While urging Zhuge Liang to collect debts through Fei Yi, Wei Ba sent Wei Xing to Wuchang to discuss the sea ships with Sun Quan again.
Sun Quan was in a very bad mood.
The Battle of Luoyang, which had been prepared for a long time, ended hastily. Wu paid a huge price for it, but failed to get the reward it deserved. Lu Xun said that now it should march into Yanzhou and Qingzhou, push the front to the Yellow River as soon as possible, and cut off Luoyang from the side
A way out. But how can it be so easy? If you want to fight, how can you fight without money and food?
Facing Wei Xing who came to discuss business, Sun Quan was a little impatient and did not receive Wei Xing. Instead, he asked Zhang Wen to negotiate with him.
Seeing Zhang Wen with a smile on his face, Wei Xing immediately understood what Sun Quan meant.
"King Wu wants to break the contract?"
"Where, your envoy has misunderstood." Zhang Wen explained without any sincerity: "The war in Luoyang has just ended, and the affairs are complicated. Your Majesty does not have time to meet with your envoy for the time being. Please wait for your envoy. Your envoy can be in Wuchang.
We have been traveling for a few days, the spring is just right, how about I accompany your envoy on an outing?"
Wei Xing smiled: "It doesn't matter. I also know that King Wu has been busy recently, so it is expected that he has no time to see me. Mr. Zhang, are you, the Wu family, interested? The sea-going ships we produce are used to go out to sea for business, so
But it couldn’t be more appropriate.”
Zhang Wenzheng had this intention. Sun Quan borrowed a lot of money from the Wudi family in order to fight the war. Now he has no money to repay the debt, so he can only transfer part of his rights. If they bought sea ships, went to sea to do business, or even bought horses from Liaodong, Sun Quan would
Even if they don't want to, I'm afraid they can't veto it outright. What has the highest profit now? Not jewels and jade, but food and war horses. The fire bomb has the highest profit, but it's a pity that they can't make it, so they can only watch Wei Ba get rich.
Thanks to Zhang Wen's help, although Sun Quan did not meet with Wei Xing, Wei Xing was still very busy in Wuchang. When Sun Quan heard about it, he was very surprised and immediately sent Lu Yi to inquire. After inquiring, he found out that Wei Xing had already done business
When it comes to the private sector, in just a few days, agreements for more than 30 sea-going ships have been signed.
Sun Quan suddenly became nervous. Shipbuilding was one of the pillar industries of Soochow. If people from Wu State went to Hepu Shipyard to buy ships, where would he collect taxes from? He urgently summoned Zhang Wen to inquire about the relevant situation.
Zhang Wen was very calm, told the whole story, and finally said: "Your Majesty, we are doing this to share your worries."
"Share the worries?" Sun Quan had a sullen face and was very unhappy. What's more, sharing the worries and stealing money are more like it. There are three shipyards in Wu State. Even if the performance of the ships is not as good as that of the Hepu Shipyard, there will be no problem in transporting cargo. You go together and buy the ships from the Hepu Shipyard.
.Give Wei Ba money to earn, does this count as sharing my worries?
"Your Majesty, after I met with Wei Xing, I found that he was not enthusiastic about meeting your Majesty."
Sun Quan was a little confused and didn't know what Zhang Wen was talking about.
Zhang Wen hesitated for a moment and further explained: "Your Majesty, I heard some news from Wei Xing. I don't know whether it is true or not yet, so I dare not report it to your Majesty. But since your Majesty asked, I have to tell you first. I hope
Your Majesty, you can send someone to check it out so that you can be prepared."
"What is going on?" Sun Quan became nervous.
"It is said that... Hepu Shipyard may receive a large order recently. Once this order is implemented, Hepu Shipyard will not have time to produce other ships within three to five years."
"What kind of order can be so big that it can take a shipyard three to five years to produce?"
"Your Majesty, who do you think can be so generous?" Zhang Wen smiled bitterly and said: "Such a large order can only be for official use, and most likely for military use."
Sun Quan was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but take a breath of air. He understood what Zhang Wen meant. Someone was ordering a large number of warships from Wei Ba. The number of these warships was huge. It was enough for Hepu Shipyard to produce three to five years. Since it was a warship,
That could only be used by the army. In addition to the Wu State, it was either the Wei State or the Shu Han. It seems that the possibility of the Wei State is not small. But if you look carefully, the possibility of the Shu Han is even greater.
And the decision-maker is probably Li Yan. Of course, these warships are not used to deal with the State of Wei, but can only be used to deal with the State of Wu.
"Your Majesty, the Hepu Shipyard is newly built and has limited production capacity. We order so many cargo ships at once, but we actually don't want him to build warships."
"Huishu, you think too simply." Sun Quan sneered: "If Li Yan really wants to build a warship, even if Wei Ba accepts your order, he will put it aside and give priority to the production of warships that Li Yan wants.
Boat."
"Your Majesty, although I am ignorant, how can I not know the truth behind this? However, in this way, I can confirm whether Wei Ba has really received this order. At least, I can make some preparations in advance, so as not to wait three to five years.
Later, the Shu Han Navy suddenly realized this when they arrived in Wuchang."
Sun Quan understood and nodded happily. Although Zhang Wen's method could not stop Li Yan's plan, it could understand the other party's schedule from one side and provide at least one to two years of warning time. This time is
It is very valuable and allows him to prepare accordingly.
"So, Wei Xing has no intention of talking to me at all. His coming to Wuchang is just a false story to paralyze us?"
"That's what I think."
