across the Quartet

"Brother, what does this mean?" Wei Zhuang looked away from Ge Nie's palm, and stretched deliberately.

"Last winter, I met a man on the Qin-Zhao border." Gai Nie said, "He was from the Qin State. He was hunted down by a group of Qin State knights and was seriously injured."

"Oh? Why did the Qin people chase and kill the Qin people?"

"When this man was dying, he told me that his name was Bai Er, and he was entrusted by someone to smuggle something from Xianyang to Xinzheng; because this thing was so important, it attracted the pursuit of Qin people. However, he was entrusted to do this not voluntarily, but because he was poisoned with some kind of poison. He had to complete his task and hand over the thing to a person called "Zhuangzi" before he could get the antidote. "

"Zhuangzi? Could it be, Zhuang Zhou of the Taoist school? Didn't that man die a long time ago—" Wei Zhuang still looked like he had nothing to do with it.

"This Zhuangzi must be just a nickname." Gai Nie mused, "The person who designed all this is really too shrewd and careful. He calculated every detail, and even imagined that if Bai Er was captured by someone, the people of Qin would No matter how much you torture and question, you can only get a false name of "Zhuangzi"; in this way, even if the entrustment is not a person, the worst thing is to fail, and it will not implicate the person he wants to protect. But I have a feeling. The 'Zhuangzi' mentioned actually refers to you, Xiaozhuang."

"Oh?"

"After that, I thought about entrusting a person who has never been to Xinzheng and heard that he has a pseudonym. Even if he successfully arrived in Korea, how would he find the person he was looking for? Fortunately, Bai Er told me that besides the need In addition to the "things" transported, there is also a token - this half chess piece. The person who poisoned him told him that when he arrived in Xinzheng, as long as he asked for the name "Zhuangzi" everywhere, someone would naturally come to him He; and only when he meets someone holding the other half of the chess piece can he hand over that 'thing'. I think the other half of the chess piece should be in your hands."

"How can senior brother be so sure?"

"In the beginning, I was just guessing, because you once called yourself 'Zhuangzi' to Jing Ke, and it is very likely that you are in Xinzheng now." Gai Nie said, "Until not long ago, I heard that Han Fei, the son of South Korea, Entering the Qin Dynasty, but suddenly imprisoned, and died in prison; Bai Er said that the poison in his body was called "Jiwei", which happened to be a famous article by Xunzi, Han Fei's teacher. So I always feel that , These few things are inextricably linked..."

"There's no need to guess." Wei Zhuang suddenly changed his attitude, grabbed Gai Nie's wrist, and snatched away half of the chess piece.He took out another piece of silk from his bosom, and after unfolding it, it was surprising that half a black chess piece was wrapped in it: when the two pieces were put together, they fit together perfectly, forming a complete chess piece.

"So that's it." Gai Nie murmured, "This chess piece was crushed with finger force, and the cracks are extremely irregular, so the two pieces are unique and absolutely impossible to fake. This is how the young master used it. Make sure that that thing can only be delivered to your hands."

"Since that's the case, brother, why don't you take out the 'things'?" Wei Zhuang frowned and stared at him.

Gai Nie fumbled in his bosom again, and took out a brass pipe as thick as a wrist——Wei Zhuang snatched it impatiently, and when he opened it, he saw inside was a roll of precious brocade produced in Bashu, covered with bright red The lacquer sap records names, strings of numbers and objects.

"If I'm not mistaken, this should be an account." Ge Nie said.

"you have seen?"

"Ah."

Wei Zhuang glared at him dissatisfied, "This thing...is really important, so important that people in the entire Qin Kingdom, or even the Seven Kingdoms, are looking for it. Why did it end up in your hands, Senior Brother? What do you want me to do?" Believe it, this is just a coincidence?"

Gai Nie shook his head, "I don't know how to convince you. However, no matter how meticulous the plan is, there will always be something beyond the calculation. I think this happened because the son Fei entered the Qin Dynasty and got this account by chance. However, he Without the help of a trustworthy person around him, he could smuggle such an important thing to South Korea; he had to pretend to poison a Qin man, handed him half a chess piece as a token, and threatened him to go to Xinzheng to find someone. Unexpectedly, that Qin He was seriously injured and died on the way, and met me again. If Bai Er saw someone else before he died, probably no one would know who 'Zhuang Zi' is. This is indeed a perfect coincidence."

