Chapter 327

Among the other nobles, many people had the same thoughts.

When they had the advantage, they thought about getting more.

But now that they were at a disadvantage, many people felt that paying ninety percent in taxes for three consecutive years was not unacceptable.

It was just that Wei Pao, Meng Tian, and Feng Feng Qiji were determined to fight Ying Su to the death, so the others couldn't say anything more.

On the other side, Cheng Ze arrived at the Prime Minister’s residence again.

He stated the ultimatum of Meng Tian and the others, and saw Zhuge Liang’s face turn ugly.

Cheng Ze had been mentally prepared for this.

If it were him acting as Prime Minister, he wouldn't accept the other party’s ultimatum either.

178. Ultimatum

"Do they know that issuing an ultimatum to the Emperor will anger the Emperor? By then, forget about leaving them ten percent; they might even have all their land confiscated by the state!" Zhuge Liang said.

"I also feel that General Meng has no sincerity in negotiating, but my status is low, and I can't speak up on that side; I can only run errands and pass letters for you." Cheng Ze said.

"Even if I immediately send someone to report to the Emperor, by the time the Emperor makes a decision and sends someone to notify me, it will be almost ten days. And they only gave ten days; this is really making things difficult for me."

Zhuge Liang said.

"Do you want me to go back and talk to them again and change the deadline to fifteen days?" Cheng Ze asked.

Zhuge Liang thought for a moment and then said: "No need, I will immediately send someone to report to the Emperor; I estimate that by the tenth day, they should be able to return."

"Then I will go back and tell them." Cheng Ze said.

"Thank you for your hard work." Zhuge Liang nodded.

After Cheng Ze left, Zhuge Liang immediately sent someone to notify the other three assisting ministers and also invited the Retired Emperor Ying Zheng to the main hall.

At the same time, Wang Li and Li Xin also came.

Fu Hao did not come because she had to guard Xianyang City.

It could be said that the main figures Ying Su left in Xianyang City had all arrived.

Then, Zhuge Liang stated the ultimatum from Feng Feng Qiji, Meng Tian, and the others.

"What? Are they joking? They dare to issue an ultimatum to Me?" Ying Zheng was furious.

He called himself 'Zhen' (the imperial 'I'), subconsciously still regarding himself as the Emperor of Great Qin.

However, others didn't feel it was very strange, because this First Emperor often did this.

And Ying Su, mindful of family affection, did not dwell too much on these details.

"Of course we cannot accept such an ultimatum! But we must be prepared; I believe Wei Pao, Meng Tian, and the others have the possibility of taking a desperate risk."

"If they really fight us to the death, that will be a disaster for our Great Qin!"

Zhuge Liang said.

"Does he, Meng Tian, have the guts?" Ying Zheng said.

"Hard to say." Zhuge Liang said: "Sometimes, when pushed to a dead end, one will lose reason, and at that time, anything is possible."

"I agree with Prime Minister Zhuge’s view." Xiao He nodded: "Meng Tian and the others have nearly a million troops; if these people act recklessly like madmen, it will be a huge disaster!"

"Since that is the case, why don't we strike first!" Li Xin said.

"When they were attacking the city, we should have killed them all!" Wang Li said.

"When they were besieging the Xianyang Palace before, the reason I didn't order a pursuit was because I was thinking of taking their army for our own use."

"Now that the situation has changed, our countermeasures must also change."

Zhuge Liang explained.

"Let's not talk about the past; let's talk about the specific response plan now." Xiao He said.

"Let me go; give me a thousand cannons, and I will definitely defeat Meng Tian!" Wang Li said.

"Let General Li Li Yuanba go with me to finish them off!" Li Xin said.

"I believe in the ability of the two generals, but that is Huashan, and the terrain is very dangerous. The cannons cannot exert their full effect. In addition, although General Li Li Yuanba is brave, he is only one person after all; as long as the other side hides in the deep mountains and dense forests, General Li can do nothing about them." Zhuge Liang said.

