October is the harvest month, and October 10th is the day when various countries, including the empire, hold imperial examinations.
On this day in previous years, the farmers were celebrating the harvest of their farms, and the scholars in Daliang City were concerned about whether the questions in the imperial examination were difficult and whether they could pass the imperial examination in high school.
But on October 10th this year, the people of Wei lost confidence in their own future and the future of their country.
Nowadays, news is transmitted too quickly, not to mention that Cao Guo is using broadcasts and telegraphs to publicize the news of his victory in various ways.
The people who fled from Yuanling Prefecture and Wu'an Prefecture of Wei State, those who were faster, had already taken the railway to Daliang City.
The news of Wei's defeat could not be stopped at all.
Some people who had lost confidence in the Wei State had begun to sell their possessions, take passenger ships to the empire, and prepare to migrate to the empire in reverse.
I would rather be a peace dog than a person in troubled times.
This belief that is ingrained into the bones of a certain type of person was immediately aroused.
Even if they are all Han Chinese, everyone's thoughts are very different.
Some people want to escape, while others want to resist to the end.
Xiao Huaijin, the second son of Ling Yuanbo Xiao Yi, was a young man who had just graduated a few years ago.
He is full of enthusiasm, leads a group of like-minded friends, and holds the rifle he brought from home.
He stood in the square in front of the Wei Palace and shouted: "We are going to the battlefield. As long as the young people of Wei survive, Wei will not lose."
King Su Hu of Wei and his ministers stood at the corner pavilion of the palace wall and looked at the crowd in the square.
Ling Yuanbo Xiao Yi wiped the sweat on his head with his sleeve.
He had made up his mind to break his son's legs as soon as he got home and not let him cause trouble.
Ling Yun Bo Xiao Yi knew that in Wei State, the group of heroes who followed Wei King Su Hu to conquer the world had been gradually marginalized.
Now on the stage of Wei State, a group of upstarts are active.
He saw that under the leadership of his son Xiao Huaijin, slogans calling for going to the battlefield were shouted loudly below.
He immediately trembled and walked to Wei King Su Hu.
"Your Majesty, the child barking down below is just an unintentional act.
I will go down immediately and take the child home to confine him."
King Su Hu of Wei waved his hand and said with a smile: "I feel very happy when I see this group of patriotic young people.
With this group of young people, Wei will never fall.
A momentary failure will never defeat us.
These young people are the pillars of the country and cannot be treated as cannon fodder. The court must train them well.
Let them know that the current war is an all-round collision of the strengths of the two countries.
You cannot win a war with sheer courage and courage alone."
After King Su Hu of Wei said this, he ordered: "We in Wei have indeed failed in this battle.
To recognize the reality, blindfolding your eyes has no effect.
Don’t be too strict about private control.
As long as there is no vandalism, looting or burning, there is absolutely no problem for people to vent their anger."
What else does Wei King Su Hu want to say?
A young eunuch came to his ear and whispered a few words.
He immediately waved his hand and told the ministers to go home.
King Su Hu of Wei only left behind Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong, Governor Lei Qianze and other important ministers of the country.
They came to the study room which was extremely airtight.
Wei Wang Su Hu said: "We conveyed our desire for peace talks, and Cao Guo officially agreed.
Now Cao's army has stopped at Yuanling Mansion and Wu'an Mansion and has not continued its action.
Cao Guo proposed to hold peace talks in Anlong, the capital of Cao State."
After King Su Hu of Wei told the news, he looked at the governor Lei Qianze and asked: "Can our country still organize its troops to resist Cao Jun's attack?"
Governor Lei Qianze knew that he was about to take the blame and resign, but he also had to stand on his last duty.
He said helplessly: "Your Majesty, unless we use incendiary bombs, poisonous gas bombs and other powerful special bombs, we can wipe out most of Cao's army in one fell swoop.
Otherwise, our country's military strength alone will not be able to resist Cao's army.
We must rely heavily on Zhao’s military strength.”
When Wei King Su Hu heard this situation, he knew that Wei had no choice.
The cooperation between Wei and Zhao was based on the equal strength of the two countries.
Now the strength of Wei State is greatly reduced, even though he and King Zhao are brothers.
But Zhao State mobilized the whole country to help Wei State, and Wei State must pay Zhao State benefits.
If Wei does not pay benefits, King Zhao needs to pay for it himself to meet the needs of the army.
King Su Hu of Wei must not let King Zhao pay for it himself.
If Wei paid more, it would become a mercenary Zhao army action.
The price that needs to be paid may not be lower than Cao Guo's asking price.
If there are variables, Cao Guo will suffer even greater losses.
King Su Hu of Wei only regarded this plan as an alternative to test Cao Guo's asking price first.
If the two countries cannot reach an agreement, they can only continue to fight.
Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong stood up and said: "I should go to the peace talks. The governor must stay in the country to guard against Cao's army's surprise attack."
Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong certainly knew the price he would have to pay for standing up.
As long as he is not the victorious party and takes the initiative to sign any treaty, it will be infamy for thousands of years and will be recorded in the history books of Wei forever.