Most of the guesses are correct, Wei Zhuang thought to himself.However, Uncle Fei did not get Yao Jia's ledger by chance; even the appearance of this ledger in front of people was caused by his careful planning.But how could he count...how could he count...

Wei Zhuang didn't know what else to say.He stared at the man in front of him.

Why is it him?How can it only be him?

Before Han Fei died, he had solved half of the chess game, and his brother had solved the other half; he was holding half a chess piece, and his senior brother was also holding half a chess piece.

Is this a coincidence, or God's will?

"Senior Brother, do you know where I got the half-spot in my hand?"

"where?"

"From Han Feizi's body." Wei Zhuang sneered in a low voice, "in his tightly clenched fist before he died. I opened his coffin and found the only clue left by him."

Ge Nie was startled. "It's... so..."

"I'm afraid he's right. I'm the only person in this world who knows how to find out the cause of his death." After Wei Zhuang finished speaking, he lowered his head and browsed the contents of the account.Gai Niechu was silent at the side.A moment later, Wei Zhuang quickly rolled up the brocade, stuffed it back into the copper pipe, and put the things away properly; when he raised his head, there was a half-smile expression on his face.

"Brother, you came here tonight, the original intention is to persuade our country and Wei to retreat, right?"

"good."

"It's a pity, it's a pity. South Korea is a big tree that has been rotted long ago, and it can't stand any toss. It just needs a strong wind, and it can be blown away from it."

"Are you afraid that your decision will become such a wind?"

"Afraid?" Wei Zhuang's eyes flashed like a blade. "I want to destroy it more than anyone else. I want to uproot this rotten tree, and grind it into a pile of powder together with insects that suck the sap and rats that chew on the roots. Then, using their corpses as nourishment, plant A better sapling."

"Xiao Zhuang..."

"Brother, what's the point of just retreating? Since we want to play, let's have an exciting game." Wei Zhuang suddenly reached out and held Gai Nie's arm, "The three families are divided into Jin, not because Han and Wei are in Jinyang. The troops withdrew from the city."

"Don't you think...the three families join forces to give Qin Jun a fatal blow?"

"Do you dare?" Wei Zhuang asked in a drawn-out tone.

Gaine took a deep breath.Although this matter is risky, once it is launched, it will only benefit Zhao Guo and not harm it.It is the commanders-in-chief of Korea and Wei who are in danger.

"If the big thing fails, your position after returning to South Korea will be..."

"According to my plan, this matter can only be successful, not defeated." Wei Zhuang looked at him with burning eyes, "There is no need to consider other things. I just ask you, dare, or not?"

"Gai Nie—accompany you."

The two rushed to the Wei army camp overnight.Although it was late at night, the chief general Wei Bao hadn't rested yet, and was drinking alone in the tent.He had known Wei Zhuang for a long time, and when he heard that he had a secret military report, he turned around and asked him to explain it in detail.

When Wei Bao was the only one left in the tent, Wei Zhuang went straight to the point and persuaded him to join the consortium of the Three Jin Dynasty with eloquence.Just now he praised Ge Nie as a qualified lobbyist, but now he personally persuades others with a completely different style: Although the general content is almost the same as what Ge Nie said, Wei Zhuang's description is more literary. The words were rushing down like a torrent, eloquently and extensively quoted, let alone Wei Bao, even Gai Nie was dumbfounded and had no power to refute.

It's a pity that although Wei Bao had been resenting Qin Jun's domineering for a long time, he didn't have the guts to turn against him.He shook his head while listening, only saying that the King of Wei had an order to assist Qin in attacking Zhao, and he did not dare to specialize in it.

"To tell you the truth, General Wei, Wei received a report from the spies that the Zhao army on the north side of the Great Wall has increased its troops by [-]. It may be more difficult to attack the city in the future than in the past few days."

Actually five thousand, Ge Nie thought to himself.The so-called bluff and making something out of nothing, Xiaozhuang really has a lot of Su and Zhang legacy.

