The videos I watched became popular in ancient times

Wang Meng was born in Ju County, Beihai County, Qingzhou, with the courtesy name Jinglue. He later lived in Wei County.

When he was young, Wang Meng, a commoner, was tall and handsome, and he liked to read military books.

He is a generous person who does not care about trivial matters. When he meets people who do not share the same ideals with him, he will not associate with them.

He once traveled to Yecheng. People at that time could not understand Wang Meng. Only Xu Tong, the minister of Later Zhao, discovered his talent and summoned him to the court to serve as an official.

But Wang Meng escaped and did not respond to the call, and went to live in seclusion in the north of Huashan Mountain.

"In the tenth year of Yonghe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, General Huan Wen of the Eastern Jin Dynasty led his army to the north and invaded Guanzhong."

"Wang Meng went to see him in coarse cloth and discussed world affairs with him."

"Huan Wen discovered Wang Meng's talent, and Wang Meng also accurately analyzed the reasons why the people of Guanzhong were reluctant to come to greet Huan Wen."

"After talking with Wang Meng, Huan Wen praised Wang Meng's talent as unmatched in Jiangdong. After that, Wang Meng was temporarily appointed as the military counselor."

"Later, Huan Wen was defeated in battle and was about to withdraw his troops. Before leaving, Wang Meng received carriages and horses from Huan Wen, was appointed as a high-ranking official, and was invited to return to the Jin Dynasty."

"Wang Meng returned to Huashan to consult his teacher, who disapproved of Wang Meng's going to the Eastern Jin Dynasty and told him that he would have the opportunity to realize his ambitions in the future."

"So Wang Meng declined Huan Wen's offer and stayed in the north."

"At that time, the Former Qin Emperor Fu Sheng was tyrannical and cruel, and the people were very resentful. Fu Jian, a member of the Former Qin royal family, also planned to get rid of Fu Sheng."

"At this time, Fu Jian heard of Wang Meng's reputation and sent his minister, Lü Polou, to invite him."

"The two hit it off right away and had similar views on world affairs. From then on, Wang Meng began to assist Fu Jian."

"In the third year of Shouguang in the Former Qin Dynasty, Fu Jian killed Fu Sheng and then proclaimed himself the Heavenly King of the Great Qin."

"Wang Meng was then appointed as the Minister of the Central Secretariat and was able to handle confidential affairs. Later, due to the disorder in Shiping and the rampant tyrants, he was transferred to be the magistrate of Shiping."

"After Wang Meng took office, he explained good and evil to the people, enforced strict laws and punishments, and curbed local tyrants. He flogged an official to death and was convicted for it."

"Fu Jian personally interrogated Wang Meng, who told him that strict laws were needed to govern a chaotic world, and that all cruel people should be eradicated to purify the area."

"Fu Jian agreed with Wang Meng and compared him to the famous ministers Guan Zhong and Zichan, and pardoned him."

"Wang Meng was subsequently promoted repeatedly and was favored by Fu Jian. He was promoted five times in one year and served as Shangshu Zuo Pushe, Fuguo General, Sili Xiaowei and other posts."

"When relatives and ministers in the court slandered Wang Meng, Fu Jian demoted or executed them. From then on, Wang Meng gained power both inside and outside the court."

"After that, Wang Meng was given the positions of Minister of the Interior and Recorder of the Secretariat, but Wang Meng was very modest and thought he had no merit, so he refused to accept the appointment."

"In the second year of Jianyuan, Wang Meng, together with former general Yang An and Yangwu general Yao Chang, led their troops to attack Nanxiang County in Jingzhou, Eastern Jin, and captured more than 10,000 households of the people and returned."

"In the same year, Lianqi, a Qiang who had previously rebelled against the Former Qin, pledged his loyalty to Li Yan, a Longxi man who had already surrendered to the Former Qin. Li Yan then also rebelled against the Former Qin."

"In February of the third year of Jianyuan, Wang Meng, together with Longxi governor Jiang Heng, Nan'an governor Shao Qiang, and Yangwu general Yao Chang, attacked Lianqi and eventually captured Lueyang, forcing Lianqi to flee."

"In April, Li Yan was attacked by Zhang Tianxi, the emperor of Former Liang, and was forced to ask Former Qin for support. Wang Meng led his army to rescue him and defeated the Former Liang army in Fuhan."

"After that, we negotiated peace with Zhang Tianxi and brought Li Yan back, thus stabilizing the western border of Former Qin."

