Ma Chenggong took a ship to Luoyang, a port city in the southern part of Zhao.
Zhao State borders Xiang State on land, so it is more convenient to travel to Zhao State by land.
But now the situation between the two countries is tense. Even in the border area where there is no heavy military presence, there will still be militiamen patrolling the border with hounds.
People in war zones will also report unfamiliar faces in exchange for bounties from the government.
If it is an ordinary businessman, after a complicated review, he will probably be let go directly because he is harmless.
But most officials were not so patient and simply chose to close the matter and wait until the war between the two countries was over before dealing with it.
What Ma successfully does needs to be kept strictly confidential, and of course choose the route with the lowest risk.
Zhao needs to purchase goods and raw materials from the Empire and other countries, and they also export a large amount of goods.
Communications between Zhao and other countries were not cut off, and Luoyang was not affected by the war.
When Ma Chenggong came to Luoyang, he found that it was just an ordinary seaport city.
It is mainly composed of fishermen and merchants engaged in maritime trade.
You can take a train directly from Luoyang to Anxing Prefecture.
Ma Chenggong had no time to observe the scenery of Luoyang, so he immediately bought a train ticket and headed to his destination.
The train speed in Zhao State is much faster than that in Xiang State.
Before Ma Chenggong was imprisoned, he liked to read newspapers.
He knows that the increase in train speed is an overall improvement in a country's industry.
Metallurgy and mechanical technology have not been fully developed. Even if the train wants to speed up, it cannot do so.
From this detail, we can see that the industrial strength of Zhao State is stronger than that of Xiang State.
Newspapers also said that this was an important reason why Xiangjun was struggling on the front line.
He remembered experts saying that an army of the same size would use firearms.
If there is a gap in industrial capabilities, there will be a huge difference in the logistics supply of the entire army.
Not just the supply of ammunition, the supply of ammunition is the simplest solution.
After the war began, the empire's arms dealers used 10,000-ton cargo ships to transport ammunition to various places.
The CIF price of Imperial ammunition is cheaper than the ex-factory price in many countries.
Industrial capabilities affect every aspect of an army.
Even the most basic quality of soldiers is closely related to industrial capabilities.
Ma Chenggong's thoughts were racing all the way, and he didn't know whether he could succeed.
There were many times in his mind that he would get off the bus and hide his name directly in Zhao State.
He even sold what Xiang Guo wanted to do to Zhao Guo in exchange for glory and wealth.
But he was unwilling to accept it and spent the first half of his life as a despised fraudster.
There is a chance to become a noble official in the second half of life.
He will get this opportunity in this lifetime.
Besides, the target he needs to persuade is General Xi Muyu, and the success rate is very high.
Before Ma succeeded, he had the courage to take great risks and defraud money.
Now I have more courage to take the risk of being beheaded and gain a lifetime of wealth.
Most of the passengers on the train got off the train midway.
Passengers who actually got off the bus at Anhingfu appreciated it very much.
Anxing Mansion is close to the front line, and immigrants from the old country often make trouble here.
There is basically no military presence on the streets in Luoyang City.
On the streets of Anxing City, every once in a while, a group of soldiers carrying guns would patrol by.
Ma Chenggong immediately used the memory in his mind to find Xiang Guo's stronghold in the city.
He was not familiar with the place here, so it was basically impossible to directly ask Xi Muyu, the commander-in-chief of the army.
He had to pass the message through someone Xi Muyu trusted before he could see Xi Muyu.
If you can't even meet, it means the mission has failed.
But this kind of failure can be accepted by Ma Chenggong.
If you force a meeting, the probability of failure and paying a huge price is too high.
Ma Chenggong successfully connected with people from Xiangguo according to the contact method he knew, and stayed in a hotel.
He just needs to wait for these people's arrangements.
Ma Chenggong waited for three days. When General Xi Muyu returned to Anxing City, he finally got the opportunity to meet General Xi Muyu.
In the evening, he went to the mansion where General Xi Muyu lived.
General Xi Muyu met Ma Chenggong in the study.
"Your Xiangguo spies are really pervasive.
If you dare to come to my house with such arrogance, you are not afraid that I will put you in jail directly."
Ma Chenggong smiled and said: "General Xi, who are you and who am I?
My small role is not worthy of your attention.
Besides, if General Xi can see me, it means that General Xi has realized his current dangerous situation."
