the enlightener says

Chapter 327 Killing Four Birds With One Stone

Speaking of this, Gao Changgong's eyes showed appreciation, but he still said: "Although the Mohist school is vast and difficult to hold on, it has a deep foundation after all. Even with the military strength of the two countries, it is difficult to really defeat the Mohist school. The Mohists will not encircle and wipe them out? Wang Xuanwei is not a cheap lamp. This famous military general joined the army at the age of forty. What tactics are you playing in front of you?"

"This is the second point I want to say. The general has a quick mind, and he hits the point with a word." Sun Ji'an patted the horse lightly, and Gao Changgong was not modest, he smiled and accepted it.

Sun Ji'an said: "Wang Xuanwei is indeed a famous general. He used his troops strangely and cunningly. Back then he used a strategy to show the enemy his weakness and lure the enemy to go deep. In that battle, Chen Guo was greedy for the victory and went deep alone. As a result, he was surrounded and wiped out by Wang Xuanwei. Beheaded [-] people and captured [-] people. After this battle, the Kingdom of Chen also gradually declined, and was finally annexed by the sea."

"But the current situation is a bit different." Sun Ji'an's eyes were sharp, "The Mohist school back then, the dispute between Confucianism and Legalism hadn't become as fierce as it is today. Confidentially, this trust is enough to overcome any gossip."

"Nowadays, the Mohist giants are getting older, not only have they lost a lot of desire for hegemony, but they are also a bit sluggish due to the growing momentum of Confucianism and Legalism. Even if Wang Xuanwei still wants to repeat the old trick, and use another trick to lure the enemy into deep However, those people in the court who were eager to find an opportunity to overthrow him to the ground, how could they allow him to do so? I am afraid that before he closes the net, he will be accused of treason with the enemy, and he will be arrested as soon as possible. He was dragged down from the position of the general."

"If there is a war, I, Jing and Wu, will definitely rush to help, and moreover, I will definitely rush to help."

Sun Ji'an came to a conclusion. As soon as he finished speaking, there was a loud clapping sound in the hall. It was Gao Changgong, who was full of smiles, and every time he clapped his hands, he seemed extremely sincere and admired: "Master Sun has made such a calculation, even I I am a little crazy to hear that. If Master Sun leads the army to go out, I think there will be another famous general in this world!"

Sun Jian'an had a gentle smile on his face, and said: "The general is joking, I can't do big things on the battlefield. It's not only about planning, but also about making decisions. The general dares to do what others dare not do, and I'm just talking on paper. Let me go to the battlefield, I am afraid that I will panic before the battle is fought. My father also knows that my temperament is not suitable for the army, so he never let me practice martial arts, and I really can't be praised by the general."

"Isn't it possible?" Gao Changgong looked at Zhuge Wanling with a smile in his eyes, "I don't think so. The word "planning and decision" means planning first. If there is no plan, there is no decision. Only after making a decision can you move later. How can a person who knows how to go his own way, but can't think carefully, become a famous general?"

Zhuge Wanling was listening to the two of you congratulating each other, but he said modestly, but he didn't intervene, just kept a faint smile, and slowly put the hot tea to his mouth and sipped it.

It wasn't until the sixth sentence between the two of them that it was Sun Ji'an's turn to speak, he finally looked at Gao Changgong, and said with a smile: "Why don't you sound like you are praising Mrs. Sun, but more and more like you are praising Mrs. Sun?" Praise yourself."

Gao Changgong laughed, and said: "It depends on how you understand it, or, you can praise me with Mr. Sun, so that I don't have to boast about myself?"

"Didn't I praise you?" Zhuge Wanling put down his teacup, gesticulating with his fingers and said, "Award, title, which one haven't you got? Now you are still the Great General Sima of Jing and Wu, a great hero admired by the people, a woman of thousands of people The God of War in my heart, isn't that enough?"

Gao Changgong rolled his eyes and said, "Hero, God of War... In the end, these are all praises given to me by others. What did you say?"

"Isn't that enough?" Zhuge Wanling shook his head, obviously not intending to continue the nonsense with Gao Changgong, but calmly turned his gaze to Sun Ji'an, and said: "It seems that Master Sun thinks that in the future, the Canghai Tang Kingdom will form an alliance and send troops to attack The... must be the Mohist?"