"At the end of the third year of Jianyuan, Duke Fu Liu of Jin, Duke Fu Shuang of Zhao and five other members of the Former Qin royal family launched a rebellion together."

"In the first month of the fourth year of Jianyuan, Wang Meng was ordered by Fu Jian to lead his army to attack Fu Liu who occupied Puban."

"At first Wang Meng refused to fight, so Fu Liu left only his eldest son Fu Liang to guard the city, and he personally led his troops to attack Chang'an."

"Wang Meng sent his general Deng Qiang to raid Fu Liu's troops at night and also sent troops to attack them along their retreat route. Fu Liu had no choice but to lead the remaining troops to flee back to the city."

"In September, Wang Meng captured Puban and killed Fu Liu. Soon after, Wang Meng captured Shancheng and completely put down the rebellion."

"Since then, the enemy of the Former Qin in the west, the Former Liang, dared not attack the Former Qin again, and the internal rebellion was also suppressed, creating external conditions for the Former Qin to defeat the Former Yan in the east."

"In April of the fifth year of Jianyuan, the Grand Marshal Huan Wen of the Eastern Jin Dynasty launched his third northern expedition to attack the Former Yan."

"Former Yan was forced to ask Former Qin for help, but most of the officials of Former Qin were against rescuing Former Yan."

"But Wang Meng saw that the Former Yan was unable to resist Huan Wen's army, and if Huan Wen won it would be disadvantageous to the Former Qin."

"So he persuaded Fu Jian to send troops to rescue the Former Yan, and then take advantage of the situation to attack the Former Yan whose soldiers were exhausted after Huan Wen withdrew. Fu Jian adopted Wang Meng's suggestion."

"Then, the Former Yan Wu Wang Murong Chui defeated Huan Wen before the Former Qin reinforcements arrived, and the Former Qin then established friendly relations with the Former Yan."

Su Shi: Wang Meng's family was very poor. In order to support his family, Wang Meng started selling dustpans since he was a child.

Although he lived in poverty, Wang Meng never put down his books and studied hard, especially interested in military affairs. This should be a common feature of people who can accomplish great things.

The tyrant Shi Hu of the Later Zhao Dynasty finally died, and his descendants killed each other. Three emperors were replaced in one year.

The powerful families in various parts of the north established their own independent regimes, and the country fell into a situation of struggle for supremacy among warlords again.

Huan Wen, a powerful official in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, led a northern expedition and defeated the Former Qin Emperor Fu Jian. He stationed his troops at Bashang. The elders in Guanzhong presented food and drink to reward the Jin army.

When Wang Meng heard the news, he put on a linen short coat and went straight to Huan Wen's camp to ask for a meeting.

Huan Wen asked Wang Meng to talk about his views on the current situation. In front of everyone, Wang Meng scratched his lice while talking about the major events in the world, talking incessantly as if no one was around.

That is, Huan Wen did not really want to march north to recover lost territory.

Instead, they wanted to preserve their strength and keep the enemy at bay.

Therefore, even though Chang'an City was within reach, Huan Wen remained hesitant.

Wang Meng's words, which were full of hidden meanings, directly hit upon Huan Wen's inner thoughts.

Huan Wen was silent for a long time and had nothing to say.

When withdrawing troops, Huan Wen strongly invited Wang Meng to go south with him, promising him high position and generous salary, but Wang Meng refused.

Wang Meng thought that the court of the Eastern Jin Dynasty was dominated by the aristocracy and family background was important, so it would be difficult for him to make a name for himself.

Following Huan Wen would be tantamount to helping him usurp the Jin Dynasty, which would inevitably tarnish his good reputation.

So he continued to live in seclusion and study, waiting for a wise leader.

Fu Jian, a member of the royal family of the Former Qin Dynasty, wanted to seize the throne and needed a resourceful adviser.

Lu Polou recommended Wang Meng to him. The two hit it off immediately and talked about major events. Every word they said was in line with their own ideas. Fu Jian felt that he had found the Sleeping Dragon.

Fu Jian launched a coup, strangled his cousin Fu Sheng, lowered his title to the Heavenly King of Great Qin, appointed Wang Meng as the Minister of the Central Secretariat, and involved him in military and national affairs.

At that time, there was a group of royal relatives inside and outside the court who relied on their royal kinship or merits to do whatever they wanted.

Empress Dowager Qiang's younger brother Qiangde robbed men and women and did all kinds of evil.

Wang Meng immediately arrested the man and executed him first and reported to the emperor later.

Before Fu Jian's pardon arrived, Qiangde had already been beheaded. Afterwards, Wang Meng executed more than 20 lawless dignitaries.

