Chapter 18: A Debate in the Court to Stabilize the General's Heart
（18）
Another nervous reception and another cautious coaxing. However, King Wu was not very sure about the effect of this meeting. He was indeed worried about this old man who looked like a fool. He was worried that the glue had already seen through some suspicious clues. The last time Meng Jin observed the army, it was their first contact and they didn't have a deeper understanding of this merchant envoy. This time, the merchant envoy came to the capital region of the country personally. He suddenly came and left in a hurry. His actions were mysterious, making it impossible for people to guess the riddle behind it. In two days, he had seen the situation in the country, the people in the capital, the military camp, and the life of the royal family. He had done so many things in a short period of time. He was really an impatient person who paid attention to efficiency. This kind of person would indeed make his opponents feel lingering fear. One's intelligence could not be seen from one's appearance.
King Wu recalled that for the past few decades, every time the merchant envoy came, he had to bring out the luxurious lifestyle of the royal family, pretending to be indulging in debauchery and entertainment. He was ignorant and rotten about state affairs to cover up his preparations to attack the merchants in secret. However, there was no impenetrable wall. No matter how decorated it was, it would definitely be exposed over time. Perhaps King Zhou of Shang had already heard about it, so he suddenly sent a plastic Li to spy on the truth. This was the first time that King Wu had received the Shang Dynasty's emissary in the kingdom since he had inherited the throne. The Shang envoy came in a hurry and the people who welcomed him were flustered. He must have revealed many flaws. When King Wu thought of the mud on his shoes at the banquet, he felt uneasy. King Zhou of Shang was a king with a heart full of hatred. Back then, King Zhou of Shang had used such cruel methods to deal with the Zhou Country. He had killed his father, imprisoned his son, and cooked his grandson. His crimes had been punished for three generations. This kind of behavior made the world's hair stand on end. Now, if there were any more suspicious signs, wouldn't King Zhou of Shang repeat his old tricks?
King Wu knew that the Zhou Country already had a strong army that was good at fighting and could resist the invasion of the Shang army. However, a head-on battle could not be fought. If it was not done well, the weak Zhou Country would be the first to suffer defeat due to the lack of reserve forces and resources. The Shang Dynasty had a long history and was powerful. It could fight for a long time until it destroyed the other party. For example, the war against Huai Yi had consumed a lot of manpower and resources, but the country was still so strong. Reinforcements were sent out continuously, and each time, they could send out tens of thousands of people. From a long-term perspective, in order to defeat King Zhou of Shang, he had to find his opponent's weakness and give him a fatal blow. The best way to deal with King Zhou of Shang was to separate the relationship between the monarch and his subjects, eliminate the right and left sides, disrupt the government, weaken the prestige of King Zhou of Shang, and make him lose the support of the people. However, the Shang Dynasty was indeed a country with a long history and strong power. The foundation of the regime was solid. Even though King Zhou of Shang had squandered the national treasury and killed people for decades, he still had considerable power. His father had worked hard for decades, but it was difficult to open a gap. In recent years, Hou Ban's boldness and hard work, coupled with the fact that King Zhou of Shang was already old and muddle-headed, had only begun to show a satisfactory development trend. King Zhou of Shang was proud of his achievements and had sent out a large number of troops to fight against Huai Yi. The war in the southeast was complicated and the cruelty of the war had far exceeded all the wars in history. The length of time was also shocking. Both sides had long fallen into a stalemate. The Shang army's long-distance attack had consumed a large amount of the country's treasury and manpower, but King Zhou of Shang still maintained his extravagant life. He became more and more particular with each passing day. He sang, drank, and indulged in debauchery. Day and night, he wandered on Deer Terrace, in wine pools, and in meat forests. The happiness of a king was built on the pain of the common people. Furthermore, they were still sending out slaves to continue expanding Deer Terrace Pavilion, building palace ceremonies, and gardens. The slaves of the Shang Kingdom couldn't stand the abuse and oppression, and they all rose up to resist. King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty also tortured the prisoners who rebelled against the slaves and filled the Juntai Prison in the capital. At present, the Shang Kingdom is happy to be extremely lucky, but it suffers from hatred. It was just that after hundreds of years of national foundation, the powerful national institutions that had been built up were majestic and imposing, exerting power and punishment to oppress the people of all races. The sparks of fire had yet to accumulate into a prairie fire to burn down the building. The corruption of King Zhou of Shang had already caused the Shang Dynasty to end. It was only a matter of time before it ended.