Sun Ji'an nodded: "At least [-]% sure."

Zhuge Wanling glanced at Gao Changgong again, seeing him nodding his head slightly in agreement, he also smiled and said, "Then what does Lord Sun think we should do?"

Sun Ji'an's eyes were wide open, and he looked a little surprised. He probably didn't expect that Zhuge Wanling would skip Gao Changgong directly, and directly threw such a question about the rise and fall of Jing and Wu directly in front of him. Occupying the seat of Doctor Yushi was "promoted" by Zhuge Wanling, so could it be that this question is about to make a deal with the Sun family again?

He bowed his head and pondered for a moment, looked at Gao Changgong, and said seriously: "I think...the border between Tang and Jingwu only needs to be guarded, and within a year, the general will definitely lead his troops through the north-south passage to the north to help the Mo family. Of course, maybe Cang Hai and Tang Guo are impatient and willing to wait for a year."

I don’t know if it’s late at night, Gao Changgong’s expression gradually became a little loose, and he said: “Cross the north-south channel and go north to help the Mo family? This...Jing Wu and the Mo family have always been united on the surface, but secretly they are just watching and helping each other If I, Jing Wu, led troops through the north-south channel and entered the Mohist territory, wouldn't I, Jing Wu, also become an invader like Canghai and Tang? Unless we joined hands with the Mohist on the battlefield to fight against Canghai and Tang, otherwise, I'm afraid it can't be explained clearly with a piece of paper."

Sun Ji'an said: "But the Mohists cannot fail, at least not in this future battle. The reason why the Tang Dynasty wanted to fight was because Yang Taizhen was eager for military merits and wanted to establish a prestige in the court of the Tang Dynasty. I want to show my strengths. But if the two countries really hurt the Mo family, I, Jing Wu, will be the next one to be beaten."

"Why would the Mo family allow my army of Jing and Wu to pass through the pass?" Gao Changgong followed Sun Jian'an's wishes and continued, "Or... once the war starts, wait for the Mo family to lose a few battles before we go? At that time, the Mo family will be eager to ask for help. , naturally don’t care about us crossing the border.”

"That's right." Sun Ji'an seemed to be chatting happily with a pair of confidants of his, showing a look of excitement that is rarely seen, "In the future, if the general can win again, it will not only be the God of War Jing Wu, but also the God of War. It is the unparalleled God of War that everyone in the world must praise and look up to! On the contrary, if Tang Guo loses again, the undercurrent surging in the court will immediately sweep away towards Yang Taizhen. Her foundation is not stable. If Li Shi If factions rise up to fight against each other, the Tang Dynasty will inevitably be in chaos...and at this time, Jing and Wu can take advantage of the victory to regain the important places lost in previous wars, wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone?"

When Sun Ji'an left, the tea in front of Zhuge Wanling had already cooled down, he ordered the old eunuch to cook another pot, and smiled at Gao Changgong.

"How?" Zhuge Wanling asked.

Gao Changgong Xu was tired from sitting. At this time, he half-lyed on the side of the desk without caring about his image. He didn't care about the cold tea, and ate some snacks. Right. Firstly, keep the Mohist family and let it continue to serve as a shield for Jingwu, secondly, I have a chance to regain the lost ground, and thirdly, I will deliberately wait for the Mohist family to be seriously injured before giving a helping hand, I am afraid that I plan to pave the way for Jingwu to go north in the future... He is already thinking about going north to dominate the world in the future. It seems that you are right, this Sun Ji'an is not easy."

Zhuge Wanling knocked on the table with his hands, and said calmly: "Otherwise, you would have missed a bird."

"Which bird?" Gao Changgong frowned and thought for a while, but he couldn't think of it until he finished eating the whole plate of dim sum on the table.

Zhuge Wanling sighed, and said calmly: "Sun Qing is now the general of the Qingzhou Ghost Rider. Originally, you only planned to let him guard the Jingwu border of the Tang Kingdom, but if you want to go north to help in the future, will you not take him?"

Gao Changgong was stunned for a moment, and finally understood. He said "oh", he shook his head and smiled wryly, "I said, I will be famous in the world again? This is not my fame, this is for his son Looking for an opportunity to become famous. If this battle is fought well, his son will be rewarded... At that time, Sun Jiawen will have Sun Jian'an, Wu will have Sun Qing, father and son are two heroes, it is really a good story."

