At the end of November, in the study room of Xianyang Palace.
Zhao Huaizhong glanced around: "Is it feasible for the ministers to advance the time to attack Chu and start a full-scale war with Chu at this moment?"
The first people sitting next were Lu Buwei, Han Fei, Li Si, Wei Liao, Zhili Neishi, Shaofu and other ministers who were in charge of money and food.
At the court meeting that just ended, the ministers had already discussed the matter of attacking Chu.
Looking at the recent trend of frequent mobilizations of the Qin army, we know that Zhao Huaizhong was thinking of completely swallowing Chu.
Otherwise, Wang Jian would not have been mobilized to send troops from the western front and resolutely enter the battlefield.
After the morning court was dismissed, he held a small court meeting in his study to summon ministers to discuss matters.
The original plan to attack Chu was to digest the gains from the attack on Wei and then attack Chu with a thunderous force. Otherwise, Wei's territory would be surrendered, and changes would occur.
Moreover, a war between the two countries would consume a lot of money. After Qin defeated Wei, it would also need time to breathe and accumulate strength.
Furthermore, soldiers are not made of iron. They will become tired after long battles and they also need rest.
"Currently, our Daqin's grain reserves are good, but the national treasury is tight. Please think again, your Majesty." Zhili Neishi said with lowered eyebrows.
The national treasury is tight and there is no money.
"The Yan people are ready to start a war with Chu. If Yan joins the war again, our Qin Dynasty will consume money, food and other materials, and I am afraid that it will not be able to support it."
Although Lu Buwei was a "disciple" of Zhao Huaizhong, he calmly analyzed the pros and cons and obviously did not agree with attacking Chu at this time.
After Lu Buwei finished speaking, he was old but still in good spirits. The young man in charge of all aspects of the clan's income and expenditure said:
"We are only two months away from defeating Wei, so starting a war now is not a good opportunity.
Please think again, Your Majesty."
Wei Liao said: "Putting aside other reasons, looking at the military situation alone, fighting Chu at this moment is actually an excellent opportunity.
Our army has contained the main force of the Chu people on the eastern front, and Lian Po and Wang Jian on the western front are both famous generals. The two of them were able to conquer two Chu cities in a row within three days."
Zhao Huaizhong pondered: "In the past, I had to guard against monsters, and many things were reserved for dealing with the Western Front to prevent changes in the situation.
Now, I have given bronze figures, thick earth beads and other items to Wang Jian, Lian Po and other Qin troops on the western front for use in attacking the city.
This way we can save military power and defeat the city faster."
The king is determined to attack Chu... Lu Buwei and others are thinking.
Here we go again... Shaofu and Zhili Neishi's faces were full of sorrow. After two years of recovery, they were once again living frugally and frugally.
From their perspective, the contemporary King of Qin Zhao Huaizhong was good at everything, except that he was extravagantly armed and loved to fight.
If you have some money, just do it.
"Your Majesty, given the current situation, it is better to adopt a compromise strategy."
Lu Buwei admonished: "The terrain of the Chu region is the largest in the southwest, and its capital, Shouchun, is close to the middle and east of its border. At this moment, our army is in the best position to fight in the southwest.
If the king wants to attack Chu, it is better to focus on the southwest and quickly encroach and occupy the Chu people's land.
By hoarding troops on the eastern front, but only conducting feint attacks to contain the Chu people, we can not only attack Chu, but also reduce our Qin's own consumption."
Zhao Huaizhong thought briefly about the matter: "What Prime Minister Lu said is in line with everyone's wishes, so let's do it."
Zhao Huaizhong wanted to start a Yiyantang, but no one dared to beep too much. They all racked their brains to follow his ideas and figure out where to get money to support the war.
After the Xiaochao meeting broke up, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty began to collect money from everywhere.
Lu Buwei and other ministers who knew what was going on had already taken the initiative to donate money to the national treasury to replenish military expenses.
Lu Buwei was originally a merchant from the Wei Kingdom, one of the richest men in the world, and was known as the two horses of the Qin Dynasty.
After becoming the Prime Minister of Qin, his influence in all aspects increased greatly, and his business did not decline. Otherwise, he would not be able to support thousands of customers of the Prime Minister's Mansion.
Donating money is a routine practice for him.
The news that the Qin army was attacking Chu and raising money and food spread further. Because his daughter was marrying the King of Qin, he had been in a good mood for a while. Ji Xian, who lived in Xianyang, after receiving the news, immediately cleaned up his affairs and planned to avoid the limelight.