King Wu knew very well that Shang and Zhou would fight to the death. The rising Zhou would defeat the corrupt Shang. However, before the Zhou Country developed to the point where they had the strength to defeat King Zhou of Shang, they had to be wary of King Zhou's dying counterattack. When the Shang Dynasty had the strength, they had to first kill the development of the Zhou Country's power and then destroy the Zhou Country. This was what the Martial King was concerned about. King Zhou's perverse actions were against the laws of nature and humanity. The Shang court had already begun to betray everyone. At this critical moment, they could not let King Zhou be suspicious. At this stage, he had to be very cautious with every step he took, and every action he took had to be carefully calculated. Martial Kings always felt that it was very difficult to start. Every move of Zhou Country would easily arouse the vigilance of King Zhou of Shang, and this was related to the future fate.
After returning to Shangdu, King Wu paid attention to the news sent by Shangdu and did not have a peaceful day. The Martial King felt that the days were like years. The days passed by, tormenting King Wu. His patience was running out and he was beginning to show signs of impatience. He often felt unhappy on the way from his residence to the palace. He began to consider whether he should move to the palace to better handle state affairs.
On the way home, King Wu asked Lu Shang, who was in the same carriage, this question. He said," Father Shang, the weather is so hot. It's inconvenient to come and go. I'll waste a lot of time on the road. I want to move into the palace."”
"Are you alone or a family?”Lu Shang didn't object to the Martial King's suggestion, but he didn't actively support it either. In the past, King Wu had also proposed this, but because of the opposition of San Yisheng and the other old officials, it was not implemented. Thus, it remained the same until now.
"For the convenience of life, of course, the whole family will go. How about this?"
Lu Shang did not answer King Wu's question directly. Instead, he changed the topic and brought up King Wen." Your father built this palace to deceive King Zhou of Shang. Over the past ten years, it had indeed played a huge role. He had just received the plastic tripod not long ago.”
"Because I was in a hurry this time, I made a lot of mistakes. I think this old man might have already seen through it.”
"Although Jiao Li is intelligent, he can only see these flaws in his heart. I think he wouldn't have spoken nonsense in front of King Zhou of Shang if he hadn't really figured out the truth. He was a person with a sense of justice. Being in the tiger's den, as a subject, he had no choice but to do his best. When he came to the military camp early the next morning, I guessed that he had other intentions. His guilty behavior showed that he was an honest and loyal person. He also revealed a helpless emotion in his words. I think he also saw that King Zhou's fate had come to an end. Don't worry about this old man. He's not like the previous envoys who blindly risked their lives for King Zhou.”Lu Shang said as he looked at the Martial King solemnly." We've reached a crucial moment. You must consider everything carefully and consider the long-term interests. You must persevere in your father's will until it is fully realized. No wonder Brother San Yisheng strongly opposed you when you first moved into the palace. He did it out of good intentions, but his thoughts were a little rigid. Now, there are only a few of our generation's old ministers left. So many people had not been able to see the success of this business. The remaining people were also anxious. Your father relied on this large group of people working hard to contribute to this cause to create the foundation he has today.”
Lu Shang continued to sigh." What a difficult task. To achieve a great goal, it will take the efforts of several generations. You're only the second generation, and you're only the generation that built this business building. In the future, there would still be future generations who would continue to work hard. From the long river of history, one would feel that their responsibilities were heavy when they considered their respective missions. At present, the conditions were much better than before. Who would not live in a ready-made palace and live in a low and crowded hut? All for your father's unfinished business. Back then, your father used this to remind himself to live frugally and set an example for his people. The purpose of doing this was to mobilize the people to contribute to the country's prosperity, accumulating strength and every bit of financial resources. Therefore, thousands of palace maids were taught to be weavers, and the harem courtyard was also used as a workshop. This was killing two birds with one stone. One was to deceive King Zhou of Shang, and the other was to create huge wealth for the country. It's good for the country and the people. Back then, I agreed to you moving the meeting place into the new palace, which was why I had a disagreement with Brother San Yisheng. But if you want to move in, that's another matter. If a comfortable life didn't wear out your fighting spirit and perseverance, the people would think that you were a person who coveted happiness. How bad was his image? When the entire country was still working hard and starting a business, they could not consider the issue of ease and convenience in life. Although it was a long journey between his old residence and his current affairs, there were storms and harsh days, but with a car to welcome him and send him off, it was still much smaller than risking one's life on the battlefield. He would overcome this difficulty first. Always remember to work hard and complete your father's unfinished business.”Lu Shang said as he looked ahead silently.
