the future, they would definitely be able to eat meat and become healthy. This was Xiao Ruxun's greatest hope.
During the New Year, the food in the Imperial Palace became even more luxurious. This was also specially approved by Xiao Ruxun. During the New Year, he would not treat his officials in batches, but in batches, not according to their rank, but according to their contributions.
According to the ranking of the officials' achievements in the past year, the first batch with the best achievements would be invited to a first-class banquet.
He would treat them to the best delicacies, using the best ingredients to allow the chefs he had recruited from all over to display their skills. He would invite them to all kinds of luxurious delicacies.
Not only that, he would also allow them to bring their parents, wives, and children to the banquet. He would give them enough face in front of their parents, wives, and children. He would even personally give them large red packets, and their parents, wives, and children would also be rewarded. These officials all had red faces and were overjoyed. They felt that they had worked for a year just for this moment.
And so on. Those with the lowest achievements would eat a second-class banquet and receive a second-class red packet.
There were nine levels in total, just like the nine ranks of officials. The last three ranks were not allowed to bring their families. If they came to the banquet alone, they would receive a pitiful amount of red packets. The last rank were mediocre officials with mediocre achievements. Not only were they not allowed to bring their families or give red packets, they only ate white rice and pickled vegetables.
They mocked them for being a freeloader and warned them that they wouldn't be able to eat if they continued like this.
After such a rule was set, all the officials knew at a glance that this was a barometer of the Emperor's favor. Those who enjoyed the special banquet were obviously favored by the Emperor. Those who were favored by the Emperor were highly likely to be promoted in the following year.
Those in the lower ranks were begging to pray to the Emperor, hoping that they wouldn't be reduced in rank, or even be removed from the court.
Moreover, Xiao Ruxun's practice of inviting officials to a New Year's Eve dinner gave rise to a very interesting phenomenon in the Daqin officialdom. As time went on, there were more and more people describing high-ranked officials who could only eat low-class banquets as high-ranking officials or high-ranking officials of X rank. This was used to mock them for being in a position without doing anything.
For example, if a minister had a poor performance or was mediocre and didn't seek to improve himself, after eating an eighth or ninth class banquet, people would start to mock him. If it was a ninth or second-class high-ranking official, not to mention whether the Emperor would punish him or not, the mockery of his colleagues would make him feel ashamed.
There was no clear standard for this banquet. Everything was decided by the Emperor. Moreover, the officials' rank had nothing to do with which banquet they ate. A seventh-rank low-ranking official could also eat a first-class banquet, while a first-rank high-ranking official might be forced to eat a ninth-rank banquet.
The emperor would send out invitations to whatever class of banquets he thought he could eat. From the first class to the ninth class, there was still hope. Although he would be reprimanded and told to eat white rice and pickled vegetables, at least he would still be able to eat.
Some officials who were caught for committing crimes would not be able to eat this banquet. That was basically the end of their political life, because the Emperor meant that the Daqin had no salary for them to eat.
The officials thought this way, but if the Emperor did the same, it would confirm the officials' thoughts. Therefore, five days after the New Year's Eve, there was a big change of officials in the court. After a big purge, the officials basically confirmed the Emperor's thoughts.
The Emperor wanted the officials to always be vigilant and always work. They shouldn't think about being in a position without doing anything. Holding power but not doing anything was as hateful as corruption.
Under such an atmosphere, the first good news of the second year of Longwu came.
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