Because Qiuci not only has 20,000 soldiers, it is the largest country in the Western Region. As the largest country for a long time, it has maintained influence on more than ten small surrounding countries.
Kucha's attitude almost determines the attitude of these small countries, and also determines the difficulty of implementing the Shenbing plan.
This is also the main reason why Shen Bing attaches so much importance to Qiuci.
Who would have thought that Qiuci, which was described as a daughter's kingdom in "Journey to the West", could actually influence the situation.
After a moment of silence, King Qiuci nodded and said:
"In this way, our army may be able to capture Yanran Mountain and Langjuxu Mountain."
"Then what happens next?"
Shen Bing replied:
"The second step is to focus on defense!"
"The infantry of the Qin army then rushed to two places to defend against the mountains."
"The Qin army is good at defending but the Huns are not good at attacking and defending. This divides the grassland into the south and the north, which cannot reinforce each other."
"At this time, the Qin army located in Hetao went north to encircle and annihilate the Western Region army..."
"The Qin army defended the point while the cavalry in the western regions pursued it. Combining one attack and one defense, the Xiongnu had only one option: to go far away to Mobei."
This is actually the strategy of Huo Qubing of the Han Dynasty, using cavalry to carry out a deep penetration to attack Langjuxu Mountain behind the Xiongnu.
Just the starting point is slightly different:
Huo Qubing planned to attack Langjuxu Mountain from Juyan in the northeast of Suzhou (Jiuquan), while Shen Bing planned to use Gushi as his base.
King Qiuci was very excited after hearing this plan:
"This plan is indeed feasible."
"The Huns were mainly nomadic on the grasslands, and they never had offensive or defensive battles."
"Therefore, there must be no defense and no fortifications on Yanran Mountain and Langjuxu Mountain."
"Once our army captures it...the Huns will become the turtle in the urn!"
This is what Shen Bing said. He was very happy that King Qiuci understood the focus of this strategy.
However, after a while, King Qiuci calmed down again and asked:
"I wonder what the envoy thinks of Loulan?"
Shen Bing asked:
"Your Majesty is referring to Loulan's implementation of the twenty military merit title system?"
King Qiuci said "hmm":
"I wonder if the Qin army supports or opposes it?"
Shen Bing replied:
"The twenty military merit title system is the reward and punishment system used by the Qin army."
"As for whether Kucha should be used or not...that is entirely up to the king."
Of course Shen Bing would say so.
Because the twenty military merit title system is not just a simple reward and punishment system, it can even be said to be a symbol or dividing line between slave society and feudal society.
Slaves and common people in a slave society cannot own their own land, let alone be promoted to an equal position with the nobles, no matter how much merit they achieve.
The twenty military merit title system broke these impossibilities and made them possible, thus marking its entry into a feudal society with higher freedom for the people and more advanced production relations.
Entering feudal society means that the status and interests of the old nobles will be threatened, including the King of Kucha.
It is not without reason that King Kucha would consider this at this time.
If the Qiuci Kingdom handed over military power...to be precise, part of the military power was handed over to the Qin Army, and the Qin Army implemented a military merit and title system, then after these soldiers were trained and even fought in the hands of the Qin Army, they would still be willing to do so. Returning to Jian and Qiuci?
Even if they are willing to come back... But this also means that it is impossible for Kucha to block the news. What will happen when the Kucha military and civilians rise up like Loulan and demand reform and the implementation of the twenty military merit title system?
Shen Bing thought for a while and said:
"My subordinate has a few words, but I don't know whether to say them or not?"
King Qiuci said with a livid face:
"Messenger, please speak!"
Shen Bing said:
"I know that your Majesty has recently sealed off the city of Kucha to prevent the army and people of Kucha from rebelling like Loulan."
"However, can the problem be solved by sealing the city and keeping silent?"
King Qiuci did not answer.
Shen Bing added another sentence:
"Even if sealing the city and keeping silent can prevent it for a while, your Majesty should also seal the city and keep silent together with the surrounding countries."
"otherwise……"
Shen Bing drew a circle around Kucha on the map and said:
"At this time, the reason why the surrounding countries listened to Kucha's orders and followed Kucha's lead is because Kucha was strong and other countries were weak."
"One day, all other countries will implement the system of twenty military merit titles and have strong armies and horses."
"This will create a situation where other countries are strong and Qiuci is weak."
"When the time comes...how will Kucha be able to survive alone?"
After hearing this, King Qiuci couldn't help but frown and felt embarrassed.
Shen Bing is right.
The motivating effect of the twenty military merit title system on the army and the people is obvious. After its implementation, the people will actively join the army in order to achieve military merit and change their previous attitude of running away if they can.
Military officers and soldiers will fight bravely to fight and kill the enemy in order to achieve meritorious service and be promoted to the rank of noble.
Even if it is the same country, the same army, the same equipment... after the implementation of the twenty military merit title system, its morale and combat effectiveness will be improved immediately.
If only Kucha does not implement it and neighboring countries implement it, it means that Kucha will in turn be cannibalized by neighboring countries. How will Kucha respond then?
Princess Wuyou asked:
"Is there no other way to go?"
"Is it necessary to implement a military title system?"
Shen Bing shook his head:
"My subordinates are not speaking from the standpoint of the Qin army."
"But the same changes also occurred in the Central Plains. All countries that did not implement the military merit and title system were destroyed by the Qin State and no one was spared."
"Among them is the Chu State whose military strength is several times that of the Qin State, with as many as 500,000 to 600,000 soldiers."
"If the king and princess don't believe it, they can send people to the Central Plains to investigate."
Shen Bing is a person who has experienced it, and of course he knows that when an advanced social system replaces the backward old society, it is like a wave of reform that cannot be stopped by human beings.
There is only one result of not following the trend, and that is being submerged by the tide without leaving any trace.
The fact that Qin was able to unify the world was due to the disunity of the six countries in detail, but in the final analysis it was Shang Yang's reforms that made Qin's system more advanced than the other six countries.
Although the Qin Dynasty collapsed in less than ten years after this, the Han Dynasty still inherited the legal and military systems of the Qin Dynasty. From an institutional perspective, it was actually an upgrade rather than a demise.
Seeing that King Qiuci and the princess were silent, Shen Bing asked doubtfully:
"If Your Majesty is firm in his stance on reform and wins the support of the military and the people, the reform will obviously bring more benefits than disadvantages to Your Majesty."
"Why is the king so embarrassed?"
What Shen Bing said was correct.
The reform may touch the interests of the aristocracy, but it will separate the king from the aristocracy and place him in a detached position...
Under slavery, the nobles each had power and could even compete with the king. Every decision the king made had to balance the ideas of the nobles and strive to gain the support of the majority of the nobles.
Under the feudal system, the nobility's fiefdoms and subjects were all managed by the king, and all power was concentrated in the hands of the king. The nobles were only "managers" under the king's system.
If he knew this, why was King Qiuci so reluctant to reform?
Princess Wuyou sighed and said:
"It would be okay if Kucha doesn't reform, but if it does reform... I'm afraid it will fall apart."