All officials were horrified and restrained themselves.

Wang Meng also tried to promote people based on their talents, and appointed a large number of people with real talents and knowledge. The reform measures brought a new atmosphere. At that time, Qin was stable and peaceful, and families were well-fed.

Wang Meng is decisive and efficient.

Ma Si, a native of Hebei, asked for leave to return to his hometown to bury his mother. Wang Meng approved it. When Ma Si just left Tongguan, he found that all the government offices along the way had received the notice.

After a series of innovative measures to enrich the country and strengthen the military, the Former Qin Dynasty gradually became stronger.

At that time, Former Qin was surrounded by enemies: Xianbei in the north, Former Liang and Tuyuhun in the west, Former Yan in the east, and Eastern Jin in the south.

"At this time, Wang Meng obtained a lot of intelligence about the Former Yan from Hao Gui, the Sanqi Shilang of the Former Yan who was sent as an envoy to the Former Qin. Hao Gui also secretly submitted to Wang Meng."

"Not long after, Murong Chui was ostracized by Former Yan's Grand Tutor Murong Ping and defected to Former Qin. Former Yan became even weaker, so Wang Meng actively planned to conquer Former Yan."

"In the sixth year of Jianyuan, Wang Meng first persuaded the Former Yan Wuwei King Murong Zhu to surrender, successfully captured Luoyang, and then repelled the attacking Le'an King Murong Zang."

"Soon after, Fu Jian sent Wang Meng to lead General Zhennan Yang An and ten other generals and 60,000 soldiers to attack the Former Yan. Fu Jian personally saw Wang Meng off and provided him with logistical supplies."

"In July, Wang Meng attacked Huguan. At this time, the Former Yan court was still hindering each other and could not concentrate its strength to resist the Former Qin army."

"Soon after Wang Meng captured Huguan, he helped Yang An capture Jinyang, and cities along the way surrendered one after another."

"At this time, the commander of the Former Yan army, Murong Ping, was afraid of Wang Meng and did not dare to fight him. He began to confront Wang Meng in order to force him to withdraw his troops."

"Murong Ping was a greedy man. When he was confronting Wang Meng, he still took the opportunity to resell materials to make war profits. As a result, the soldiers of the Former Yan Dynasty became dissatisfied and lost their fighting spirit."

"After hearing this, Wang Meng became even more certain that this battle would be won, and he even sent troops to burn the supplies and equipment of the Former Yan army."

"The Former Yan Emperor Murong Wei also wrote a letter to rebuke Murong Ping and urged him to go to war, so Murong Ping had no choice but to fight Wang Meng."

"Before the battle, Wang Meng gave an impassioned speech in front of the army to boost morale. In the end, the Former Qin army won a great victory, killing more than 50,000 enemies, and Murong Ping escaped alone."

"Later, Wang Meng led his army to besiege Yecheng, the capital of the Former Yan State. Along the way, the army maintained strict discipline and did not harass the people. Yecheng, which was previously infested with bandits, also became peaceful because of Wang Meng's arrival."

"Then, Yu Wei, the Sanqi Shilang of the Former Yan, opened the gates of Yecheng at night, and the Former Qin army successfully occupied Yecheng."

"Murong Wei was also captured soon after, and all parts of the Former Yan surrendered one after another, and the Former Yan was destroyed."

"Wang Meng was then appointed to stay in Jizhou to guard it, and was given the power by Fu Jian to select local officials according to circumstances."

"Wang Meng wrote a letter to decline the offer, but Fu Jian refused and ordered him to continue to do as before."

"Not long after, Wang Meng was recalled to the court and given the title of commander-in-chief of all military forces at home and abroad, and his title was also promoted to Marquis of Qinghe County."

"Wang Meng repeatedly wrote letters to decline the offer, and Fu Jian also issued an imperial edict to reject it."

"Finally, Wang Meng accepted the title, and from then on, all affairs in the Former Qin Dynasty, no matter how big or small, were handed over to Wang Meng to handle."

"Wang Meng governed the country with integrity and seriousness. During the years he governed the Former Qin Dynasty."

"He dismissed those who were idle in the court and promoted talented but unsuccessful people."

"At the same time, he encouraged farmers to cultivate mulberry trees and silkworms, trained the army, and assigned officials to positions that matched their abilities."

"The punishments were all determined according to the actual crimes, which led to economic recovery and social stability in various parts of the Former Qin Dynasty."

"In the seventh year of Jianyuan, Wang Meng wrote a letter to persuade Zhang Tianxi, the emperor of Former Liang, to recognize the situation and submit to Former Qin."

