Chapter 61: The Old Marshal's Stratagem
Early the next morning...
To show his sincerity, Lord Yan Chun also waited at the city gate ahead of time for Jing Ke and his party.
He then escorted the envoy and his companions directly to his residence for hospitality.
Throughout the journey, Lord Yan Chun’s face remained tense, which only made Jing Ke more anxious! Jing Ke had no experience in such matters, nor did he wish to curry favor with anyone, yet he also did not want to create enmity with the state of Yan!
Once the servants had withdrawn, the stern-faced Lord Yan Chun immediately changed his expression!
“Ah!”
“Envoy Jing, do not take offense! In fact, I most respect men of righteousness! Young master, your words are as good as gold, spoken and acted upon without fail! Few throughout history have achieved such deeds; I regret not knowing you sooner! Alas, each serves his own lord, so we cannot share the pleasures of wine together!”
He sighed deeply, then drank a cup of bitter wine in one gulp!
Moved—truly, a kindred spirit in this vast land!
Jing Ke did not expect Lord Yan Chun to be a lover of wine as well, but given his status, it was indeed inappropriate for him to receive the northern envoy with a smile!
“The intent of the King of Yan is clear to me; let us distinguish between public and private matters. Jing Ke offers three cups in respect!”
The cup of cloudy wine was surely a fine brew from Yan, but at that moment, Jing Ke recalled the fragrant pure wine from the night before.
Ha! Lord Yan Chun was secretly delighted! What young hero? Just a callow youth! A few perfect expressions and he was convinced!
“Haha! Envoy Jing Ke, you have quite the capacity for drink!”
Jing Ke was impatient; he could not indulge in wine until the business was settled.
“I feel as though I have known the King of Yan all my life! Yet the king’s orders cannot be disobeyed!”
Lord Yan Chun’s expression grew serious—the wine had yet to take effect, and already matters were being raised!
“Please, envoy, speak plainly.”
Jing Ke nodded, stood, and clasped his hands, facing north.
“The Northern King has ordered me, Jing Ke, to reside permanently in Yan, and hopes the King of Yan will prepare a residence to serve as our northern embassy!”
A minor matter; Lord Yan Chun nodded calmly.
“In addition to facilitating state communication between Yan and the North, my mission is also to recruit craftsmen and migrants for the empire! May Yan not obstruct their passage!”
This—Lord Yan Chun frowned.
“Envoy Jing, Yan’s craftsmen are few, and migrants even fewer. I fear the North must be understanding!”
This was poaching talent; Lord Yan Chun dared not agree!
Jing Ke nodded; he had anticipated Yan’s refusal.
“Do not trouble yourself, Lord Yan. The king has said, if any craftsmen or migrants wish to head north and Yan does not facilitate, the Northern King will come to Yan in person!”
What does it mean not to trouble yourself! Lord Yan Chun’s eyes nearly popped!
“This! I will report to the king this afternoon, and will do my best to persuade him!”
If they do not agree, the northern army will come to seize them in person! Lord Yan Chun understood, and the King of Yan could not refuse! At least for the next two years, Yan must appease the North!
“Very well! My thanks to Lord Yan! Jing Ke offers another three cups!”
Jing Ke was overjoyed; Lord Yan Chun was indeed a man worth befriending! He put himself out—so as not to make things difficult!
“Haha, impressive capacity!” Lord Yan Chun could not help but laugh.
Clearly there are no good men in the North! Jing Ke too is a man who hides a blade behind his smile!
Yet the North is powerful, and he dared not offend.
After much effort to get the wine-lover drunk, Lord Yan Chun staggered off to the palace!
The king’s brother, reeking of alcohol, arrived, which only displeased the King of Yan further!
“Ah, brother! My heart aches! I wish I could kill him with one stroke, yet must put on a friendly face and drink with him!”
Lord Yan Chun felt utterly hopeless!
Ah—this! The King of Yan was startled, quickly rising to steady the drunken man!
“Brother, the Northern King wishes to recruit craftsmen and migrants in Yan! If we do not comply, he will bring his army again! Such coercion—how can I agree! All I could do was get the damned envoy drunk!”
The King of Yan was furious: “He dares make more demands!”
The cession of Liaobei and the copper box had only just happened, and now he wanted people and craftsmen!
Lord Yan Chun nodded angrily: “Brother, please order Jing Ke executed and borrow troops from Zhao to strike first at Liaodong!”
Troop borrowing is difficult!
The king knew his brother was drunk and had the palace staff take him away.
In the afternoon when Jing Ke awoke, Lord Yan Chun brewed tea for them both to clear their heads.
“Virtuous brother Jing Ke! I have finally persuaded the king; Yan will permit the North to recruit craftsmen and migrants, but not in excess! After losing Liaobei’s military and populace, Yan is still recovering!”
