In order to protect himself, Wang Qi asked the King of Qin for land and houses, which was widely spread in later generations.
This incident is about the fact that the King of Qin, after destroying the State of Zhao, the State of Yan, and the State of Wei, was preparing to attack the powerful State of Chu. So he asked Wang Zhai how to fight? Wang Qi said that 600,000 troops had to be given. The King of Qin felt that there were too many troops, so he asked Wang Qi's deputy Li Xin. Li Xin said that only 200,000 troops are needed. Therefore, the King of Qin gave Li Xin 200,000 troops and asked him to attack. As a result, Li Xin was defeated by the State of Chu and fled back.
The King of Qin had no choice but to personally go to Wang Qi. Wang Qi said that if I wanted to go to war, I still had to give me 600,000 troops. The King of Qin had to give Wang Qi 600,000 troops. Wang Qi also said, I am so old, I go out to fight, there are three long and two short. Therefore, he asked the King of Qin to give his descendants some land and real estate. The King of Qin also agreed.
(Wang Qi)
Wang Qi led an army of 600,000 to attack the State of Chu. However, on the way forward, he sent emissaries back to the King of Qin five times in a row to tell him to give him some more land and real estate. The King of Qin was kind every time. However, this incident made Wang Qi's subordinates unable to look at it. They reminded Wang Zhai not to go too far.
So Wang Qi said that very famous passage: "No." The king of Fuqin was embarrassed and unbelieving. Now that the Qin kingdom is a soldier and entrusted to me, I will not ask Tian Zhao to be self-reliant for the inheritance of my descendants, and Gu ling the king of Qin to sit and suspect me of evil? ”
Wang Qi meant that these 600,000 troops were almost equivalent to the entire army of the Qin State. The King of Qin had a lot of doubts about this person, and he had given me so many troops, and he was definitely not at ease. I was afraid that after I conquered the Chu Kingdom, I would not return to the Chu Kingdom. In order to reassure him, I want him to give me a lot of land and real estate. In this way, the King of Qin will feel that I am concerned about these fields and properties in my family, and I will not claim that the king in the Chu Kingdom will not come back.
Although Wang Qi's words have become conclusive. But in fact, there is still room for discussion. Why is there room for discussion? Because what Wang Zhai said didn't seem to hold up. In other words, wang Qi could not claim that wang in the chu state did not return.
First, Wang Qi's wives and children were all in the Qin Kingdom, and he could not disregard the lives of his wives and children. In both cases, even if Wang Qi was called king in the Chu state, the People of the Chu state would not support him, after all, he was an aggressor. Third, although Wang Qi had 600,000 troops under him, these troops were all Qin people. They all miss their hometowns, and they will never be willing to stay in a different place and not go back, so they will never support Wang Qi. Fourth, at that time, the State of Qin was very powerful, although Wang Qi took away 600,000 people and horses, but it was very easy for the State of Qin to gather another 600,000 people and horses, even if Wang Qi was called king in the State of Chu, he would not necessarily win the battle against the State of Qin.
(King of Qin)
Such a situation was tested by the Zhong Hui in the Three Kingdoms period. That time, he lost miserably.
In short, from all aspects, it is unlikely that Wang Qi will be crowned king in the Chu kingdom. Wang Qi understood this truth, and the wise King of Qin certainly understood it.
Therefore, Wang Qi asked the King of Qin for land and real estate, most likely out of selfishness.
To illustrate this, let's take another example.
In the early years of the Han Dynasty, when Liu Bang led an army outside to quell the rebellion of the princes, Xiao He handled government affairs at home. Every time Xiao He sent an emissary to see Liu Bang, Liu Bang asked the emissary what the emissary was doing.
When the emissary returned and told Xiao He this, Xiao He understood that Liu Bang was suspicious of him. Xiao He was originally a very honest person, but after this incident, Xiao He began to accept bribes. After Liu Bang knew, he arrested Xiao He and punished him a little, and then he still made him the prime minister.
(Xiao He)
This is the famous "Xiao He self-defiling" move in history.
What we need to note is that whether it is Wang Qi's "greedy words" or Xiao He's "self-defilement", they all said it themselves, but Sima Qian recorded it in the "Records of History". Whether they really seek "self-protection" or whether they are really corrupt and bribe-taking, no one can say.
For example, Xiao He was because Liu Bang was massacring those meritorious ministers. Will this matter cause a shock in Xiao He's heart, feeling that he has revolutionized all his life and has always been more self-disciplined. But Liu Bang was very jealous, and he might hit himself at any time. Instead of this, it is better to take advantage of the fact that you are alive. Unexpectedly, it was finally discovered by Liu Bang. So Xiao He said that he did this in order to "self-defile", which was actually his own justification. Or he didn't say it, Sima Qian analyzed it.
Look at Wang Qi again. Wang Qi took his soldiers to fight, he knew that the King of Qin could only use him, and whatever he said, the King of Qin would agree. Therefore, he took the opportunity to open his mouth to the Qin King Lion. After all, he did this for good reason. That said, it's a good thing to kill two birds with one stone, so why wouldn't he?
It can be seen from this that Sima Qian recorded the affairs of the two men in the "Records of History", but only provided an answer. There may be another answer to this move by the two of them.
(Reference: Chronicle of History)
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