The Martial King sat quietly, allowing the carriage to jolt.
After a while, Lu Shang's voice was heard again.""It won't be too late to consider moving the palace after we obtain the final victory. At the very least, he had to wait until he defeated King Zhou of Shang. The most important thing now was to pay attention to the Shang Dynasty. Brother Hou Ban was getting on in years, so he had to consider sending someone to assist him. Now we are prepared for everything and are just waiting for the enemy to change.”
"That's right, I can't wait to fight my way to the Shang Dynasty and fulfill my father's will. I've been looking forward to this day and night.”King Wu said excitedly, temporarily putting aside the matter of moving the palace.
The car stopped in front of his old residence. Lu Shang and King Wu looked at the new palace. Compared to this, the new palace was indeed magnificent. As soon as the two of them entered the hall, they saw Duke of Zhou Dan and Uncle Guan standing face to face. They said in unison,"Big Brother, Father Shang, we've been waiting for you.”He bowed to Lu Shang.
The Martial King and Lu Shang sat down in the hall.
Duke Dan of Zhou first said,"Big brother, Shang Fu, the hundred chariots of the Imperial Guards are all loaded with carriages." Following Father Shang's instructions, we racked our brains. In order to install some fixed devices to enhance the impact ability of the chariot, we installed a horizontal knife on the horse's neck on both sides of the shaft. When the chariot was charging, it would sweep and cut. In the past few days, everyone had been busy for a while. They had made dozens of pairs of horizontal knives and installed some of them. However, they did not have any bronze now.”As he spoke, he glanced at King Wu and Lu Shang, intending to ask them what to do next. He paused for a moment and added,"The bronze that is being smelted will only be available after this summer.”
Uncle Guan continued," I went to the kiln workshop to take a look and discussed with the masters. The copper refined last winter was used to make the carriage frame. A small portion of it and the bronze produced this year were used to make the horizontal knives, but it was not enough for the personal guards. Big brother, should we wait or think of another way? What do you think?"
"Where is the young man who invented the car now?”Lu Shang suddenly remembered something and asked.
Zhou Gongdan replied,"We sent him to be the captain of the weapons assembly team of the personal guards. He is in charge of these modifications."”
"I know that. I'm asking where he is now.”
"He was busy with the masters in the kiln today.”Zhou Gongdan happily praised him and said,"He did a good job." He had put in a lot of effort in assembling the carriage this time, so he asked Father Shang to give him credit for it.”
Lu Shang recalled his contact with Yan Shi on the morning when he sent troops to Mengjin and said happily,"Distinguishing rewards and punishments is the principle of our army. Meritorious deeds must be rewarded in order to mobilize the enthusiasm of the people. Those who were right and wrong had to be punished in order to be disciplined and manage the army well.”He turned around and said to King Wu in a negotiating tone,""The personal guards are all equipped with carriages, and the cross-yoked sabers can only be installed next spring. It would probably have to wait until the next year or the year after that before the entire country's chariots were installed. If the situation changes and we need to move out early, it will be too late. I think we have to think of a way to solve this problem as soon as possible.”
King Wu asked Duke Dan of Zhou and Uncle Guan,"You were there." Do the masters have any suggestions or explanations?”
Zhou Gongdan replied,"They said they had done their best." This was still an overestimation. They asked for more people to help. At least three to five hundred people."
Uncle Guan added," We need to refine the copper needed to assemble the personal guard's broadsword by this winter. We need to add many furnaces, but we don't have enough technicians. In my opinion, we should send more people over and increase the number of furnaces. "If we don't have any technicians, we'll ask the original technicians to work harder. Each of them will be assigned to take care of a few more furnaces and work overtime. This is very important. We can't wait until the year after tomorrow to finish it.”
