Chapter 863 Surrender or Destruction!

With laughter, Liu Bang soon appeared in the tent.

Cao Shen went up to greet him.

"Pei Gong, you came just in time. I have something to ask you."

Liu Bang's expression moved slightly at this time and he said,

"Brother Cao has something to do with me, but it doesn't hurt to say it."

He is here to persuade and test the other party, so of course he must wait for the opportunity before making a move.

Cao Shen didn't realize the other party's little move, and took out the prepared documents very naturally and said,

"Spring has begun in Peigong now, and the grass roads have been restored."

"In the past few days, I have seen that there seem to be more slaves in the camp. Many military personnel are actually using the excuse of training to plunder small city-states in the west."

"I heard that this time General Lu and General Zhou Bo led people to pursue the remnants of the Xiongnu, and some sergeants actually refused the military order and wanted to plunder them."

"This matter undermines the dignity of our army and damages the discipline of the army."

When they took over this Great Qin cavalry, the military discipline was strict and the sergeants' combat effectiveness was also extremely strong.

But now, it is simply unheard of for the Qin army, which is above the centurion level, to lead its own men to plunder.

Listening to Cao Shen's words, Liu Bang's face became slightly embarrassed.

Of course he knew about these things, and it could even be said that he had contributed to them.

He didn't let go, and these people didn't have the guts either. Great Qin's military law was not just for show.

But soon something clicked in his mind. This matter was indeed a violation of military law, but it was a good way to test the opponent.

If the other party couldn't even break military discipline for him now, let alone betray Da Qin with him.

So he deliberately made a look of embarrassment, and then sighed slowly,

"well…"

Cao Shen quickly asked,

"Pei Gong has something that is hard to tell. You can tell me and I will do my best."

Liu Bang showed a wry smile at the right time, and then said,

"Brother Cao, you also know the situation of our army now."

"This place is far away from the main county of Daqin. It is difficult to supply. Only one bag of rice can be transported out of ten bags. The soldiers are living a hard life."

"The reason why I do business with those businessmen is to subsidize the soldiers."

Cao Shen nodded at this time. He knew that what the other party said was true. Supply on the grassland was indeed not easy.

But this does not serve as an excuse for robbing people and selling slaves, so back to

"Pei Gong, the soldiers are on an expedition here. The government has its own military merit rewards and titles..."

But before the other party could finish speaking, Liu Bang shook his head and interrupted,

"Brother Cao, soldiers are human beings too. They have wives and children at home. Not counting the past, many soldiers have not been back for three to five years since the war with the Huns."

"How can the military merit rewards from the government satisfy the soldiers?"

"Although they can be rotated back now, most of the soldiers still have to be stationed on the grassland. You also know the hardships. If they are not allowed to earn some wealth, the military morale will be difficult to use."

It was because he understood the psychology of the soldiers that he was able to recruit his own men so quickly.

Cao Shen immediately fell silent. In terms of grasping people's hearts and leading the overall situation, he was indeed inferior to Liu Bang.

Seeing this scene, Liu Bang narrowed his eyes slightly at this time. He was going to test the other party and quickly said,

"Brother Cao, just say that you yourself have great talents, but when you share the military merits this time, you only get a small title. I don't think it's worth it for you."

"It's better to hoard more goods here, and life will be easier in the future."

"Now the Huns and those city-states in the west are at war. It's the opportunity I've been waiting for. If you don't mind it, why don't you go there with me."

After Liu Bang finished speaking, he stared at Cao Shen closely and watched the other party's reaction.

Cao Shen was stunned for a moment. In fact, he wanted to refute it when he heard the beginning. The Qin army's military law is to reward based on merit, and military merit has always been relatively fair.

He didn't feel like he was being shortchanged.

Just when I heard what the other person said later, I already realized something was wrong.

The other party was openly encouraging him to violate military law!

He was about to refuse when he suddenly remembered the secret letter he had just received from His Highness the Crown Prince.

It said that no matter what orders Liu Bang gave him, he must obey them first.

He was not a stupid person, and he understood something almost instantly.

His Highness the Crown Prince seemed to have been on guard against Liu Bang for a long time, and even expected that the other party would make some actions that violated military law.

Then myself...

Thinking of this, Cao Shen looked at the other party with a very complicated expression, and then said slowly,

"Pei Gong's words are reasonable, but I am being rude. I am willing to go with Pei Gong."

Hearing this, Liu Bang laughed almost immediately and said,

"Okay, okay, with Brother Cao's help, I will definitely get what I want."

Of course he noticed Cao Shen's hesitation, but this was normal. Anyone who encountered such a thing would hesitate. With the other party's temperament, it would be weird if he agreed directly.

Soon he took out a bag of gold from his arms and said,

"Brother Cao has worked hard these days. This is the harvest of this slave trade, and everyone has a share."

In fact, he learned this move from Zhao Lang. Uncle Xiang had always boasted to him about how good Zhao Lang was to him.

And there is another meaning. If you accept the money, you will be one of your own, and the other party will also have stains on you. Even if you want to regret it, you have to weigh it as much as he does.

This time I didn’t hesitate for too long about breakfast. I accepted the money bag and returned.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Pei."

Liu Bang smiled and said,

"From now on, we are good brothers who are more affectionate than Jin Jian. There is no need to be so polite."

"Brother Cao, I won't interrupt you if you go ahead. We will set off to the west early tomorrow morning."

After saying that, he stood up and left.

After Liu Bang left, Cao Shen picked up the money bag left by him with a complicated expression and murmured to himself,

"Pei Gong, don't do anything stupid."

He was now certain that Liu Bang's actions had already been expected by His Highness the Crown Prince.

He is a hidden weapon, but who knows if there are other plans.

Early the next morning, Liu Bang led his people towards the west.

More than ten days later, there was a small city-state outside the northwest border of the New Land of Qin.

The low city walls were now filled with citizens of the city-state. They looked with great fear at another city-state where smoke and dust were rising in the distance and faint wailing sounds could be heard.

"Father, why don't we go rescue people? My fiancée is there!"

The little prince of the city-state at the highest point of the city wall said to his father extremely anxiously.

At this time, the city lord just shook his head with a pale expression and said,

"Those are extremely powerful beings of the Huns. They are just passing by now. We don't want to provoke them, and we can't afford to provoke them."

After the previous war, the reputation of destroying the Xiongnu had already spread in this city-state.

Just as he was saying this, Yanchen came towards this side quickly. When he got closer, he saw a pair of Huns cavalry with at least a thousand people.

In an instant, everyone's faces turned pale.

Although there are tens of thousands of people in their city, there are not many warriors.

Just when everyone was a little desperate, suddenly a group of cavalry, less than a hundred people, came out from the side and directly blocked the way of the Huns cavalry.

The two sides didn't know what they said, and soon the thousands of Huns cavalry slowly retreated.

Everyone was stunned, and the little prince even asked,

"Father, who are those people? How can a hundred people drive away so many people?"

The city lord replied with a complicated expression,

"Those are Qin people."

"Qin people?"

The little prince's eyes lit up instantly and he said loudly,

"I also want to be a Qin citizen."

But not long before he finished speaking, a group of Qin cavalry arrived in front of their city gate and shouted,

"The Qin cavalry is here, surrender or be destroyed!"

For a moment, the whole city fell into silence.

(An An)

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