"Oh? They still have reinforcements?" Wei Bao was startled and worried, unable to do anything.

"How many people are left in the armies of South Korea and Wei for such casualties day after day? And how did the people of Qin treat us? They drove the soldiers of the two countries like livestock, and they did not spend a single soldier. Waiting to reap the benefits; why should we sacrifice our lives to pave the way for the Qin people?"

"This……"

"I don't know if the general remembers." Wei Zhuang had a sad look on his face, "In the second year of King Wei Zhao, the 24 coalition troops of our two countries, Korea and Wei, guarded Yique to meet the Qin army; After the defeat of the two armies, they fled in panic and were caught up by the Qin army on the banks of Yishui, killing them all... A total of 24 people, none of them escaped back, and headless corpses filled the river, and Yishui did it for them Cut off the flow. This is the deep sea of ​​blood between the Han people, the Wei people, and the Qin State. It is only a few decades ago. Among our Korean army, there are still countless orphans of those who died in the past. Is General Wei going to watch Zhangshui become The second Yishui?"

Wei Bao let out a long sigh, with tears in his eyes, and said: "Why doesn't Wei hate the people of Qin... But this is the king's decision, so what can Wei do?"

Wei Zhuang said mysteriously: "General, Wei has a plan. If he acts according to this plan, not only will he be able to solve the predicament here, but he will never blame the general for keeping King Wei. Would you like to hear it?"

"Oh? Is there such a good plan?"

Wei Zhuang pulled Gai Nie with his left hand, supported the shark's teeth with his right hand, leaned close to Wei Bao and whispered.

Wei Bao exclaimed again and again, but he didn't dare to say a word.Gai Nie nodded while listening, occasionally adding a sentence or two of suggestions.Only now did he realize that it was impossible for Xiao Zhuang to come up with such a meticulous plan in an instant; I am afraid that it took him more than a day or two to make this plan in his mind; and tonight to visit the Han camp by himself is just a variable.Even without the cooperation of Zhao Jun, Wei Zhuang would sooner or later win over the Wei people and secretly stab Qin Jun in the back.

However, the addition of Zhao Jun made this plan even more lethal.

"To tell you the truth, General, this Mr. Gai is the confidant of Zhao General Sima Shang. Our two armies have already made a plan, and we just wait for General Wei to express his position."

Wei Bao wondered: "Although this plan is good, it is different from the king's order after all... General Wei might as well wait for a few days, Wei must first order people to rush back to Daliang and ask my king's opinion before..."

"—Waiting for one more day is to ruin the lives of thousands of soldiers in vain." Wei Zhuang frowned and lowered his head with a sigh;

At this moment, a small official outside the account suddenly reported that General Li Xin of Qin State had sent an envoy to visit.

"What?" Wei Bao jumped up, his frightened eyes swept over Wei and Gai, "Come in, please—"

In fact, it was because he had ghosts in his heart that he was overly frightened.Of course, it is impossible for Li Xin to know the conspiracy of the three, but today he caught many deserters. Although he scolded the generals of the Han and Wei armies, after he went back, he thought about it. Messenger came to appease.

The Qin envoy looked arrogant, and first relayed a few words that the Allied Forces of the Three Kingdoms must work together to advance and retreat together, and then urged to step up the attack on the next day.After speaking, his suspicious eyes swept over the other two people in the military tent.

Gai Nie seemed to be just a personal entourage; but Wei Zhuang, with such attire and such temperament, did not look like a person who lived under others.And that person looked directly at him, his eyes were cold, but there was a strange smile on the corner of his mouth.

"General Wei, who is this person?" Qin envoy asked.

"The one who took your life."

Before Wei Bao could answer, the red light of the shark's teeth had already been swept away.Qin envoy's head suddenly flew into the air.The body that fell suddenly spurted gurgling blood from the fracture.

This sword is too fast, so fast that there is no sound.Everything is a foregone conclusion.

Wei Bao was dumbfounded.His eyes widened, and after a while, he suddenly took two steps back tremblingly.

He is the general of a country, and he charged into battle, and he has seen many bloody battlefields.However, at this moment, his legs were shaking, as if he could no longer support his heavy body.