King Wu looked at Lu Shang and said thoughtfully,""Refining bronze requires manpower and time. The autumn harvest was coming soon. Once winter arrived, the army would have to undergo large-scale training. This year was different from the previous years. The problem of the copper had to be solved as soon as possible. Is there any other way?" He seemed to be asking himself, but also seemed to be asking the crowd. His voice was not loud. The attendant brought a glass of water to each of them. King Wu took it and drank a mouthful. Then, he turned the copper cup with his hand and looked around. A smile appeared on his face as he said to Lu Shang,""I have an idea. At the very least, he could solve a part of the bronze problem first.”He paused for a moment and saw Lu Shang nod and smile. Then, he said to everyone,"The cup in your hands has given me a revelation. We'll start from here. First, he would start with the Wang family. He would collect all the copper utensils that were not very necessary or could be replaced by other things. He would send them to be used as horizontal knives and carriage frames. Then, he would mobilize the people to support this action and donate some excess copper utensils. This way, they might receive a lot of bronze ware. Later, when the new copper was smelted, it was cast into utensils and sent back. Everyone, please be humble and use the pottery first. For the sake of the country, it was necessary to solve the current needs first. However, for the sake of our country's prestige, when collecting the utensils, we must record the accounts properly and return them in the future.”
"This is a good idea. We'll go and execute it tomorrow." Uncle Guan was so happy to hear this idea that he cried out. He thought of how those armored soldiers who hadn't been equipped with chariots and horizontal sabers complained about him. Now that it was solved, they would say that he was good. He couldn't help but laugh even more cheerfully.
"Don't worry. This is a big problem that concerns every family and everyone's personal interests. After a serious discussion, they would come up with a set of measures before implementing them. We'll start tomorrow or the day after." Lu Shang interrupted him and stopped Zhou Gongdan, who was about to speak. He glanced at Uncle Guan." You'll ruin things if you're impatient." He had to make it clear to the people in advance that it was for the country. He would take it out to support it first and return it later. Only by letting the people have an idea in their hearts could they consciously implement it. Forcing will cause people to be disgusted."
"This old man is doing the same old thing again. He's so long-winded. He has to talk about plans, measures, and whatever discussion. Seriously…Who dares to do anything to the people of Zhou Country…?”Uncle Guan muttered in his heart.
Zhou Gongdan, who was sitting next to him, asked Uncle Guan loudly,"What did you say? Speak louder. If you have a good idea, say it.”
When King Wu saw the two brothers whispering to each other, he said,""Third brother, if fourth brother has anything to say, just say it.”
"No, I didn't." Uncle Guan replied straightforwardly. He glanced at Lu Shang with a look of disgust.
King Wu continued,"I think Shang Fu is right. We have to cherish the power of our countrymen, and we have to be faithful. We have to win the support of our countrymen from the bottom of their hearts. We often talk about benevolent politics. This is the purpose. This matter could only depend on the willingness of the people. Forcing people's will would not get the people's sincere support. Tomorrow, the ministers would discuss the court affairs before implementing them. If everyone has any objections, don't force it. No matter what, my Wang family members should first collect the bronzes and send them to be forged tomorrow. There are still many bronzes in the new palace, so we should also collect them first.”
"How can that be? If another merchant envoy came, what bronze ware would he use to entertain them?”Duke of Zhou raised an objection.
"I don't think it will come again this year. Let's collect it first and replace it with some good pottery. Alright, let's go eat first." As he spoke, the Martial King stood up and humbly let Lu Shang walk in front.
At this moment, a commotion came from the entrance, attracting everyone's attention. Everyone turned their heads to look at the entrance at the same time. Then, Lei Zhen's face was glowing, and he was travel-worn. He strode into the door with sonorous footsteps as he said,"Big brother, I'm back. Oh, Father Shang is here too, and so are the brothers.”
Lei Zhen looked around at everyone and bowed. He said happily,"The harvest this time is really not small. There were several carts of things. The most valuable thing was that there were ten tiger skins. Ten." He stretched out his hand and opened his fingers. He compared them with each other." I didn't expect this. Hahaha."”As he spoke, he laughed heartily.
Everyone stood still and looked at Ray Zhen with a smile. Everyone's face was filled with joy as if they were sharing Ray Zhen's results. The laughter echoed in the already dark hall, washing away the heavy and solemn atmosphere.