"A tiger father has no sons. Although I have always heard that Sun Zhong prefers Sun Qing, and he only pays a little attention to this son, but in my opinion, Sun Qingnian is still young, and although he has some abilities, he is too arrogant. If he If you can't get rid of this point, it will be difficult to become a great weapon in the future." Zhuge Wanling said.

Gao Changgong nodded lightly, and said: "But this Patriarch of the Sun family is a man of both sides. Although not everyone is willing to listen to him, I have never heard of him having trouble with anyone. Even if he has always been at odds with the Sun family In all fairness, I would say that Sun Ji'an is a generous person."

"But I still don't understand." Gao Changgong frowned and looked at Zhuge Wanling and said, "Your probing is just to let me see that Sun Jian'an is a powerful character?"

Zhuge Wanling was not in a hurry, the old eunuch also brought hot tea at this time, he poured a cup, and said softly: "I just want to know something in advance."

As he spoke, he did not pass the hot tea to his mouth, but mixed it with the previous herbal tea and poured it into the inkstone. Watching the dry ink in the inkstone gradually smear, he raised his eyes to Gao Changgong, Playful eyes.

Gao Changgong immediately understood, reached out and grabbed the ink stick next to the inkstone, and began to concentrate on studying the ink.

Zhuge Wanling uses pine smoke ink, but it is different from the pine smoke ink made from ordinary pine branches in the folk. There is a special ink making workshop in the palace, and the pine branches sent to it are carefully selected and added It contains oil and medicinal materials, so it is not easy to vulcanize, and it will have a bright luster when written on the letter.

Gao Changgong obviously does this kind of thing often, and his movements are skillful, and the speed of each rotation is just right. Speaking of which, with his cultivation base, it is easy to do this kind of thing. Here, it is just a piece of fragile tofu.

Zhuge Wanling looked at Gao Changgong's knowledge and interest, so he stopped playing tricks, and while spreading out the bamboo slips that had not been reviewed in the morning, he said with a slight smile: "It is indeed as he said, whether it is for Tang or Canghai, Jing and Wu are the same. A difficult nut to crack. I knew this matter clearly when I chose to establish Jingwu. If I didn’t have such a favorable location, how could I have dared to establish Jingwu at that juncture? But no matter how hard the dam is , if moths come out from the inside, sooner or later it will collapse."

"The moth inside?" Gao Changgong continued to grind the ink, looked at the smudged black for a while, and then looked at Zhuge Wanling for a while, and said, "Go on."

"You also mentioned that I did too much in the case of destroying embankments and flooding fields. If Sun Zhong did not come forward to suppress the gentry, I am afraid that this matter would be difficult to end. But even if Sun Zhong came forward to suppress, it would only catch a few If you are the one who takes the lead, it’s all about suppressing the others, after all, it’s only a temporary solution, not the root cause.”

"And once the war is imminent, what will these disgruntled people do? Don't forget that when Jing Wu was first established and Tang's 30 troops went south to attack Wu, there were countless people who were eating the benefits of Jing Wu. But on the one hand, he is showing his favor to the Tang State, just to get a place after the Tang State annexes Jingwu..."

Chapter 328 A new generation replaces the old one

Of course Gao Changgong remembered the various difficulties in the early days when Jing and Wu founded the country. It can be said that "there are strong enemies outside and worries inside".

Of the 4000 Qingzhou Ghost Riders who followed him, more than [-] were buried in foreign countries, and the rest were less than [-], and more than [-] had to withdraw from the army due to serious injuries.

After the war, Zhuge Wanling searched the mansions of more than a dozen family officials, and found several large boxes full of letters from the Tang Dynasty... and the names on these letters are obviously involved in various aspects, so it's a big deal However, Zhuge Wanling didn't want to do it lightly, so he simply burned it up in front of all the officials.

This is also for reassurance.

Gao Changgong shrugged his shoulders and sneered: "I'm afraid Sun Zhong intends to treat the symptoms rather than the root cause? Although it is inevitable that he will be suspected of punishing his heart, but that old fox's temperament, if he really does things thoroughly, he will also treat those few people. Everyone is completely offended, he will make such a loss-making business?"

