Can clever words save a country?
Clever words are the great sin of a great country. Everyone should be familiar with this sentence. What do you mean by clever words?It is the politicians who rely on rhetoric to prevaricate and deceive. These people know that the country is in crisis, but for the sake of their own position, they can tell wild lies to confuse the monarch and the people.
Then, in Xianyang City in early spring, when Bai Qi, a famous general admired by tens of thousands of people, couldn't resign, King Qin and Prime Minister Fan Ju knew that they were standing on the verge of no turning back. They believe that with good words, they can save the country from the crisis and dispel the gloom themselves. But is that really the case?
In March 258 BC, the Battle of Handan began. This battle is related to whether the Qin State can break through the natural danger of Taihang Mountain and take the hinterland of the Central Plains. But at this time, Bai Qi, the No. 1 general of the Qin State, wrote to resign on the grounds of "old illness". In fact, he saw the situation clearly and knew that this battle could not be fought. But with his prestige, as long as he does not go on the expedition, the morale of the Qin army will inevitably be greatly reduced. This move was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the Qin army at the beginning of the Battle of Handan.
When the king of Qin heard the news, he was furious and sent people to Bai Qi's mansion again and again to force him to take back his fate. But Bai Qi was unmoved, insisting that this battle could not be fought. In the face of Bai Qi's tough attitude, Fan Ju also decided to go out in person. He first knelt in front of the gate of Baiqi Mansion and persuaded him with "the great plan of the country". When he refused, he left angrily.
Subsequently, he directly approached the King of Qin to complain, claiming that Bai Qi "pretended to be sick and refused to be a general", and also told many complaints that violated military discipline. Hearing this, the king of Qin was even more furious, and kindly received Fan Ju's letter on the spot, exempting Wang Ling from military power, and ordering Wang Yu to lead a large army to continue to besiege Handan.
But Wang Di, who succeeded Bai Qi, did not have his talent, and he ordered his soldiers to fight day and night, but he could not capture Handan. By the end of the year, reinforcements from Wei and Chu had also arrived, and the Triple Alliance surrounded it with ten times the strength of the Qin army. The morale of the Qin army suddenly fell to the freezing point. At this time, Fan Ju realized that Qiao Yan could no longer resolve the immediate crisis, and he must take decisive action to save the situation. He saw that the Bai Qi forces still occupied an important position in the Qin army, so he decided to strike first and eradicate the hidden dangers.
In the winter of 258 BC, with the support of the King of Qin, Fan Ju sent two benefactors, Zheng Anping and Wang Ji, to serve as front-line commanders and logistics ** respectively, trying to control the situation. He believes that as long as he puts his people in control of the battlefield, he can turn the tide of decline. However, this move angered Wang Yi and other officers of the Baiqi faction, and made the morale of the army even more discouraged. Zheng Anping and Wang Ji also did nothing, not only did they not regain the lost territory, but also lost 20,000 people and were captured alive at the end of the year. The generals of the Bai Qi faction took the opportunity to slander the King of Qin, claiming that the Fan Ju faction was fighting passively and disturbing the morale of the army.
Faced with this situation, there was an open confrontation between the supporters of King Qin and Fan Ju. Fan Ju preemptively struck and, with the support of the King of Qin, ordered Bai Qi to be stripped of his official position and exiled to remote areas. But Bai Qi insisted on staying in Xianyang and confronted Fan Ju with a clear banner. Bai Qi's supporters also carried out co-optation activities in the army, and even instigated some people to form a stalemate confrontation. As a result, the two sides fell into a long-term power struggle, which led to the continuous rout of the Qin army on the battlefield, and the loss of troops and generals. And the king of Qin was overwhelmed by the repeated slander of the two sides, and it was difficult to advance the national plan.
At the end of 258 BC, under repeated persecution by the King of Qin, Bai Qi finally left Xianyang for the frontier. However, just as he was out of the city, King Qin's death messenger had quietly chased after him. Bai Qi sighed that his limit had come, so he took the sword and cut himself very calmly. The crowd at the scene cried bitterly and expressed that they would definitely avenge Bai Qi. Wang Jian even swore on the spot that Fan Ju's blood debt must be repaid.
Around the Spring Festival of the following year, Bai Qi's henchman Sima Terrier was also quietly given to death by the King of Qin in Qin. As is customary, this was King Qin's warning to Fan Ju's faction. At this time, Fan Ju's henchman Wang Ji also surrendered to the enemy after the defeat and capture of the front-line army, which is irrefutable. According to the iron law of the Qin State to cater to the will of the king, Wang Ji's defeat was Fan Ju's defeat.
At this time, Fan Ju finally realized that the current political situation was irreversible. In the end, under the double blow of the killing of his former best friend and his henchman, Fan Ju chose to ambush the country with his henchmen.
Many years later, when the Qin Dynasty fell, some people said that the fall of Qin began in Handan. In fact, what really crushed the backbone of the Qin Dynasty was the intricate secret struggle between the two forces in Xianyang City. Clever words may be able to deceive the upper and lower to get through the present, but after all, they cannot escape the judgment of history. As the so-called major affairs of the country are governed by man;The rise and fall of chaos is tied to one body.
The Battle of Handan was an important turning point in the history of the Qin state. The deaths of Bai Qi and Fan Ju directly led to the decline of Qin's national strength, and the eastward expansion strategy that lasted for more than ten years also failed.
The intricate struggles for power above the court often seriously affect the unity and implementation of national policies, making it difficult to achieve strategic goals. The fierce conflict between Bai Qi and Fan Ju demoralized the Qin army and prevented it from achieving a strategic victory.
Succumbing to reality and obeying responsibility is a necessary choice for the survival of officialdom. Extremes and absolutism are difficult to succeed or last. Both Bai Qi and Fan Ju were too tough and refused to compromise with each other, and they were destined to be unable to reverse the situation. If the two sides had been able to give in to each other, perhaps the outcome would have been very different.
We still need to look at history and understand the limits of human nature. Time has passed, and no matter how powerful the powerful are, they cannot resist the passage of history. Everyone will pay for their choices, and missed opportunities will not come back. Therefore, being tolerant and loyal to one's duties may be the best choice in the face of the impermanence of fate.