King Wu and Lu Shang walked back to their original seats and sat down.
"Thank you. You've worked hard. Sit down and tell me slowly." King Wu pointed at the stool and said to Lei Zhen.
Everyone went back to their seats. Although the hall was small, because the meeting place was moved into the new palace, it became a place where the clan members gathered. Everyone still retained their own fixed stools.
"How is the situation at the border? Is the border peaceful?”King Wu asked with concern as soon as he sat down.
"The border is peaceful. None of those barbarians had disappeared. The people live and work in peace and contentment. It was just that in the mountains and wilderness, people's lives were a little harder. It was not easy to kill wild beasts. People were often bitten by ferocious beasts. I organized a few large-scale ambushes and hunts, and I caught quite a number of prey. Look, these ten tiger skins are the biggest result.”Ray Zhen pointed at the stack of tiger skins that were being carried in and said happily and proudly,"The border people are very grateful for my king's benevolent government, reducing the tribute and allowing them to reclaim the wasteland. Everywhere I went, I was warmly welcomed. When they left, many people cried. Things were changing year after year, and this year's event was even more grand than the previous years.”When he was happy, Ray Zhen started to dance with his hands.
"So what if there is order in the border?" Lu Shang, who was listening at the side, suddenly interrupted and asked with concern.
"Father Shang, according to your instructions, I have carefully checked the border defense stations. The personnel are strictly responsible for their duties. The beacon signals are well prepared, and they are willing to stick to the border defense. However, in a few stations, the staff had brought their family members to reclaim the nearby wasteland to plant crops. I saw their lives and felt that they were not bad. There were no mistakes in both business and private matters, so I acquiesced. Some other stations also raised the same question. I thought that it would be beneficial to do so, so I agreed to their request. Big Brother, Father Shang, what do you think?" Ray Zhen asked apologetically as he drank a cup of water from the servant.
"The lives of the border people are hard, and it's not easy to patrol the border. They didn't affect their duties, and they could take care of all aspects of their lives with their families. Both are complete." Martial King pondered for a moment before saying.
"Little Lei, this matter is of great importance. This is a big problem regarding the organization. It is good that you agreed to it in a hurry, but it is just a little rash. It was related to the country's relations, so they had to report first. The ministers would discuss it before taking action. If it was really too late, they could only make a last-minute decision. Next time, he had to consider this point carefully.”However, Lu Shang started to find fault with Lei Zhen's actions.
"Yes, it's not good to be rash. I'll be more careful next time."”Then, he wiped his sweat and turned back to Zhou Gongdan and Uncle Guan. He whispered,"Father Shang is too strict, he's always nitpicking. It was really difficult to be thorough in everything.”
Zhou Gongdan smiled and said,"Shang Fu is thinking for the country. He places great importance on the rule of law and is afraid of chaos." Father and big brother are treated the same. We just have to be more careful and let him find fewer faults. He was also an old man, and he was always worried about young people. If we do well, he will be happy.”
"I'm happy. I'm already so old. I don't have many years left to live. Why don't I settle down and enjoy some quiet old age? Let us young people do what they want.”Uncle Guan was dissatisfied again, and he couldn't help but mock her.
Zhou Gongdan quickly stopped him and said,"Third Brother, don't talk nonsense. Shang Fu is the person that Father respects the most. He is also our elder." He is thinking for the future of our Royal Family, so we should listen to him. Now that the final battle of Shang and Zhou is imminent, Shang father and big brother are working day and night to plan the court. We don't want them to be distracted by these small matters.”
"Yo, fourth brother is really sensible.”Uncle Guan shifted his dissatisfied gaze to Zhou Gongdan's face, then looked at Lei Zhen, and his lips moved again.
Martial King saw that they were muttering and had unhappy expressions on their faces. He quickly said,"Stop mumbling. Let's go eat. We can talk later.”He said to Lei Zhen,"Brother, you're tired too. Go and rest after eating. Tomorrow, we'll go to the palace for a meeting."”
"Alright." Ray Zhen replied and stood up with everyone.
They all walked toward the door on the right side of the hall. Lu Shang took the lead. King Wu was about to walk to the door when another servant ran in from the door and reported,""Martial King, Hu Sheng has returned and is already at the door.”