Zhuge Wanling nodded calmly and said, "It's best if you understand."

Seeing that the ink in the inkstone was already thick and black, he gently put down the ink stick and said, "So...you want Sun Ji'an...to replace Sun Zhong?"

Zhuge Wanling nodded: "I don't believe that a person can really have no desires. Sun Ji'an is capable, so he must have ambitions. However, he has been suppressed by Sun Zhong all these years and has no chance to show his strength." It’s all about sharpness, because he’s not strong enough. And now, Doctor Yu Shi... this is a good position to take on the stage, and he already has the capital to fight against Sun Zhong.”

"He dares to fight against his father?" Gao Changgong was slightly surprised: "This is really unfilial."

"Whether you are filial or not depends on how you do it." Zhuge Wanling said, "It's just to say a few words to let Sun Zhong know his place, but it's not to kill him. Sun Jian will not be a pedantic person. I'm afraid that these 'a few words', he will speak in an incomparably high-sounding and impeccable way."

"Then...do you really think he has the ability to replace Sun Zhong?"

"One is the doctor Yu Shi who is in power now, and the other is an old and frail old man who has recently contracted a cold and has not recovered. Who do you think the gentry will choose?"

Gao Changgong nodded, followed by a smile, and even said with a bit of sarcasm, "That's right. But in the future, as a doctor of imperial history, he will have the responsibility to supervise all officials, although this power may not use your head Up, but the people below... it's hard to do."

Having said that, he sat down beside Zhuge Wanling, patted him on the shoulder solemnly, and said, "When Gongjin complains to you, I won't help you."

"That's my business. Since I can lift Sun Ji'an up, I'm sure I can control him." Zhuge Wanling said.

The matter has already been discussed, Zhuge Wanling bowed his head and prepared to write official documents, but when he saw the color of the ink in the inkstone, he frowned, "I said you are a great general with outstanding martial arts, but the ink has been worn so unevenly, is it true?" Do you want to perfuse me?"

"..."

Gao Changgong listened with great interest, and never thought that Zhuge Wanling would suddenly catch him grinding ink and ridicule him for a while, but he was not angry, smiled slightly, and said, "What's the matter? Now that I'm in better health, my words are stinging." Is it? Not satisfied with you grinding it off by yourself..."

Zhuge Wanling looked at the ink stick on the corner of the inkstone, thought for a while, then shook his head, and said, "Forget it, this ink is very difficult to use. I tried it too, and it didn't grind evenly after a long time."

Gao Changgong helped Futai's acupoint, and said: "How can the ink produced by the palace workshop be difficult to use? It's just that this kind of ink needs to be polished with clear water. What's the matter with pouring a cup of tea in it? Also, Even if you add water, it’s better to add less than too much, look at you, it’s more than half a cup, and it’s a ghost if you grind it well.”

The old eunuch stood quietly by the side, the candlelight could not shine on his face, and he also remained motionless, like a wooden figure.But in the darkness, there was an inadvertent smile on the corner of his mouth. He was also happy to see the two people who seemed to be arguing but actually had a deep relationship.

There are too few people who can accompany Zhuge Wanling. Although he is by the prime minister's side every day, he knows that he can only be a servant, not a friend of the prime minister.

With Gao Changgong often coming to talk with him, I think the spirit of the prime minister will be better.Thinking of this, the old eunuch turned his head to look at the candle again, feeling worried for a moment. It seemed that the prime minister had no way to rest early today, and he probably had to review official documents until midnight before going to bed, right?

Urged by Zhuge Wanling, Gao Changgong had no choice but to pick up the ink stick again, the grinding speed was much faster, and the expression on his face became more serious. After a while, Zhuge Wanling finally nodded with satisfaction, and licked the brush in his hand to the full. He took up the ink and started writing slowly on the official document.

While writing, he asked, "What Sun Ji'an said... What do you think?"

"Going north to help the Mo family? Interesting... You say you don't know anything about military affairs, but if you think about it with your toes, you can tell that you're probably hiding your clumsiness. I have no objections. You will arrange the rest." Gao Changgong picked up a gun A writing brush was twirling lightly at the fingertips, and he wrote lightly: "You let me go, and I will go."