He received the news that Da Qin was going to fight to raise money in the morning, and left Xianyang in a hurry at noon, preparing to go home.
The cheating in Xianyang is very powerful and must be guarded against.
He had just left Xianyang and had walked no more than seven or eight miles when he heard a voice yelling in the air: "Father."
Ji Xian just pretended not to hear and kept urging the coachman: "Hurry up, hurry up, the speed is too slow."
But he saw Ji Ju riding the Ji family's colorful sacred bull and falling from the sky.
When Ji Yu entered the palace, the colorful sacred cow became a dowry and was occupied by her own daughter.
Behind Ji Ju, there is a group of well-equipped Qin army inner court guards, riding the Great Qin Night Beast with black mist billowing under their feet, to protect her safety.
She got off the colorful sacred cow and winked at the driver.
The charioteer in the carriage immediately jumped off the carriage and hid aside to avoid harming the fish pond.
Ji Ju reached out her hand, which was as white as jade, opened the car curtain, looked at her father in the car, and said:
"Dad, give me money, the king wants to fight."
Ji Xian swallowed: "Your Majesty wants to go to war, but our family is not rich either. How can we spare any money?"
Ji Ju silently stared at Ji Xian, and her eyes slowly turned red: "Father, my daughter has just entered the palace as a concubine. The other concubines are all rich and capable. My Ji family has been handed down for thousands of years and has always been prominent. Father said that there is no one in the family.
Wealth, who believes it?”
Ji Xian said displeasedly: "What other concubines? The king is not fond of women, and everyone knows that you are the only five concubines.
Concubine Yan Fei, Concubine Han, and Concubine Si all had changes in their families, and they had nothing to gain. The other concubines you mentioned had money to offer, you are referring to the queen.
Why are you arguing with the queen about this?"
"If you have to fight, you have to fight."
Ji Yu kept saying, "The Shen Nong family used all the family's savings to finance the army. Why can't our Ji family do the same?"
Ji Xian lowered his voice and said: "Our family is different from the Shennong family. Let's not argue about spending money outside."
"I don't."
Ji Ju said angrily: "Father, just tell me whether to give it or not.
We have a hidden underground warehouse in our house, which is used to store all kinds of rice and other things to protect against war disasters.
Right now, Great Qin needs this money and food, and my father's initiative to donate it can solve Great Qin's current financial and food problems."
She said this through a sound transmission, so she obviously understood the seriousness and did not reveal the family background in public.
Ji Xian was taken aback and replied in a voice: "There is a cave at home, how did you know?"
The Ji family hides a cave, which is a big secret of the Ji family. Only the successive heads of the family and the elders of the family know about it.
The Ji family has been inherited for thousands of years, and almost all the Five Emperors' clans are from his family. Naturally, there are not a few who have accumulated wealth secretly.
However, the Ji family has been able to maintain its prosperity for thousands of years and has its own set of rules for doing things. No matter which dynasty or country prospers, the Ji family remains superficially close and friendly, but never takes sides.
Therefore, no matter who is in power, the Ji family will not lose.
Even if the Ji family is really pushed into a hurry, they are not easy to mess with. They have the power of self-preservation internally, flexibility in communication externally, and a deep foundation, so the Ji family can prosper and survive for thousands of years.
"My father drank fairy wine for three days last year and got hungover once. He accidentally let it slip and his daughter found out." Ji Ju said.
Ji Xian felt cold, it was over.
This time, the Qin people did not rip off the money, and replaced it with their own daughter who was more powerful.
"Father, have you ever thought about it? Now that Qin has unified the country, in the future the king will conquer the world, and the things that our Ji family did in the past to achieve both ends will no longer be allowed.
In my daughter’s opinion, it’s better to stand up as soon as possible and help the Qin Dynasty with all our strength. In the future, Qin will conquer the world, and the rewards my family will receive will be a hundred times what we are getting now.”
Ji Ju said, "Father is not as clear about this as Shen Nong."
Ji Xian snorted angrily, you want to help King Qin, and you are trying to fool me by saying some big principles.
However, I still feel a little relieved that my daughter is not really stupid and can still see things very clearly.
"That's all, as Yu'er said, how about allowing my father to go back and discuss it with the elders at home?"
Ji Ju: "Father, hurry up. If you still don't respond, I will tell the king and ask the king to talk to father and see if he will give it."
I was careless just now, this girl is really stupid... Ji Xian reached out and touched his forehead.
To be continued...