"Ah!" The Martial King and Lu Shang exclaimed at the same time. They stopped in their tracks, and a hint of excitement flashed across their faces. "Please come in," King Wu said. He turned around and said apologetically to everyone,"You guys go eat first. We'll come back later." Father Shang, let's stay for a while."
Lei Zhen shouted," If you want to eat, let's eat together. Big Brother is worried about the country's affairs, so we have to practice what we preach."”
Everyone knew that Hu Sheng had come back from Shangdu and must have brought important news. They all stopped in their tracks and did not want to eat first. After Lei Zhen called out, they all agreed.
King Wu had no choice but to say,"That's good. Everyone, stay here and listen to the news from the east."”
The group returned to their seats. Hu Sheng had already stepped in. He was covered in dust and looked tired, but he couldn't hide his excitement and heroic spirit. His well-defined face made it obvious that he was a soldier who had just returned from the battlefield with glory on his face.
Hu Sheng strode to the center of the hall and bowed to King Wu and Lu Shang. He said loudly,"" Reporting to Martial King and Imperial Advisor." He knew Lu Shang's status and often nominated him together." Pass on the Marquis's message and report three pieces of news. The first was that King Zhou of Shang had recently indulged in singing and dancing, indulged in Daji, indulged in wine and sex, and indulged in banquets all day long. The treacherous official Fei Zhong monopolized power and had already taken control of the government. Everyone in the court hated the injustice, and those who stood up to remonstrate were punished by cutting their bodies. The second was to send reinforcements to the east. Shangdu only had 50,000 guards and 15,000 soldiers left. If the Juntai Guards were included, there would be 40,000 soldiers, making a total of no more than 120,000. The Shang Capital was empty. The Marquis asked King Wu and the Imperial Advisor to consider carefully. Third, the Marquis said that King Wu and Imperial Advisor should prepare for the tribute this winter. King Zhou already had many rare treasures in the world. The Marquis requested to send some tributes that had the characteristics of the Western Regions and could make King Zhou of Shang proud of his achievements. The Marquis greeted King Wu and the Imperial Advisor. Hu Sheng has finished reporting." As he spoke, Hu Sheng bowed again and stood there waiting for instructions.
"You've worked hard. It was tiring to rush all the way back. He should go back and rest first. I'll look for you tomorrow if I have any questions." King Wu praised Hu Sheng.
Lu Shang added," Your mother is good in every way. She just misses you. She's worried about you. You should go back and see her."”
"Thank you, Martial King and Imperial Preceptor. I'll go back now." Hu Sheng turned around and walked towards the door. Everyone watched as his figure disappeared into the dark door. They all stood there silently, as if their souls had been driven away by Hu Sheng. Hu Sheng's voice echoed in everyone's ears as they excitedly weighed the weight of the news in their minds.
Ray Zhen was the first to come back to his senses and shouted,"Ah!”The scene that broke the silence attracted everyone's attention. When King Wu turned around and looked at him quietly, he said,""Big brother, this opportunity cannot be missed. King Zhou of Shang had fallen, Fei Zhong had monopolized power, and the ministers did not dare to say anything. Isn't this a good opportunity for us to send troops to attack Zhou?”
"Yes, we have been waiting for this opportunity for so long. Don't hesitate, big brother.”"We can't wait any longer," Uncle Guan said excitedly. We already have a powerful army. We can definitely defeat King Zhou of Shang while the capital is empty. I'm willing to go to the front." Uncle Guan was a person who liked to perform well and was also a person who liked to be extravagant. However, he also displayed bravery and courage in battles. When they heard this news, they couldn't help but encourage him.
King Wu looked at Lei Zhen and then at Uncle Guan, saying,""We have an army, but the new equipment has not been assembled yet. It is still an incomplete army. We can't send troops for the time being."
"A large part of it has already been installed. If we work overtime these few days, it will be installed soon. If there were no chariots, they could still attack and fight. The Shang army has few chariots, but their main force is in the Donghuai region. I can guarantee that we will definitely win this battle. Big brother, we're waiting for you to make a decision. Father Shang, what do you think?" Uncle Guan explained further and strongly advocated sending troops. Without waiting for Lu Shang's reply, he continued to urge King Wu,""Big brother, what are you waiting for?"