If you let me go, I will go.

The seven words contained his absolute trust in Zhuge Wanling.

"Then... let's go." Zhuge Wanling frowned slightly, and continued to write: "Train the horses first, and the old troops who have been eliminated can't be lost. The new army can be pulled to the border of Tang State to experience Experience... the Mid-Autumn Festival next year at the latest, there will be big changes in the Tang Dynasty."

"However, if the Qingzhou ghost riders are taken away by then, how should the border be fortified? Although we all think that the coalition forces of the Canghai Tang Kingdom will mainly attack the Mohists in the future, there is no guarantee that they will not divide their forces to attack me, Jingwu, and use this to disperse us." If you don’t pay attention, you must send someone you can rely on.”

"You don't have to worry about that." Zhuge Wanling said without raising his head, "Gongjin is someone I taught. Although he is not as good as you, he may not be able to become a handsome talent in the future. On the other side of the border, you can leave it to him now." Keep it up, nothing will go wrong."

"Alright." Gao Changgong suddenly seemed to have thought of something, and said, "By the way, last time you said you wanted me to teach those child soldiers..."

Child soldier, this is Gao Changgong's name for the students in the Imperial Academy. In his opinion, although the students in these schools have achieved success in their studies, except for outstanding people like Sun Qing, ordinary students are still More training opportunities are needed before they may come in handy in future battles.

Zhuge Wanling also had the same opinion, so the preliminary plan was to let Zhou Gongjin take them to the border to experience the cruelty of the battlefield, and wash away the last bit of "milk smell" on them.

"It's fine for Gongjin to take it with me, it doesn't have to be me." Gao Changgong said with a smile: "In my opinion, Tang's Southern Conscript Army can't stand loneliness, and there will always be some smoke at the border... But, really If you enter the battlefield, your life will be at stake, you have the heart?"

Zhuge Wanling said calmly: "True gold is not afraid of fire. Since you want to refine gold, you must use the fiercest fire."

"The fiercest fire... You are not afraid that they will all be melted..." Gao Changgong shook his head helplessly, while thinking of A Ke and A Bu who had not heard from them for a long time, and said with a smile: "If all of them can Like Ake and Abu, they can turn bad luck into good luck...Speaking of which, I don't know where Ake and the others are now, and whether they are safe or not."

Zhuge Wanling didn't answer his words, but continued to write official documents, and said calmly: "Don't worry, I will only pick those who have studied in the Imperial Academy for more than two years, and those who have been under two years, let them continue to study in the Imperial Academy." Learn in school and lay a good foundation."

"Since Sun Ji'an wants his son to make meritorious service in the war and become a noble in the future, I will not stop it. It is better to let these children go too. As for whether they will make great achievements in the future, it depends on themselves. "

"In order to restrict Sun Qing, why don't you let the children of Taixuetang share the credit?" Gao Changgong wanted to persuade again, but Zhuge Wanling raised his head and blocked all his words in his throat.

"Forget it." Gao Changgong shook his head helplessly, "Sometimes I think you are really cruel, a group of children, but you throw them into the mud without blinking an eye and let them fend for themselves."

Speaking of which, Ake and Abu have not yet reached the age of weak crowns, but Gao Changgong thought of the night when he took them to suppress the bandits, so he pursed his lips and didn't say anything more.

Zhuge Wanling continued to write the document, and said indifferently: "Once the generals are successful, if they are not willing to be ordinary people for the rest of their lives, they must show great wisdom and courage that ordinary people do not have, and hold a knife and grit their teeth to fight. No sympathy for them, because they have already chosen this path, and if they do, there is no need to turn back."

Gao Changgong was taken aback for a moment, but what he thought in his mind was: Are you talking about those children, or yourself?

Chapter 329 Father and Son Heart-to-heart

Ding'an City, the residence of the Sun family.

"Master, the old ancestor is waiting for you in the study." As soon as he got home, Sun Ji'an heard the old servant's unhurried voice. He didn't even need to turn his head to imagine the old man's gray hair. And wrinkled cheeks, he's too old, like a father...

He nodded and said softly, "I'll go right away."

He walked through the courtyard and the promenade. On both sides of the promenade, there were koi floating on the water.These koi have been raised for too long, and they have already lost their agility. They only know how to swing their fins slowly in the lake like a fool, but when they see a figure, they gather together to fight for food.