"Then what do you say we should do?" Li Xin asked.

"I think we should send troops immediately but advance without attacking, suppressing them within Huashan."

"As long as we besiege them for a period of time, their food and fodder will be exhausted, and by then we will win without a fight!"

Zhuge Liang said.

"Huashan is so big; how can we besiege them?" Li Xin asked.

"Although Huashan is big, their marching routes are limited. Because Huashan is too dangerous; let alone a million-strong army, even the most experienced hunter cannot walk freely in Huashan."

"So it is unlikely they can leave from other directions of Huashan; they can only come out from the road they took when they entered the mountain."

Zhuge Liang analyzed.

The terrain of Huashan was too dangerous; there were no roads in many places.

Even the most agile people couldn't go wherever they wanted.

Not to mention a nearly million-strong army.

One must know that not every soldier in the army was agile.

Some were physically strong and excelled in strength; letting them fight on flat ground was fine, but letting them climb in the mountains wouldn't work.

Therefore, Meng Tian’s army had extremely limited exits.

By blocking the few roads at the front, Meng Tian’s army basically couldn't get out.

"I think the Prime Minister’s plan is feasible." Xiao He said.

"I agree too." Ying Zheng followed up.

Having said this, he added: "Let Li Xin lead the troops; Li Li Yuanba should also go along."

Li Xin looked at Zhuge Liang, and seeing that the latter did not express opposition, he said to Ying Zheng: "I will definitely capture the rebel Meng Tian and hand him over to the Emperor for disposal!"

"I believe in you!" Ying Zheng nodded with satisfaction.

Li Xin thought to himself, I said it to you, but the Emperor I referred to was Ying Su, not you.

But he didn't dare to say this sentence out loud.

No matter what, Ying Zheng was the First Emperor and also the new Emperor’s biological father and Retired Emperor.

Ying Su couldn't do anything about the Retired Emperor regarding himself as the Emperor, and there was no need for them, as subordinates, to argue with the Retired Emperor over such small matters.

"General Li, block the main roads, and just send small troops to patrol some small roads."

"If the number of people breaking out through the small roads is not large, less than a few hundred or a thousand, just let them leave."

Just as Li Xin was about to leave the main hall to prepare, Zhuge Liang added.

"Let them leave? Why is that?" Li Xin felt puzzled: "Are you worried that there are too many small roads and I can't guard them all? I can prepare a cavalry troop; no matter which small road the enemy escapes from, my cavalry can catch up!"

"I believe in your ability, but I want to let them leave on purpose."

"Just let a few hundred or a thousand people go; that many people can't stir up any waves." Zhuge Liang said.

"Although they can't stir up big waves, wouldn't it be better to kill them all?" Li Xin still didn't understand Zhuge Liang’s intention.

"If we kill them all, it would be equivalent to cutting off the retreat for the hundreds of thousands of troops in the mountains, and they wouldn't think of anything else but would make up their minds to fight us to the death."

"Letting the small troops go lets the others know that they still have a way to live, so it won't be easy for them to make the determination to fight to the death."

Zhuge Liang explained.

"I understand!" Li Xin nodded.

The next day, Li Xin led the great army and marched toward Huashan in a grand manner.

Huashan was very steep, and many places in the mountains had never been entered by anyone.

And the place where Meng Tian and the others were stationed was equivalent to the outskirts of Huashan.

On the surface, it looked like the mountain was leaking everywhere and one could leave from anywhere.

But in reality, it was not like that.

Only by walking the mountain roads left by predecessors could one be sure of getting through.

Otherwise, one would either get lost or walk into a dead end like a cliff.

When the time came and the food was cut off, plus encountering bad weather, it might result in the entire army being wiped out.

Therefore, Meng Tian and the others didn't dare to walk around in the mountains at will.

This was also the reason why Zhuge Liang believed he could besiege them.

179. At the Foot of Huashan

At the foot of Huashan, on a small hillside.