But among everyone present, he was the only one who had enough power and time to be responsible for handling this matter.
He took the initiative to ask for help, which would leave a good impression on King Su Hu of Wei, pave the way for his family, and at least ensure that the family would be prosperous for a hundred years.
When Wei Wang Su Hu saw Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong taking the initiative to invite him, he showed a pleased expression.
He dismissed the others and kept Qu Xiaolong as Prime Minister.
The two discussed matters related to the peace talks in depth.
When Wei Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong came out of the Wei Palace, he did not even go home. He led relevant personnel and immediately took a boat to Anlong, the capital of Cao State.
…
On October 13, 4364 (AD 1667), Wei Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong arrived in Anlong, the capital of Cao State. Cao State only sent minor officials from the Ministry of Rites to greet him.
Instead of letting him rest, he was taken directly to the state guesthouse where the negotiations were held.
Qu Xiaolong, the prime minister of the Wei State, knew what Cao Guo meant by this, and that he was using a strategy to exhaust his troops.
In the solemn State Guesthouse in Anlong, the capital of Cao State, the atmosphere was so solemn that it seemed like it could drip water.
Wei Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong looked heavy and walked into the room where the negotiations were taking place with a heavy step.
Liu Yuanshan, Prime Minister of Cao State, had a proud look on his face. The raised corners of his mouth and confident eyes all showed his dominant position at the moment.
The officials behind him were all arrogant and looked like winners.
At the negotiation table, Wei Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong knew that he had few cards in his hand, but he also had a few key cards.
He was very dissatisfied with Cao Guo's contempt and knew that Cao Guo used this method to influence his judgment.
The Prime Minister of Wei State, Qu Qiang, suppressed his inner anger and calmly explained Wei State's position.
At the beginning of the negotiations, neither party involved the core interests of the two countries.
They talked about the procedures for exchanging prisoners between the two countries, the division of trade routes and fishing grounds in South America, and the positioning of Qi's trading partners.
Qi State's trading partner is actually Qi State's protectorate.
It's just that they are both vassal states of the empire, but they use another name instead. This country almost exclusively enjoys the market of Qi State.
No matter how low the economy of Qi State is, no matter how weak its industry is.
Its livestock and mining industries are also very developed.
No matter which country obtains it, it can promote the development of its own industry.
This does not involve core interests, but after all these things have been discussed, it will involve core interests, regarding territorial ownership and war compensation.
Qu Xiaolong, the Prime Minister of Wei State, tried to use various reasons and analysis to obtain even the slightest favorable conditions for Wei State.
However, Liu Yuanshan was unyielding when he gained the upper hand. His eyes were greedy and he said aggressively:
"In this great defeat of Wei State, the mere cession of Yuanling Prefecture and Wu'an Prefecture and the compensation of 30 million taels of silver coins were far from enough to make up for the losses of our Cao State.
We also want Beiling Prefecture and Senchuan Prefecture in the north of Wei State.
The compensation must reach at least 60 million taels of silver coins, and Wei, as the loser, must bear the price of the war."
When Wei Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong heard this, his eyes widened with anger, he slammed the table, stood up, and retorted righteously:
"Liu Yuanshan, don't push yourself too hard! What your Cao Kingdom can't get on the battlefield, you can't even think of getting at this negotiation table!
Victory or defeat in war is a normal thing. Although our Wei State is defeated, we still have our bottom line and dignity."
Liu Yuanshan, Prime Minister of the Cao State, snorted coldly, folded his hands on his chest, and said disdainfully: "Now that your Wei State is at a disadvantage, what qualifications do you have to negotiate terms with us? This is already the greatest kindness to you."
Qu Xiaolong did not flinch, looked firmly at Liu Yuanshan, and said loudly: "Although Wei has suffered a temporary defeat, the will of the people is indestructible. If you push too hard, we will all be destroyed, and we will fight to the death."
While Qu Xiaolong was talking, he wrote two words on the table with a pen.
[Special] and [Zhao]
The attitude of Wei State is very obvious. If Cao State does not give Wei State a way to survive, then both the jade and the stone will be destroyed.
Wei would rather risk being punished by the empire than use special ammunition.
The country is about to perish, so there is nothing to worry about.
Wei will also let its ally Zhao enter the country at any cost.
This is Wei's only remaining trump card.
The two sides were in a stalemate, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense. The entire negotiation room seemed to be filled with the smell of gunpowder and was on the verge of breaking out.
When Liu Yuanshan, Prime Minister of Cao State, saw this situation, he finally chose to compromise and digest what he ate in his mouth first.
The two parties discussed for a long time and finally completed the discussion on all the provisions of the "Anlong Treaty".
This treaty was sent via telegram to King Cao Li Dazhuang and King Wei Su Hu for review. The telegram came back with no objections. Silence showed the attitude.
Wei Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong lowered his head helplessly and signed the Anlong Treaty with trembling hands, which he considered very shameful.
This is not only his shame, but also the shame of Wei.
From then on, the Wei State ceded the strategically important and mineral-rich Yuanling Prefecture and Wu'an Prefecture to Cao State, and compensated Cao State with 30 million taels of silver coins.