Sun Jian'an looked at these koi, but his heart was extremely calm, but he was silently thinking, could he be the only carp that can jump out of the water and jump over the dragon gate?

He shook his head and put this thought to the back of his mind. Now, what he has to face is the old man who has always stood at the pinnacle of the aristocratic family, but also hid himself for many years, his father, Sun Zhong.

There was no light in the study, and he knew that Sun Zhong liked being in the dark, and he would be especially happy when the bright moonlight shone into the room occasionally.

So he opened the door, but didn't close it, letting the moonlight shine in, and sprinkle a wisp of snow on the ground.

Sun Zhong lay on the recliner with his eyes closed, the fur blanket on his body trembling slightly from the wind.Sun Ji'an thought that his father had been suffering from the wind and cold for the past few days and hadn't recovered. Now that there was no wind, he went to the door again, intending to close the door of the study, but heard an old voice from behind.

"Don't close it." Sun Zhong slightly opened his eyes.

Sun Ji'an was already holding the door, but he let it go, turned around, and bowed to his father.

"Father." Sun Ji'an said.

Sun Zhong's eyes opened, his eyes were covered with wrinkles, because the wind and cold drained his little energy, his eyelids drooped slightly at this time, but the pair of pupils covered by the eyelids were still deep and bright. sharp.

People say that they are scheming, and Sun Zhong is such a person. As he grows older, it is difficult for others to see what is going on in his heart.

But Sun Jianan knew.

"You entered the palace tonight, what did you discuss with the prime minister?" Of course Sun Zhong knew about Sun Ji'an's entry into the palace tonight, and he felt a little doubtful, but he couldn't determine what was wrong.

Sun Ji'an said in a gentle manner: "It's a state matter, father. Canghai and Tang have new trends, and they have joined forces secretly, and they are ready to go to war when the time comes."

Sun Zhong nodded lightly: "Then what is the result of your discussions? Such a thing, the general must have been there, right? If you go out, where are you going? The border? Or the Mohist?"

"It's hard to say, the Prime Minister didn't directly make a decision." Sun Ji'an nodded, the wind outside the door stirred his hair slightly, but he didn't care about the coolness of the night, and stretched out his hand to pull up the blanket on Sun Zhong's body She pulled, and said gently: "Well, father, my son will tell you the whole thing."

Under the bright moonlight, the father and son whispered softly, while Sun Ji'an still maintained a calm posture, his voice was unhurried, and he spoke clearly.

On the contrary, Sun Zhong's eyelids drooped even lower, showing a bit of fatigue. It seems that the wind and cold really shook his foundation.

After listening, Sun Zhong said softly: "Zhuge Wanling is testing you."

"I think so too, Father." Sun Ji'an said.

Sun Zhong paused, looked into his eyes, seemed to be thinking about something, and then said softly after a while: "You have always been cautious, and my father is very relieved of you, but since you know he is testing you, why do you want to?" Take this risk? You must know that I have been teaching you since I was a child, the principle of shooting the first bird with a gun. Gao Changgong can't understand your strategy, so it's possible that Zhuge Wanling can't understand it?"

Speaking of this, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "That person... even my father can't see through it."

After listening to his father quietly, Sun nodded, and said, "Father is a clear lesson. In the past, I would have avoided this kind of problem as much as possible. But now my father has made me a doctor of imperial history. One of the three gentlemen, even if he wants to hide his clumsiness, there will always be a day when he will reveal it. It is better not to hide it, but to say what should be said."

"I'm afraid not necessarily." Sun Zhong, who had been ill for a long time and could not recover, looked Sun Ji'an up and down. His eyes did not look like a father looking at his son, but rather like a butcher looking at a pig about to be slaughtered, with a hint of murderous intent, but this A bit of killing intent, but soon restrained, turned into tiredness and helplessness, and let out a sigh of emotion, "It seems... the eagle that seems to be well-behaved on weekdays will eventually fly to that sky by itself one day."

Sun Ji'an's face remained unchanged, and he still said gently: "Father, you don't have to say that. In front of you, that eagle is still a chick after all. Even if it can spread its wings, it will still refuse to leave."