Chapter 004: You are the one who has lost Zhao

When the carriage returned to the gate of the horse stable, the gatekeeper swiftly opened the door as usual. Zhao Kuo nodded towards the gatekeeper, who was instantly overjoyed, revealing his uneven yellow teeth, and watched Zhao Kuo head towards his residence. Before reaching the courtyard, the carriage suddenly stopped, and Zhao Kuo stumbled backward, nearly falling off the carriage. Just as he was about to curse, Zhao Kuo suddenly froze in place.

I brought some dates for Yan Jun

However, at this moment, Zhao Kuo was incredibly quiet, for he knew that what Zhao's mother said was very true; he indeed could not become a general. The consequences of making himself a general had already been clearly recorded in the historical texts

Ge Qu parked the car, and Zhao Kuo promptly knocked on the courtyard gate. Soon, a maid came out to open the door

This is another village, somewhat smaller than Mafu. The surroundings are shaded by lush trees, and one can hear the clear sound of the stream, likely flowing down from the mountains. This place also has a name, called Gouli. As for why it is named this way, it is said that long ago, the area was covered with Goucao (a type of grass), hence the name. Although it is indeed smaller than Mafu, the environment is still quite pleasant.

Ge roared, his long beard fluttering wildly

Zhao's mother was indeed very happy; she had thought it would be difficult to persuade her son, who had inherited his father's stubborn nature. It seems that her son has finally grown up. Subsequently, she began to reminisce about Zhao She as she had done in the past. This time, Zhao Kuo did not leave in impatience; he simply sat quietly, listening to his mother's memories.

Those who advance five steps shall die

Sigh... You have never been able to tell a lie since you were young. The old man shook his head helplessly. Zhao Kuo did not argue; he knew that his mother had always been very intelligent. He remembered that when he was young, his father often asked his mother about various matters, hoping she could resolve his confusion. After his father left, his mother was also very strict in her discipline, nurturing him in many ways, yet she never pushed him too hard, preventing him from developing a sense of aversion.

In the conflict between Qin and Zhao, your matters are as inconspicuous to the State of Zhao as a drop of water in a great river. It is not that Zhao lacks wise men; rather, their attention is not focused on you. Once they gradually elevate your reputation, they will surely bribe the petty individuals and persuade the sovereign to appoint you as a general. At that time, if you prove to be incompetent, I too will inevitably suffer repercussions.

The maid led Zhao Kuo into the room, where candles were lit. The old mother was not in very good health, and her eyesight was somewhat unclear, which is why the candles were lit. Upon seeing his mother, Zhao Kuo's heart trembled, and his mind was instantly filled with memories from the past twenty years. He bowed deeply to the elderly woman and said, "Are you well, my dear mother?" The old woman opened her eyes, her gaze somewhat cloudy, and smiled as she looked at her son, replying, "I am well." Zhao Kuo, upon seeing his mother, felt a tremor in his heart, and his mind was instantly filled with memories from the past twenty years. He bowed deeply to the elderly woman and said, "Are you well, my dear mother?" The old woman opened her eyes, her gaze somewhat cloudy, and smiled as she looked at her son, replying, "I am well."

I heard your father say that war is a matter of great importance concerning the life and death of soldiers, and it cannot be observed lightly. If you speak of military affairs so casually, then it would be fine if the Zhao state does not require you as a general. However, if they truly do use you, it is certain that you would be the one to bring about the downfall of the Zhao state. " Zhao's mother said, glancing at Zhao Kuo, and then fell silent, waiting for Zhao Kuo's rebuttal

In front of the gate of the courtyard, a large crowd had gathered, the exact time unknown, consisting of at least a dozen people, many of whom were wearing short swords at their waists, creating an unusually noisy atmosphere

"Mr. Yan, I understand," Zhao Kuo said earnestly

Certainly, in the Shanxi region, not every noble is like this; however, if there are no such interactions among the nobles, they will be ridiculed. In this era, being ridiculed is undoubtedly a more serious matter than being killed.

I heard that Zhao Yiren is coming to assassinate you?" The old man looked somewhat worried

I understand, Yan Jun, I will not become a general" Zhao Kuo said this

Zhao's mother smiled gently, reaching out to stroke Zhao Kuo's face, "Kuo, I have never heard of a general who has not yet reached the age of thirty. You are well-versed in military strategy, and among your peers, there are no rivals. When you are older and more composed, I will have you serve as a junior officer in the State of Zhao, allowing you to apply what you have learned in your daily life. After another ten years, you will surely surpass your father as a general, and there will be no rivals left in the world."

I served your father at that time when he had just become the general of the Zhao state. There were dozens of people personally serving him food and drink, and hundreds whom he recognized as friends. All the wealth bestowed by the sovereign and the nobles was distributed among the military officers and subordinates. From the day he accepted the military orders, he no longer concerned himself with family matters. This is precisely what a general should do. Therefore, if you command troops in the future, do not forget this

Zhao Kuo nodded and said, "Sir Yan, such a simple strategy, is there really no one in the Zhao State who can see through it?"