From then on, the western gate of Wei State was open to Cao State.
This stroke seemed to have taken away all the strength of Wei's Prime Minister Qu Xiaolong, and also cast a thick shadow over Wei's future.
After the signing of the "Anlong Treaty", the entire Cao Kingdom was immersed in a jubilant atmosphere of celebration.
Anlong, the capital of Cao State, was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the streets and alleys were decorated with colorful silks and bright flowers, making it extremely festive.
The sound of festive firecrackers resounded in every corner of the city.
As night falls, countless lanterns light up, illuminating the entire city like daylight.
…
In a busy restaurant in the capital of Wei State, the news of the peace talks between the two countries was already known to well-informed people.
Of course, this was not announced by the Wei State on its own initiative, but the Eastern Broadcasting Station chose Anlong in Cao State to broadcast the peace talks live to the world.
Everyone in the restaurant listened to the host's talk and knew that the peace talks had come to an end.
When the host said that Cao Wei and Wei had officially signed an armistice treaty, everyone held their breath.
They listened carefully to the specific contents of the "Anlong Treaty" read by the host.
Because Xiao Huaijin failed to join the army, he was beaten up by his father when he returned home. He also taught him for several days, especially taking him to visit the business, and he realized that he was too naive before.
He and his friends went to a restaurant to drink and express their depression.
After hearing the contents of the treaty, he looked solemn and spoke first: "Now that the Anlong Treaty has been signed, we must endure the humiliation, work hard to govern, and accumulate national strength for revenge in the future!"
Before he finished speaking, a rough man stood up and slapped the table with his eyes wide open: "Endure the humiliation? Our land was ceded in vain, and the huge compensation made the people miserable. How can you endure it?"
Xiao Huaijin snorted coldly: "What can I do if I can't bear it? If you are blindly impulsive at this time, it will only plunge Wei into a deeper crisis!
In wars in the industrialized era, bravery alone has no effect at all.
Bravery cannot stop bullets, let alone cannonballs."
The rough man's face turned red with anger: "I, Qian Ye, are ashamed to be with you and cowardly people, so I can only retreat. Where is the dignity of the country?"
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Xiao Huaijin’s friends did not support his idea, but when they saw him being criticized, they still maintained: "Dignity cannot be achieved by impulse.
To save it, we need long-term planning."
A wealthy businessman with a gold necklace around his neck was not to be outdone: "Plan? By the time you plan it, Wei will not even know what will happen to it!"
If you ask me, the Wei State just can't do it. It would be wise to sell off your property and flee to the empire or other safer vassal states.
As long as you don't go to Cao State, you have no enemies and are worthy of Wei State."
The atmosphere in the restaurant became increasingly tense, with people of all kinds of ideas.
You said nothing to me, but they didn't give in to each other.
Some people were blushing with excitement, some were waving their arms angrily, and the whole restaurant was filled with fierce quarrels.
"What we want is to act now, not wait in vain!"
"Acting impulsively will only make the situation worse. You are ignoring the overall situation!"
The quarrel became louder and louder, attracting the attention of many diners. However, they had already ignored others and just wanted to relieve their anxiety by doing so.
While they were arguing, someone suddenly shouted from below the restaurant: "The troops that have withdrawn from Yuanling Mansion have changed their defenses and come back."
On the street below the restaurant, a group of soldiers walked by dejectedly.
Some of them were still wearing bandages, and their overall morale was extremely low.
The people on the roadside cast disdainful glances, and some couldn't help but curse loudly: "It's you useless people who have brought shame to our country. We have lost two provinces of land and have to compensate for so many silver coins."
An old man was holding a cane. When he saw his son in the crowd, he was trembling with anger: "Little bastard, you still have the nerve to come back? You are a coward on the battlefield!"
I would rather let you die on the battlefield, wrapped in horse leather, with glory!"
When the soldier heard his father's angry scolding, he lowered his head and did not dare to respond.
When other soldiers heard the people's angry curses, they also showed aggrieved expressions. They hurriedly quickened their pace to escape from this place full of accusations.
In the tavern, several drunken drinkers made arrogant comments.
"What an army, they are just a bunch of losers! They took our people's taxes and lost the war!"
Another person echoed: “That’s right, raising them is worse than raising a bunch of pigs!
If Cao Jun captured 100,000 pigs, it would be impossible for him to capture them all in just a few days."
The wealthy businessman's wife took her son's hand and warned sternly: "You must never become a soldier. Look at the disaster those shameful guys have brought to us!"
The son nodded, his eyes full of disdain for the army.
When Xiao Huaijin saw this situation, he couldn't help but angrily said: "The defeat of these soldiers is a crime other than war. No one should be considered a deserter.
They worked hard on the battlefield and even paid the price with their lives.
What contribution have you people made to the war with your cynicism?"
After he said this, he took his friends and punched and kicked the sarcastic people in the restaurant.
The signing of the "Anlong Treaty" not only made the people of Wei very uncomfortable.
This was the first treaty to cede territory and pay compensation, which shocked the whole world.