Xi Muyu looked at the envoy from Xiangguo. Ever since he entered the room, this man had been acting very calmly, as if he was sure of victory.
He was very curious about what this man had mastered that made him so confident.
Xi Muyu chuckled and said: "My current situation is very good. After this battle, I will definitely be made a marquis by King Zhao.
Not to mention danger, Xiangjun cannot defeat me on the battlefield, and now he comes to threaten me."
After Xi Muyu said this, he laughed.
When Ma Chenggong heard General Xi Muyu's ridicule, the expression on his face did not change at all.
If you want to convince someone, it can be easy or difficult.
It is very difficult to impose your own ideas on others.
But if you let him convince himself, it will become much easier.
Ma Chenggong emphasized his tone and said: "As the saying goes, when a cunning rabbit dies and is cooked by running dogs, all the good birds will be hidden.
Now the cunning rabbit is not dead, and the birds are not gone.
King Zhao Su Xiong wanted to cook away the dog Zang Lianggong.
During this period, King Zhao Su Xiong took advantage of the unfavorable war situation to replace many of the veteran generals who followed him and replaced them with newcomers who came from military academies.
The official statement of Zhao State is that the old man is not suitable for war in the industrial age.
Replaced by new people who have mastered the technology of industrial age warfare.
Does General Xi agree with this statement?
A general who can lead an army must have a full understanding of warfare in the industrial age.
A powerful man without ability cannot truly command the army.
The battlefield is the fairest place, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work.
Even if it is blown up to the sky, if it is touched with a real sword or a real gun, the waste will be broken into pieces.
Were any of the generals who commanded the army before Zhao State such real waste?
It can’t be possible!
Even if the current tactics are changing too fast, it is not difficult at all to give the steady old general a few more staff officers who understand the new tactics!
What King Zhao is doing now is to eliminate the old man who has a large number of troops.
Replace with someone new who has better control.
General Xi has a high prestige in the army and has an excellent record.
King Zhao will not be among the first batch to deal with General Xi.
But General Xi asked himself, how long will King Zhao tolerate you?
Once he is dismissed due to unfavorable combat conditions, will the glory and wealth that General Xi imagined really exist?
The situation that General Xi worked so hard to maintain is now being picked by a newcomer. Is General Xi really willing?"
While Ma Chenggong was speaking, he had been observing Xi Muyu's face.
Xi Muyu was still smiling at first, but as he spoke, his face became more and more livid.
What Ma Chenggong said was specially analyzed by Big Head and used to stimulate the Zhao generals.
No one knows what King Zhao Su Xiong thinks.
But they can use words to guide those who need to be persuaded, and think of the direction Xiang Guo wants them to think.
Only the situation that the person concerned can associate with himself will make him convinced.
Ma Chenggong's purpose in doing this was to give the person involved a reason to betray Zhao.
He saw that Xi Muyu did not directly let the guards outside rush in.
Ma Chenggong knew what he said, and General Xi Muyu had already listened to some of it.
He continued his efforts and broke through General Xi Muyu's psychological defense in one fell swoop.
"General Xi, you can easily take back the glory and wealth you receive from others.
Only the prosperity and wealth that is in one's own hands is the real prosperity and wealth.
King Zhao has been unkind to you, so why should you remain loyal to him?
General Xi now has troops in his hands, and the world situation is now undergoing great changes.
Things that were unobtainable in peaceful times are now within your reach as long as you make up your mind.
If General Xi chooses to be independent, our country is willing to offer one million taels of silver.
This money was enough for General Xi to bribe his officers and purchase weapons and ammunition from the empire.
As long as you have soldiers and money, you have power.
The local people of Anxing Prefecture had just become the people of Zhao State.
Even if General Xi raises an army to become independent, the local people will not resist.
Mr. Xi only needs to deal with Zhao's counter-rebellion army.
Zhao State is not only at war with Yan State and Xiang State, but is also internally unstable.
General Xi is now taking action, and the success rate is very high.
General Xi knows everything about the situation in our country of Xiang.
After the truce between our two sides, Xiang Guo has no ability to add insult to injury."
General Xi Muyu frowned even more when he heard these words.
He picked up the pipe beside the table and lit the tobacco leaves in the pipe with a metal lighter.
He began to smoke a cigarette one after another, while thinking quickly in his mind about the pros and cons of this matter.