"Wei Ba has such a vicious heart, no wonder he wanted to transfer the Zhao family and his son back to Chengdu." Sun Quan clenched his fist and smashed it on the case with hatred. After Zhao Tong left Linyuan, Sun Luban could no longer deliver relevant news.
Come back. If Li Yan is preparing to go on an expedition, if he does not mobilize troops from Chengdu, then Sun Luban will probably not get the news until Li Yan officially sets out. By then, there will not be much time left for Wu to prepare.
It can be seen that Wei Ba's sending the Zhao family and his son back to Chengdu was not as simple as a promotion. This was a very tacit cooperation between him and Li Yan.
"Then what should we do?" Sun Quan held his forehead, feeling that a string was slowly tightening in his head, which gave him a splitting headache.
"Your Majesty, the two countries are fighting over strength. After the Battle of Luoyang, Zhuge Liang retreated to Chang'an, and Li Yan must be powerful. If he mobilizes a large army, and has Wei Ba to help him, and goes down the river, for me, Da Wu,
The pressure is extraordinary.”
Sun Quan smiled bitterly in his heart, not only was the pressure very serious, but if he failed, he would be in danger of overthrowing the country.
"The Art of War has it that the first step is to attack and plan, and the second is to attack and make friends. To deal with Li Yan and Wei Ba, on the one hand, we should be well prepared, and the monarch and his ministers should work together to deal with the enemy. Secondly, we should contact Zhuge Liang, support each other, and suppress Li Yan internally and externally.
Let him not act rashly."
"How to contact Zhuge Liang? Zhuge Liang was defeated in Luoyang and could not protect himself."
"Otherwise. Although Zhuge Liang withdrew from Luoyang, he did so on his own initiative without any major losses. His strength is still there. If the king is willing to join hands with him to overcome the difficulties, Li Yan is not sure of victory."
"What can I help him with?" Sun Quan smacked his lips helplessly: "I am empty-handed now."
"Your Majesty, what Wu Wu lacks the most is war horses, and Zhuge Liang has many good horses. If we can work together, the generals can raise money on their own. Purchasing war horses from Guanzhong can help Zhuge Liang tide over the difficulties, and strengthen our army.
With our strength, Li Yan and Wei Ba dare not underestimate me, Da Wu, and we can have the upper hand in the confrontation with Wei. Isn’t it the best of all three?"
Sun Quan glanced at Zhang Wen and understood Zhang Wen's final intention. Zhang Wen suggested that you all raise your own funds to buy horses. The Jiangdong family with the strongest economic strength will definitely rise rapidly, and they will gain greater power in the army.
Squeeze the living space of the Jianghuai Clan. With military power, you can make contributions in the next war. If you make contributions, you can seize more power.
If this strategy is implemented, it won't take long for the Jiangdong Family to take control of the overall situation.
Sun Quan saw through Zhang Wen's intentions, but he had no better way. If Zhang Wen's selfishness was stripped away, I have to say that this was a good idea, especially under the current circumstances, this was simply a clever plan.
Sun Quan hesitated, and Zhang Wen did not force him to remonstrate. He knew very well that this strategy was tantamount to draining fuel from the bottom of Sun Quan's rule. If they had only used economic benefits in exchange for greater living space in the court, now they
Just use it
Economic interests are exchanged for greater power in the army. For any monarch, military power is a countermeasure, and no one can touch it easily. Once an allergic reaction is aroused, with Sun Quan's violence, it is likely to be a lose-lose situation.
ending.
Zhang Wen is not in a hurry. Under such circumstances, Sun Quan has no more choices. He can either choose to cooperate more intensely with the Jiangdong family, or choose to sit back and wait for death. Whichever is more important, I believe Sun Quan will make the wisest choice.
Just as Zhang Wen guessed, although Sun Quan hesitated for a long time, he really couldn't find a better way. On the one hand, he sent people to Chengdu to inquire about the news to see if Li Yan really intended to send troops to attack Wu. On the other hand, he sent
Zhuge Jin rushed to Chang'an to see how Zhuge Liang was doing and whether there was any point in forming an alliance with him.
Seeing Zhuge Jin, Zhuge Liang knew his purpose.
"How is the situation in Wu State?"
"Not good." Zhuge Jin shook his head: "The national treasury is empty and the people have food. We can no longer support a war. If Li Yan intends to send troops, it will be difficult for us to resist. If we have to, we can only make peace with Wei.
.”
Zhuge Liang sighed: "I thought too smoothly. I originally wanted to create a situation to force Li Yan and Wei Ba to send troops to help and attack Luoyang. I didn't expect that it failed. Instead, I hurt my vitality and brought humiliation to myself. However,
Our army has gained nothing. Jiang Wei and Wei Yan are attacking Huguan. If they succeed, Bingzhou will be mine. I can still supply the horses that King Wu needs."
Zhuge Jin was silent. Zhuge Liang's words were both comforting and threatening. If you make peace with Wei, you won't be able to save the situation. Instead, you will give Li Yan an excuse to send troops and push Zhuge Liang to the point of helplessness.
Compared with the dilemma of solidarity, maintaining an alliance with Shu Han is more reliable.
"Kong Ming, you should take care of yourself." Zhuge Jin looked at Zhuge Liang's pale face: "You are seven years younger than me, but look at us standing together, you are older than me. If you want to do big things, no one can do it."
How can you be in good health? Wei Ba is young, let alone Li Yan, who is about the same age as you, and his energy is much stronger than yours. If this continues, how long can you persist? If you fall ill, who will
Can you handle such a huge responsibility?"
Zhuge Liang's face darkened: "It's a pity that Bo Song has left. Brother, I feel guilty for not taking good care of Bo Song."
.
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