Night falls.

Inside the Chinese army tent, Qing Ji was sitting cross-legged on a futon, holding a bamboo slip and looking at it with gusto under the dim light of an oil lamp!

The content recorded on the bamboo slips is a military document.

In this era, "Sun Tzu's Art of War" has not yet come out, but there are still many ancient military books that generals can read and review for use in battle strategies!

Most people in later generations only know about "Sun Tzu's Art of War", but they don't know that there are also various military books such as "Huangdi's Art of War", "Tai Gong's Art of War", "Guan Zi's Art of War", "Shang Shu's Art of War", etc.

The content on the bamboo slip in Qingji's hand is part of "Tai Gong's Art of War".

When he had nothing to do, Qingji looked at these military books, making notes from time to time and writing his own thoughts!

"Son."

At this moment, General Meng Ben suddenly entered the tent.

"What's the matter?"

"The patrolling sentries caught several people in Xianghu. One of them is suspected to be Ji Zi..."

"Ji Zi?"

Qingji was stunned for a moment, and then he came to his senses.

At this time, the person who can deserve the name "Ji Zi" is his great-uncle, the famous Jizha, isn't it?

Qingji did not dare to neglect, and immediately asked Meng Bi to take him to see Jizha.

Jizha is an old man over sixty years old, with white beard and hair, a rosy complexion, seven feet tall, and not very old.

Jizha is different from most pampered nobles and princes of other countries!

He is a true sage, strict with himself and lenient towards others. It is this good attitude that makes Jizha win praise from the world. At the same time, he can cultivate his moral character and prolong his life.

In his sixties, in this era where the average age is mostly no more than thirty years old, Jizha is already considered to have lived a long life!

When Qingji saw Jizha, the latter was sitting cross-legged in a tent on one side, closing his eyes to meditate.

After learning Jizha's identity, the soldiers of Qingji's army did not treat him badly. Not only did they treat him with courtesy, but they also served Jizha respectfully, so as not to neglect this world-famous sage!

It is absolutely unique to be a person who lives up to the standards of Jizha.

"My great-nephew Qingji, I have met my great-uncle."

Qingji recognized Jizha, so after confirming the latter's identity, he bowed respectfully.

What is strange is that Jizha, who was sitting on the futon, said nothing and did not respond at all!

"My uncle is out of the city at this time, so there must be something big happening, right? If there is something important, my uncle can let me know, and I can send someone to escort my uncle there."

Qingji said with a faint smile.

Jizha remained silent!

At this moment, Meng Ben came in and whispered a few words in Qingji's ear.

"Sir, Ji Zi's followers have confessed."

"Ji Zi was ordered by Ji Guang to go to Yingdu to ask for help from Chu."

Qingji's face was calm, as if he had already guessed it.

"Uncle, you really disappoint me."

Qing Ji shook his head and said, "I thought you were a sensible person, but I never expected that my uncle would be so indifferent to right from wrong and act as an aid to others!"

"What benefits did Ji Guang give you to make your uncle work so hard for him?"

Jizha opened his mouth, but he didn't know where to start.

"Ji Guang asked for help from Chu, and he must pay a high price. Should he cede the city's land, or waste money to eliminate disasters? Or both?"

Qingji had a sarcastic smile on his lips and said, "I'm not surprised that Ji Guang jumped over the wall in such a hurry. But why did my great-uncle help the thief like this?"

"It would be fine if you just bribed the Chu people with rare treasures. If you cede the city and territory of Wu to me and bear the responsibility of betraying the country and losing the land, wouldn't my uncle become the eternal sinner of Wu like Ji Guang?"

"My uncle's great reputation may be destroyed in one day!"

"..."

Jizha remained silent, with tears still on his face.

Qingji is right!

Once Jizha goes to Chu as an envoy and cedes the city and land, he will be Wu's eternal sinner.

But, Jizha was coerced!