"After reading the letter, Zhang Tianxi took the initiative to apologize to Former Qin and became a vassal of Former Qin."

"After Wang Meng's rule, the Former Qin State became rich and powerful, invincible, and formally unified China north of the Yangtze River."

"In June of the eleventh year of Jianyuan, Wang Meng was bedridden. Fu Jian personally went to offer sacrifices and pray for Wang Meng. Later, Fu Jian sent people to offer sacrifices to gods in various places and pardoned criminals within the territory who were sentenced to death or less."

"When Wang Meng was seriously ill, he still wrote to discuss state affairs, put forward many useful suggestions and advised Fu Jian not to waste the people's efforts for the sake of one person's life."

"When Wang Meng was dying, Fu Jian went to visit him. Before he died, Wang Meng asked Fu Jian not to rush to annex the Eastern Jin in the south of the Yangtze River."

"He wanted to eliminate the threats from the Xianbei and Qiang peoples. He died at the age of fifty-one."

"Fu Jian was very sad. He went to the funeral three times when Wang Meng was buried, and gave him many gifts. He buried him according to the ceremony of Huo Guang, an important minister of the Western Han Dynasty, and gave him the posthumous title of Wu Gong."

Li Qingzhao: The strategy formulated by Wang Meng was to go north first and then south, first to wipe out the separatist forces in the north and then to march south.

Wang Meng used the excuse that Yan had broken the agreement and refused to cede land as an excuse to lead 30,000 troops to occupy the important city of Luoyang.

Wang Meng attacked the Former Yan again. He took the southern route and captured Huguan in one fell swoop. All the prefectures and counties he passed through surrendered without a fight.

Yang An of the Northern Route attacked Jinyang and besieged the city for two months. Wang Meng rushed to help and observed the enemy's situation.

He ordered his soldiers to dig tunnels, sneak into the city, and open the city gates. The Qin army rushed in and captured Jinyang.

The government and the people of Former Yan were shaken and people were in turmoil.

In October of that year, Wang Meng led his troops south and confronted Murong Ping, the Grand Tutor of the Former Yan, in Yecheng.

Murong Ping wanted to fortify the city and clear the countryside to wear down the Qin army, so Wang Meng sent 5,000 cavalry to raid the Yan army's granary.

Both sides were running out of food and supplies and had to go to war quickly.

Before the decisive battle, Wang Meng carried out a pre-war mobilization.

The whole army was excited and their morale was boosted. By noon, the Yan army had completely collapsed.

Wang Meng led his army to pursue the enemy, and they fought more bravely. Murong Ping fled back to Yecheng alone.

Wang Meng advanced with great force and surrounded the city of Ye. He enforced military discipline and did not harm the common people, thus winning their hearts.

In November of the same year, Fu Jian personally led an army of 100,000 elite soldiers to help. The ruler and his ministers of the Former Yan Dynasty realized that the siege was hopeless and surrendered the whole country.

Wang Meng guarded Yecheng, appointed talented people, stabilized people's hearts, developed production, and the situation quickly stabilized.

After destroying its powerful enemy, Former Yan, Former Qin basically unified the north.

Wang Meng was seriously ill, and Fu Jian was worried and prayed personally.

Wang Meng's last words, although only a few, were related to the rise and fall and survival of the Former Qin Dynasty. It can be said that he had a very clear understanding of the situation.

After the Battle of Feishui, Fu Jian often regretted ignoring Wang Meng's last words, but it was too late to regret, and it eventually became an eternal regret.

Wang Meng is an example of a great politician in history. He gained the absolute trust of the king, was able to display his talents, and helped the wise ruler achieve hegemony. Unlike Shang Yang, he finally had a good end.

Although Wang Meng did not make any contributions when Fu Jian first ascended the throne, he was still highly valued by Fu Jian.

This caused dissatisfaction among the Di people's Gu Zang Hou Fan Shi, who publicly insulted Wang Meng as a villain who did not farm but enjoyed the fruits of others' labor.

After hearing this, Wang Meng said that not only should Fan Shi and his men farm, but they should also cook for him, which led to a conflict between the two.

Later, Wang Meng had an argument with Fan Shi in front of Fu Jian. Fu Jian became angry and executed Fan Shi, a meritorious official, to show Wang Meng's status.

After that, when the Di people spoke ill of Wang Meng, Fu Jian did not listen and even flogged some of them. After that, no one dared to oppose Wang Meng from the ministers down. (End of this chapter)