Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

In the side hall of the East Palace, calming incense was burning in a bronze animal furnace.

Chu Ning leaned on the couch, playing with a bronze tiger talisman in his hand. His face was paler than in the past few days, but his eyes were sharper.

On the sheepskin map spread out on the table, the location of Yanzhou was circled in cinnabar, like a drop of solidified blood.

Suddenly, the sound of light footsteps interrupted Chu Ning's thoughts.

"Your Highness."

Minister of Rites Deng Hongwen bowed and glanced at the military report on Chu Ning's desk: "I heard that Your Majesty has approved the Yanzhou proposal?"

Chu Ning gently placed the tiger talisman on the map: "Not bad."

He looked up at the confidant he had promoted and said in a deep voice, "I would like to ask Minister Deng to personally visit Dahan."

Deng Hongwen's thick eyebrows trembled slightly.

He thought of the many assassination attempts that envoys from various countries had encountered in the post stations in recent years. Today's envoys have become high-risk officials.

After the Qin State took the lead in killing envoys, many countries began to follow suit.

Today, the relationship between the Han Dynasty and the State of Chu has deteriorated rapidly because the last alliance was unsuccessful.

If he were to go on a diplomatic mission to the Han Dynasty at this moment, not only would he be unable to complete Chu Ning's instructions, he might even lose his life in the Han Dynasty.

"Your humble servant..."

Deng Hongwen was about to speak when he suddenly noticed the faint black lines on Chu Ning's cuffs. That was a sign of the onset of the blood spider venom. He had seen records of it in ancient books.

Chu Ning followed his gaze and calmly pulled down his sleeves: "Does Minister Deng have any concerns?"

"I don't dare."

Deng Hongwen took a deep breath and said, "I am just worried that it will be difficult to impress the Han Emperor Liu Che with only Yanzhou."

Liu Che was also a wise and capable leader. It would be unrealistic for him to let the other party take risks just for a mere state.

"Minister Deng is overthinking."

Chu Ning's finger slid across the map: "As long as the Han Dynasty can capture Sima Yi while Qin and Chu are fighting, the remaining three states of Wei..."

His fingertips pointed at Yecheng and he said calmly, "They are all theirs."

Deng Hongwen's eyes flashed: "Your Highness is saying..."

"good."

Chu Ning raised the corner of his lips and said, "Wei has four states, the Han has three, and if we give him Yanzhou, he will have four states."

He suddenly coughed, and dark red leaked out from between his fingers: "Liu Che will not fail to understand this deal."

Deng Hongwen looked at Chu Ning who was trying hard to endure the pain, and a hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

Although Doctor Sun kept his mouth shut, he still saw some clues from Chu Ning's current physical condition.

What's more, this time Chu Ning took the initiative to offer Yanzhou in exchange, which is already a step backward.

With Chu Ning's previous personality, how could he possibly regress?

It was obvious that his body was in such bad condition and he was worried that he could not hold on for much longer, so he wanted to reach an agreement with the Han Dynasty as soon as possible.

Chu Ning has already done so much for the State of Chu. What is there for him to hesitate about?

"I understand." Deng Hongwen bowed deeply and said with a firm face, "I will definitely live up to your trust."

Chu Ning nodded slightly and took out a secret letter from the desk: "This is a handwritten letter to the Han Emperor."

He took out a jade pendant and said, "If anything unexpected happens, you can take this to Zuixian Tower in the Han capital, and someone will pick you up."

Deng Hongwen took the token and suddenly asked, "Why does Your Highness trust me so much?"

"Because you, Lord Deng, were promoted by me personally, and you are also the first place winner of the imperial examination. You are my confidant. If I don't trust you, who else can I trust?"

Chu Ning looked through the carved window lattice and towards the palace wall in the distance, and said calmly: "Besides, you are the Minister of Rites, this matter must be handled by you!"

Deng Hongwen was deeply moved, and he knelt heavily on the ground, saying solemnly: "I will definitely bring good news to Your Highness!"

Chu Ning coughed twice, reached out to help Deng Hongwen up, patted his shoulder, and said:

"Remember, if you encounter the dangerous area Zuixianlou, the Jinyiwei over there will pick you up!"

"Even if Liu Che agrees to my proposal, you cannot stay in the capital of the Han Dynasty. Do you understand?"

There have been too many cases of messengers being killed recently, and Chu Ning is not very reassured.

Deng Hongwen put away the letter and the token, and bowed: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have remembered it all!"

After finishing speaking, he turned around and left.

Chu Ning looked at Deng Hongwen's departing back, a hint of contemplation flashed across his eyes.

He thought that the conditions he offered were very generous, but Liu Che was not a pushover and would definitely raise the price.

During this period of time, he could write a letter to the Prince of Jin, Ji Yinghao, and ask him to announce to the world that he would not interfere in the war between Qin, Chu and Zhou.

As long as someone expresses his opinion first, Liu Che's idea of raising the price will become a joke!

Thinking of this, Chu Ning immediately sat down at his desk and wrote a letter to the Crown Prince of Jin, Ji Yinghao.

At the same time, thousands of miles away, in the Xianyang Palace.

Ying Zheng slammed the secret report on the dragon table: "Good! Good! Good!"

He said three good words in a row, his eyes flashing with excitement: "Chu Ning is indeed poisoned by the blood spider!"

Prime Minister Baili Xi bowed and said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty. Once Chu Ning dies, the State of Chu will be in chaos."

"deliver an imperial order!"

Ying Zheng stood up suddenly: "Immediately..."

He suddenly stopped, frowned and asked, "How are the barbarians doing?"

Baili Xi looked embarrassed: "The barbarian leader said that he not only wants a million dan of grain, but also ten thousand pieces of brocade and thirty thousand kilograms of coarse salt."

"presumptuous!"

Ying Zheng slapped the dragon table with his palm, shaking the bronze lamp: "How dare you, a mere barbarian, bargain with me!"

"Your Majesty, calm down." Baili Xi stepped forward: "The barbarians are not a concern, but if we start a war on both sides..."

Ying Zheng sneered: "You mean, I should bow to those barbarians?"

"I dare not." Baili Xi whispered, "But what the barbarians want is really insignificant compared to the great cause of destroying Chu."

The hall fell into silence.

Ying Zheng walked to the window and looked at the beacon tower in the distance. That was where his grandfather repelled the barbarians, but now he had to bow to them.

"That's right."

When Ying Zheng turned around, his eyes had regained the imperial majesty: "But tell the barbarian leader, if you dare to play tricks..."

He gripped the sword at his waist tightly and said, "I don't mind turning the grassland into a sea of blood."

"I understand." Baili Xi bowed and retreated.

Ying Zheng was standing alone in the hall, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of the sword.

He recalled the battle with Chu Ning in Hecheng several years ago, when the young man almost killed him.

"Send a message to the front line..."

Ying Zheng suddenly said, "Once the barbarians withdraw, the 300,000 elite troops will be immediately transferred back."

His eyes were ablaze with fighting spirit: "I will lead the army in person and destroy the 100,000 Chu troops in Hecheng first!"

The last time, he was defeated by Chu Ning in Hecheng, and that battle resulted in the death of General Bai Qi and others.

But this time, he wants to pay it back with interest.

Of course, before that, he still needs to confirm one thing.

Did the State of Jin fall into chaos under his arrangement?

As long as the State of Jin is in chaos and unable to support Chu Ning, he can feel at ease and lead the army in person!