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

Half an hour later.

Four bloody heads hung high above the four gates of Jinyang City, with disheveled hair, distorted faces, and frozen fear still lingering on their dead faces.

Blood dripped slowly from the broken neck, forming a dark red mud on the bluestone slabs under the city gate, attracting a few crows to circle and peck at the blood, making shrill cries.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, but a large number of Jinyang people had gathered at the city gate.

They looked up at the hideous heads, their faces filled with fear and anger.

"The Chu army is killing people indiscriminately again!"

An old man with gray hair and beard pointed at the city gate tremblingly, tears in his turbid eyes.

"Is there still any law in this world?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down!"

A woman next to him nervously tugged at his sleeve, her eyes anxiously scanning the surrounding Chu soldiers holding knives.

"Do you want to be arrested as an accomplice?"

The discussion in the crowd became louder and louder, and someone spat angrily:

"Bah! Chu dog is going too far! He is so arrogant in our Jinyang territory!"

A young woodcutter carrying firewood on his back squeezed to the front and shouted to the guarding Chu soldiers:

"Sir, what crime did these people commit? Why are they being treated like this?"

The Chu soldier glanced at him coldly, and slammed his spear to the ground with a dull sound:

"These are assassins who intended to murder the imperial officials. Now they are being killed as a warning to others and their heads are being hung up for public display!"

As soon as these words came out, the crowd exploded.

"assassin?"

A young man who looked like a scholar murmured in a low voice: "Could it be..."

"He is a righteous man from our Jin State!"

An old farmer with wrinkles on his face suddenly shouted excitedly: "Someone must be unwilling to surrender to the Chu bandits, that's why..."

"shut up!"

The captain guarding the city gate shouted sternly and strode over with a sullen face.

He was wearing iron armor, with a long sword on his waist, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle.

"These assassins deserve to die! The people behind them will soon be captured by General Zhao Yu's White Horse Cavalry!"

As soon as he said this, he seemed to realize that he had said something wrong, his face suddenly changed, and he immediately shut up.

But it was too late, several eyes in the crowd were already flashing.

In an inconspicuous corner, a few seemingly ordinary vendors glanced at each other quietly.

One of them lowered his hat, another pretended to sort the goods, and the third quietly retreated to the back of the crowd.

They exchanged a meaningful look with each other, and then left quietly under the cover of the crowd.

The captain had a gloomy face and waved his hand to signal the soldiers to be on high alert.

He looked up at the heads that were still dripping with blood, and a cruel smile appeared on the corner of his mouth:

"Pass the order down, strictly check those who enter and leave the city gates, and rather kill the wrong person than let him go!"

The atmosphere at the city gate became increasingly tense. The Chu army soldiers began to disperse the crowd roughly, the cold light of their spears flickering in the morning mist.

The people were angry but dared not speak out, they could only lower their heads and walk away quickly, but the anger in their eyes spread like wildfire.

In a dark alley in the west of the city, several spies who had left earlier quickly reunited.

"Things have changed!"

The man in the bamboo hat said in a deep voice: "The Chu people have already suspected us, and Zhao Yu's white horse cavalry may be dispatched at any time."

"We must inform the master immediately!" the cargo merchant said hastily, "We need to advance the plan."

The third person took out a carrier pigeon from his arms and tied a secret letter to it expertly: "The Chu people think they can scare us like this? Ridiculous!"

The carrier pigeon fluttered away into the distance and disappeared into the gray sky.

And in the shadow of the city gate, a pair of sharp eyes were watching all this silently.

The blood was still dripping and the crows' cries became more and more mournful.

The sky over Jinyang City was covered with dark clouds.

Outside the city, Zhao’s manor.

The sky was gloomy and dark clouds blocked out the sunlight. Only a few dim lanterns swayed in the wind, illuminating the courtyard with dim shadows.

Inside the hall, four figures sat around a square sandalwood table, the candlelight illuminating their changeable expressions.

Zhao Pan, the patriarch of the Zhao family, was tall and had a resolute face, but at this moment his brows were furrowed and his fingers kept tapping on the table, making a dull sound.

He raised his head suddenly, and said in a low and rapid voice:

"The spies just reported that the assassins have betrayed us! Zhao Yu's white horse cavalry has been dispatched. If we don't take action now, we will all die!"

Across the table sat Bai Miao, the head of the Bai clan - a white-haired old man with a gaunt face but eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

He nodded slowly, his voice hoarse: "Brother Zhao is right. Since the Chu army has already noticed it, if we hesitate any longer, we will be trapped."

"But this matter is too strange."

A cold voice sounded, and Lin Jian, the head of the Lin family, who was holding a feather fan, gently shook the fan with an indifferent expression.

"Those assassins are all deadly warriors, how could they speak so easily? In my opinion, this is most likely a trick by the Chu army to lure the enemy."

"Humph! Brother Lin, you are always so cautious!"

Zhao Pan snorted coldly, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes.

"But the situation is urgent now. If we wait any longer, we won't even have a chance to fight for our lives!"

"cautious?"

Lin Jian sneered: "Brother Zhao, don't forget that Chu Ning was able to control Jin in just a few months by relying on his many tricks. If we act rashly, it will play into his hands!"

"So what do you say we should do? Wait for death?"

Zhao Pan slammed the table and stood up, causing the teacups on the table to clink.

"enough!"

Meng Xiao, the patriarch of the Meng family who had been silent all this time, suddenly shouted in a low voice.

He was short and stocky, with dark skin, a rough air, a dagger on his waist, and eyes as fierce as a wolf.

He looked around at everyone and said in a rough voice, "I don't care about any tricks. Now the knife is on your neck. What are you waiting for? It's better to strike first!"

Bai Miao nodded slowly: "Patriarch Meng is right. Since the Chu army has been mobilized, if we hesitate any longer, we will surely die."

Zhao Pan took a deep breath and stared at Lin Jian with burning eyes: "Three to one, Brother Lin, do you still want to object?"

Lin Jian was silent for a moment, his feather fan paused slightly, and finally sighed: "Forget it, since you have all made up your mind, I will not stop you."

He raised his eyes, a cold light flashed in his eyes: "But if you want to take action, you must kill with one strike - kill Chu Ning first!"

"it is good!"

Meng Xiao grinned, revealing his white teeth: "In an hour, the elites of the three tribes will gather in the north of the city and rush directly into the palace to take Chu Ning's head!"

Zhao Pan's eyes were filled with murderous intent: "As long as Chu Ning dies, the Chu army will be leaderless, and we can take the opportunity to recapture Jinyang!"

Bai Miao slowly stood up and stroked his beard with his skinny fingers: "Everyone, if we win this battle, Jin will be back in our hands. If we lose..."

“Not defeated!”

Meng Xiao interrupted with a grim smile: "Either win or die!"

Lin Jian closed his feather fan, his eyes deep: "In this case, let's get ready."

The four of them looked at each other, said nothing more, and turned and left.

A strong wind suddenly blew out the last lamp in the hall, and darkness completely enveloped the manor.

The heavy rain at the end of August is coming!