What were they waiting for? When King Wu heard Hu Sheng's report, he had the same thought. However, seeing Lu Shang's expression, he felt that it was not a big deal. He wanted everyone to share their thoughts before making a decision.
Lei Zhen looked at Lu Shang, who was quietly watching the brothers 'argument. Seeing that Lu Shang was smiling, he thought that Shang's father would agree to send troops this time, so he made another request to King Wu,""Big brother, if we send troops now and defeat King Zhou of Shang, we can even exempt ourselves from this year's winter tax. Father Shang, didn't you always teach us to avoid the main force in a military conflict? The emptiness of the Shang Capital completely fits this principle. This is a good opportunity for us to attack. We can't miss this opportunity.”
Zhou Gongdan, who had been silent at the side, interrupted at this time and said,"Brother Lei, Third Brother, you guys couldn't sit still after hearing the news from Hu Sheng. Sending troops was related to the fate and future of the country. He had to consider it carefully. It was better to listen to his eldest brother and Father Shang's opinions.”
King Wu turned to Lü Shang and said,"Shang father, two of the three messages Hou Ban sent back are very important." King Zhou of Shang did not care about the court affairs, Fei Zhong was in power, and Shang Capital was empty. It was a good opportunity to attack. Moreover, there was a good reason to attack. Under the banner of eliminating the incompetent monarch and treacherous officials, the people of the world had already suffered from the cruel oppression of King Zhou of Shang. They would all throw their weapons to help our army and support us in attacking Shang. I think we should discuss the issue of sending troops tomorrow…”
Just as the Martial King said this, Lu Shang immediately interrupted him and said," He slowed down and said slowly,""In terms of both sides 'battle formations, our army's equipment isn't perfect. Although the enemy has a gap and gives others a handle, it's difficult to determine the outcome of the eastern expedition. We can already legitimately send troops, and the emptiness of Shangdu is also a good opportunity. However, when the outside world faces the enemy, the merchants and people will temporarily cover up their internal contradictions and unite to deal with us together. It will be difficult for us to take down Shang City in a short period of time. As time passes, the main force of the Shang army will return to meet the king and attack from both inside and outside. The most important thing was that the etiquette of the Shang Dynasty had not yet been chaotic. It is difficult for us to seize the opportunity to win, so please wait patiently for other more favorable opportunities. King Wu, you must calmly analyze and patiently keep a clear head. You must not be impatient, and you must not send troops to the east based on your own will. We'll find Hu Sheng tomorrow to understand the specific situation of Shangdu in detail.”He looked around at the people present and added,"The opinions of all the clan relatives are correct, but they are not comprehensive enough. We have to consider the big picture and still have to give up this opportunity and wait for a better opportunity.”
After listening to Lu Shang's words, although his opinion was somewhat different from Lu Shang's, King Wu could not come up with a reason to refute him. He said,"Alright, that's it. We'll listen to Father Shang's opinion and wait. "From tomorrow onwards, you will quickly take action. Collect the bronze weapons in the country and assemble the chariots first. When the time comes, you will immediately charge into the battle and kill the enemies.”The Martial King waved his hand decisively, indicating that he had decided to give up on the idea of sending troops. "Don't forget, we haven't had dinner yet," he said to the others. Once they started discussing important matters, they were so anxious that they did not care about anything else. This won't do. Let's go eat now.”
As soon as King Wu finished speaking, Queen Jiang Yi's grumbling voice came from the back of the hall,""The food is already cold. Why aren't you eating? You men are more straightforward than women. Once something happened, she couldn't get away. Did she not eat?”Then, he rushed in from the side door. When he saw the situation in the hall, the resentment on his face disappeared. He was stunned and immediately infected the depressing atmosphere in the hall.
Lu Shang smiled and looked around at the crowd. King Wu stood up from his seat with great effort. Duke of Zhou watched calmly without saying a word and followed King Wu out of his seat. Uncle Guan and Lei Zhen's faces were red with resentment. They pouted and glared at King Wu. She was stunned for a moment and immediately knew that there had been a dispute here just now. Now that it was over, she whispered,"Look outside. It's already dark. You have to look at the time when you're discussing important matters. If you're starving, what are you going to discuss? Father, Martial King." She turned around and called out to everyone. Everyone stood up silently and walked towards the side door one after another. Their footsteps were rather heavy, and they could also hear rough breathing.
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