Originally, the war between Qingji and Helu was a civil war in the Kingdom of Wu and a struggle for the throne. Jizha did not want to get involved and wanted to stay out of it.

However, Helu was so cruel that he actually forced Jizha's second son and grandson to death!

Separated from flesh and blood!

How can this make Ji Zha not feel sad?

Jizha's agreement to send Helu as an envoy to Chu was an act of helplessness, and he had already put his life and death aside.

Helu also imprisoned Ji Zha's sons and grandsons and their families, forcing Ji Zha to send troops to Chu.

But Ji Zha was already despairing!

Why?

He is not afraid of death, and his children and grandchildren are not afraid of death!

Jizha's two sons and one grandson who died tragically did not want to embarrass Jizha, so they committed suicide to clarify their ambitions.

How could Jizha fail them?

Therefore, Ji Zhaming promised to send Helu as an envoy to Chu on the surface, but secretly he was thinking about escaping from the capital city of Wu and coming to Qingji to discuss important matters.

For this reason, Jizha would not hesitate even if his family was destroyed.

However, how could Jizha confide these matters to Qingji?

"Uncle, I don't know your difficulties. But no matter what the reason is, you should not help thieves!"

Qing Ji said righteously and sternly: "Don't you hear that the false way of the Jin Dynasty destroyed Guo in the past?"

"Chu is a large and dominant country with many soldiers and generals and thousands of chariots. Ji Guang seeks help from Chu. If the Chu army invades and destroys me, Qingji, how can we let Ji Guang go?"

"When the capital of Wu is destroyed, the country is overthrown, and the ancestral temple is in danger, what will my uncle look like under the Nine Springs a hundred years later, and see the ancestors of Wu again?"

Hearing this, Jizha, who used to be eloquent in the past, just opened his mouth like this: "I..."

How could Jizha not know about the false Taoist mission to destroy Guo more than a hundred years ago?

In 655 BC, Duke Xian of Jin sent an envoy to the State of Yu, asking for a way to allow the Jin army to cross the border to attack the State of Guo.

At that time, Lord Yu did not listen to the advice of his subordinates, and insisted on going his own way, borrowing the opportunity of the Jin army. As a result, after the Jin army destroyed Guo, they also conveniently destroyed the state of Yu on their way back to the court!

As the saying goes, you can learn from those who have gone before and learn from those behind you.

How could Jizha not have such worries in his heart?

"Uncle, please go back. Please tell Ji Guang for me that as long as he is willing to take off his armor and surrender, I will leave his whole body!"

Qing Ji said coldly: "If Ji Guang still persists in his stubbornness and resists, when the city of Wu is destroyed, I will tear his chariot apart to show the public, and expose his body in the wild for three days."

"In this battle, I will only kill the first culprit, and I will let the rest go and forgive them one by one!"

"If my uncle is interested, I would like to ask my uncle to inform the people in the city on my behalf."

When Jizha heard this, he couldn't help but feel filled with emotion.

Compared with Helu, Qingji does appear to be more tolerant and more suitable to become the King of Wu!

Asking himself, Jizha believed that Helu's situation was over. If nothing unexpected happened, it was a sure thing that Qingji would kill Helu and come to the throne.

"Sir, another of Ji Zi's followers has confessed."

At this moment, Meng Bi entered the tent again and glanced at Jizha, who was sitting on the futon on the floor, with a complicated expression.

Most of them have a look of admiration in their eyes!

"explain."

"Ji Zi is indeed on a mission to Chu State on behalf of Ji Guang, but there is something hidden..."

Meng Ben glanced at Ji Zha, then stood next to Qing Ji and whispered: "Master, according to the followers, Ji Zi resisted Ji Guang's order and opposed Chu's request for help. His two sons and one grandson committed suicide one after another to strengthen Ji Zi's ambition.

"

"Furthermore, according to the entourage's confession, Ji Zi bumped into him by himself. It seems that he surrendered to the young master..."

"..."
Chapter completed!