Ge spoke without any reservations, while Zhao Kuo remained silent in response

Zhao Kuo then knelt before his mother and took out the dates, placing them in front of her

Zhao's mother was taken aback, having prepared her words for a long time, yet she could no longer speak. She said: "The Qin people fear Lian Po and wish to use you to replace him, thereby striking at the State of Zhao. The reason Zhao Yiren wants to assassinate you is to instill arrogance in your heart. I heard from Ge that many people in Handan are discussing you, and your reputation is growing larger. Why is this happening? This is the scheme of the Qin people." She said: "The Qin people fear Lian Po and wish to use you to replace him, thereby striking at the State of Zhao. The reason Zhao Yiren wants to assassinate you is to instill arrogance in your heart. I heard from Ge that many people in Handan are discussing you, and your reputation is growing larger. Why is this happening? This is the scheme of the Qin people."

What Yan Jun said is true. Zhao Kuo smiled, but in his heart, he did not agree. Will there really be no rivals in the world? There is still Bai Qi today, and in a few years, there will be Li Mu, and in several decades, there will be Wang Jian, competing with these formidable figures for the title of the greatest general at the end of the Warring States period. Hehe, as long as you are happy, Yan Jun.

In the State of Zhao, vassals were divided into two types. The first type consisted of privately raised vassals, who were to be registered in the household registry, considered as part of the family, living and cohabiting together. In simple terms, they were private slaves. The second type of vassals, such as Ge, Xing, and Di, were guests. They were not included in the household registry of their masters, were free individuals with their own property, and would only receive a salary from the master, performing tasks typical of guests. The second type of vassals, such as Ge, Xing, and Di, were guests. They were not included in the household registry of their masters, were free individuals with their own property, and would only receive a salary from the master, performing tasks typical of guests

Mr. Yan, do not worry; those are merely rumors, and such events have not occurred.

"Kua, you have studied military strategy since childhood, discussing warfare and tactics, believing that no one in the world can compare to you. Even when your father was alive, when he discussed the ways of battle formations with you, he could not surpass you... However, your father once said that you should not be made a general." Zhao's mother said seriously. If it were the Zhao Kua of the past, at this moment, he would surely have jumped up, passionately expounding his views on warfare and the world, sharing his grand ambitions.

That Ying Yiren is not someone who can be considered a friend. When he came to the Zhao State, he spoke the language of Zhao and wore the attire of Zhao. This is because he harbors great ambitions. His act of assassinating the young lord while dressed in the clothing of the Qin State must certainly be part of a scheme. I know that the young lord has always enjoyed associating with petty individuals, but being too closely involved with this person will surely bring disaster to the family head. If he visits the young lord again, I hope the young lord will kill him. If he visits the young lord again, I hope the young lord will kill him.

"Alright..." the old mother said, smiling as she picked up a date, put it in her mouth, and began to chew. She then inquired about Zhao Kuo's living conditions. Fortunately, Zhao Kuo had completely absorbed all the memories of his previous self and responded fluently. The old mother did not notice anything amiss and proceeded to give him various reminders. Listening to these words, Zhao Kuo felt a warm current flow through his heart. After living for so many years, he once again experienced that feeling of being cared for, a mix of emotions overwhelming him.

Zhao's mother, after all, was elderly. After speaking for a while, she became tired and wanted to lie down to rest. Zhao Kuo helped her onto the couch and then took his leave. Zhao's mother did not ask him to stay, but instead, holding Zhao Kuo's hand, she advised him: "Kuo, after you return, do not just think about studying. You must go out and take a look around, observe the terrain of different places, and consider how to deploy troops in these areas. Reading so many books is not as beneficial as seeing things for yourself."

As they exited the courtyard, Ge had already prepared the carriage. He stood beside the thin horse, gently stroking its neck. Upon seeing Zhao Kuo, he said nothing and directly jumped onto the driver's seat. Zhao Kuo climbed into the carriage, and it began to sway and move away. Ge's driving skills were not very good; in Zhao Kuo's view, he was not a competent driver. His experience in the carriage was quite poor, and throughout the journey, he nearly vomited the meal he had eaten earlier. The carriage began to sway and move away, and Ge's driving skills were not very good; in Zhao Kuo's view, he was not a competent driver. His experience in the carriage was quite poor, and throughout the journey, he nearly vomited the meal he had eaten earlier

Zhao Jun!" Suddenly, someone pointed towards the direction of the carriage and shouted. Instantly, the more than ten people gasped and rushed towards the carriage. Zhao Kuo was taken aback, and before he could speak, Ge suddenly jumped down from the carriage, drew his short sword, and stood guard in front of the carriage.

Ge still wanted to say something, but in the end, he let out a long sigh and said nothing more

For instance, during meals, as a member of the noble class, Zhao Kuo could not indulge in excessive eating and drinking. He could take three bites and then had to declare himself full. At this point, his attendants would urge him to eat more, and only then could he continue eating. The situation was even more severe for the feudal lords and the emperor, as the emperor could only take one bite and then had to wait for others to encourage him to eat. Such etiquette was quite common during the Spring and Autumn period, and to this day, it is only observed in the Sanjin region.