Is diplomacy always so easy! Jing Ke had not expected negotiations to be resolved within half a day!
“Noble Lord Yan! The Northern King urgently needs only a portion of craftsmen; he will not make things difficult for you!”
Good! As expected! Lord Yan Chun had guessed right; the Northern King had not intended to make extravagant demands!
“Very well! In that case, I will strive to send five thousand craftsmen and their families to the Northern King! Yet selection and migration will take a year.”
Jing Ke was even more delighted: “Excellent! Thank you, Lord Yan! Jing Ke offers tea in respect!”
Later, Lord Yan Chun went to the palace to confer with the king.
With just a few thousand craftsmen, they could placate the Northern King for a year or two, which pleased the King of Yan. In two years, he would be confident in holding the northern army at bay outside the passes!
...
Upon learning that the northern envoy had taken up residence in Jidu, the veteran commander of Zhao, Pang Nuan, dared not make any move.
That night again in Lord Yan Chun’s inner hall, but this time he sat in a lower seat.
The matter was grave; if it failed, Zhao would suffer as well! Distrusting Yan’s generals, Pang Nuan agreed to negotiate only with the King of Yan and Lord Yan Chun.
Even Yan Dan in Handan had no inkling of the proceedings.
“Master Pang, please speak directly!” So mysterious! The King of Yan was quite curious.
Lord Yan Chun always had a bad feeling; judging by the old man’s smile, nothing good was coming!
“Ah!”
After a sigh, Pang Nuan spoke: “I have a strategy to defeat the North, but the King of Zhao hesitates due to old grievances with Yan.”
“Though the plan benefits Yan against the Xiongnu, it also concerns Zhao’s long-term interests! If Yan falls, Zhao cannot survive either! If the Xiongnu are destroyed, neither Yan nor Zhao will be secure!”
To speak of Yan’s destruction at the outset—this angered the King of Yan, but he was more intrigued.
“Master Pang, what brilliant strategy do you have? Please instruct us!” The keen Lord Yan Chun bowed deeply in place of the king.
Heh! Pang Nuan nodded, satisfied.
“Though the North is newly risen, its military strength rivals the next mighty Qin! If it unifies the steppe, Yan and Zhao will be its next targets. Even if we repel them, our strength will be depleted, unable to face the central states.”
“Yet now there is a strategy to defeat the North, help Yan recover Liaobei, and keep the Xiongnu too busy to threaten Zhao’s borders! But the King of Zhao is indecisive, and the King of Yan is not what he once was—he may lack the resolve for a decisive strike!”
Pang Nuan shook his head with a wry smile; the incompetence of Yan’s rulers and ministers was the greatest variable.
At this, the King of Yan understood somewhat, recalling the humiliation dealt by the North, which only fueled his anger.
“Hmph! What would I not dare! But Zhao may not have the strength!”
Lord Yan Chun thought it through as well.
“Master Pang, even if Yan and Zhao join forces, will the Xiongnu really act? Without sufficient cavalry, Yan-Zhao’s armies cannot encircle and destroy the nomads.”
“If the northern army rises from the ashes, within a few years both Yan and Zhao will suffer the full wrath of the Northern King!”
The mysterious Northern King inspired little confidence in Lord Yan Chun.
Ah! The King of Yan sighed helplessly.
Pang Nuan shook his head with a faint smile; Lord Yan Chun really was a slave to wine and pleasure, knowing he was to meet with Master Pang, yet still showed up smelling of drink!
“Your Majesty, the Xiongnu must agree to send one hundred thousand wolf cavalry, otherwise Zhao can only ally with the North to destroy the Xiongnu! Thus Zhao and the North can form an alliance, and with a matrimonial tie to the Northern King, enjoy at least twenty years of peace!”
Having spoken, Pang Nuan began to fantasize.
“No! The Northern King’s ambition is no less than Qin’s; Zhao would be feeding wolves, a future calamity!”
“If Zhao sends over one hundred thousand elite troops, Yan will raise fifteen thousand—no, two hundred thousand troops!” The King of Yan was alarmed; how could Zhao and the North form an alliance!
Ah! Lord Yan Chun nodded in agreement. If Zhao and the North allied, after the Xiongnu the first to fall would be Yan! Yan had no choice but to ally with Zhao; otherwise, with the North entrenched in Liaodong, they would eventually swallow Yan’s territories.
The goal achieved, Pang Nuan solemnly rose and bowed.
“Excellent—Your Majesty still possesses the resolve of years past! I will do my utmost to persuade the King of Zhao; if we cannot join forces, I ask Your Majesty to offer a stick of incense for my sake!”
The old general pledged his life—worthy of admiration and respect!
The King of Yan bowed sincerely.
With the king’s assent, the alliance was essentially established, and Lord Yan Chun personally went to Zhao to negotiate the details.