He was actually very clear about the situation he was about to encounter.
This is because he clearly has the strength to win the frontline Xiangjun, but he is evenly matched.
Xi Muyu is also hiding himself, not wanting to stand out.
Everyone can sense the movements of King Zhao Su Xiong during this period.
He just wanted to fight the last battle, and King Zhao would not be too harsh on him because of his past friendship.
Now the arrival of the Xiangguo envoy showed Xi Muyu that he could take another path.
The reason why Yue Fei is a model military commander respected by the imperial court is because there have been too few military commanders like Yue Fei from ancient times to the present.
The general who controlled the army was easily dealt with by the emperor with only a few gold medals.
In history, most people's choices for generals who held military power were to become Emperor Wu of Wei, Cao Cao, Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, and Emperor Taizu of Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin.
Building a country of his own is a great temptation for Xi Muyu.
He can ignore some fame and fortune.
But he really couldn't refuse to create a country.
He took a long puff of cigarette and made up his mind.
He had a choice before, but now he has no choice.
Before meeting the envoy from Xiang State, the most King Zhao could do was seize his military power and let him spend the rest of his life in peace.
Now that the envoy from Xiang Kingdom has been received, this matter cannot be concealed at all.
He could guarantee that this matter would not be leaked, but in order to achieve his goal, Xiangguo would inevitably choose to leak it.
If King Zhao knew about this, he would never treat him like he did before.
For a monarch, loyalty is not absolute, that is absolute disloyalty.
General Xi Muyu is a soldier who never lacks decisiveness.
"The one million taels of silver promised by Xiang Guo were directly exchanged for ammunition worth one million.
If I receive this gift, I will do what Xiangguo wants to see."
When Ma Chenggong heard this, he showed a very sincere smile.
This time I lobbied Xi Muyu and achieved perfect success.
Ma Chenggong said politely: "General Xi, our promises are always valid and we will never break them.
I will go back and send a telegram right away, and you will definitely receive your first batch of gifts before dawn tomorrow."
After Ma Chenggong said this, he said goodbye to General Xi.
After he returned to his residence, he immediately sent the relevant information to Datou.
Xiangguo and Anxingfu are bordered by land.
In one night, some weapons and ammunition were transported without any problems.
As long as they can instigate Xi Muyu's rebellion, this cost is completely insignificant for Xiangguo.
Now that General Xi Muyu had made up his mind, he did not continue to wait for the assistance promised by Xiang Guo.
He immediately rushed from the mansion in the city to the camp outside the city.
General Xi Muyu's prestige in the military is extremely high.
The military system of Zhao State is similar to that of the Empire, but in terms of specific details, many of them have not been implemented because the conditions cannot be met.
For example, the empire implemented a general rotation system.
Every general who controls a large number of troops only serves as commander-in-chief of a certain unit for a short period of time.
In this way, there will be no problems that many countries have encountered in history, and soldiers will be ready.
But the requirement for this is that the army always maintains strong combat effectiveness.
Even without the general's command, he can still perfectly display his own strength.
The general's task is only to observe changes in the situation from an overall perspective.
As long as the generals are good enough, they can be paired with an army with strong combat capabilities.
Between the two, there is also a standard and complete system that allows military orders to flow smoothly.
Only when this level is reached can it be feasible to change generals.
If the army's construction does not meet the requirements, blindly choosing to switch and descend will only destroy the army.
The general does not know the soldiers, and the soldiers do not know the general. The army lacks mutual trust and cannot work together on the battlefield.
Zhao's army maintained a more traditional structure.
Xi Muyu and his army have become old friends.
He knew very well in his heart which people were sent by the imperial court to mix in the sand, and which people were his own.
General Xi Muyu did not beat around the bush, he directly stated his intention to rebel.
He stared at these specially selected generals with sharp eyes.
"I am willing to follow General Xi."
"I am willing to follow General Xi."
They had no choice. General Xi Muyu seemed very talkative.
But rebellion can't be so careless.
Anyone who dares to disagree will have a hard time walking out of this camp alive.
General Xi Muyu looked at his subordinates. They all supported Xin, which made him full of confidence.
He began to plan with his staff, perfecting relevant plans and encountering emergencies.
As the sky turned completely dark, Xi Muyu ignored the cover of the night and began to attack the troops loyal to Zhao in the camp.
The shouts of killing continued to sound in the camp.