"General Wei, this is going to be difficult." Wei Zhuang looked as usual, but the long sword in his hand was still dripping blood.

"You...I...this...how can I explain this to General Li Xin—" Wei Bao spoke incoherently, his voice was already hoarse.

"General, you can kidnap Wei and go to Qin to plead guilty." Wei Zhuang said with a light smile, "However, no matter what, Qin's envoys died in your tent, General; will Li Xin believe it? General, you have never betrayed Qin from the beginning to the end, and you have not conspired with us?"

Threat, it's a naked threat.

Even though Wei Bao no longer has the responsibility, he can clearly see the situation in front of him.Wei Zhuang is smarter and more ruthless than him, so he has no chance of winning.

"I...Wei is willing to join He Zong, and the Three Jins will fight Wudao together, it is incumbent on us." After a long while, Wei Bao forced a forced smile on his face.

"Okay, very good." Wei Zhuang smiled happily.He flipped his wrist and swung the shark's teeth again—this time, slicing a piece of his left ear off the envoy's head.The bloody piece of meat was picked up by the tip of his sword, and suddenly skillfully sent, it fell impartially into the bronze wine vessel that Wei Bao had just used.

"In ancient times, when the princes made alliances, they had to use cattle ears to swear blood oaths. It's a pity that there are no cattle ears here, so we can only use human ears to make do." Wei Zhuang's words were full of regret.He wiped his left hand over the edge of the sword that was still dripping blood, smearing blood on his lower lip.

"Please drink blood, General."

Gai Nie witnessed his junior brother's terrifying outburst and control of the situation from beginning to end, and he felt a little admiration in addition to palpitations.

In this regard, I am inferior to Xiaozhuang.Perhaps, no one in the world can compare to him.

Wei Zhuang suddenly turned his head and smiled, and raised the strange long sword in his hand in front of him; Ge Nie understood, also dipped his finger in the blood from the sword, and smeared it on his lips.

"Please General Wei drink blood."

Wei Zhuang repeated it again.This time, Wei Bao touched the human ear in the wine glass almost tremblingly, and put it into his own mouth; he had no doubt that if he didn't make a decision, it would be his turn to put his ear on someone's wine glass bingo.

The three of them agreed on the details of the deployment of troops, and Gai Nie suddenly said: "For the current plan, I must return to the camp as soon as possible to inform General Sima, and make preparations for the Zhao army to respond. However, it will take at least a period of time to dispatch troops and march to ambush. If the envoy doesn't return on time, wouldn't the people of Qin become suspicious?"

Wei Bao suddenly fought again.

Wei Zhuang snorted and said, "Li Xin sent an envoy late at night just to stabilize the morale of the army, it's not a big deal; as the commander-in-chief of the three armies, he needs to recharge his batteries and command the entire army the next day, and he will never wait for this person overnight Return. At least until tomorrow morning, he will find out that the envoy has not returned overnight. Soldiers are very fast. The Zhao army must be ready within two hours, so that this plan can be foolproof."

"Okay." Gai Nie nodded, "At the third watch tonight, General Wei, please wait on the south bank of the Zhang River, in front of the Han camp."

It was the first time for Wei Zhuang to hear his elder brother call him "General Wei" in a serious manner, and he couldn't help feeling agitated, and he didn't know what it was like.

He didn't care what Wei Bao did with the body of the Qin envoy, and sent Gai Nie out of the Hanwei company camp by himself.Gai Nie nodded confidently to his junior brother, and was about to cross the river along the pontoon bridge when he suddenly felt a sharp pain—it was a strand of hair that had been tied behind his head all year round was being grabbed.

"Little... er... Zhuang?"

"Brother——" Wei Zhuang pulled him back a step abruptly, the voice in his ear was full of suppressed heat. "Some things, I didn't forget."

"Ok?"

"The military situation is too urgent, so there's no time to catch up on the old days." Wei Zhuang held the lock of hair, the ends of which were curled and coiled at the fingertips, "But the matter here is over, and the matter between you and me should also be settled."

Gai Nie clasped his hands tightly, looking at his junior brother. "……I see."