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

After everything in Jinyang City was arranged, Chu Ning set off the next day.

It has been five days since they left Jinyang City.

As the sun sets, the crimson clouds dye the winding official road red.

Chu Ning was wearing a black brocade robe and riding his horse slowly at the front of the team. Jia Yu was holding a bamboo slip and reporting in a low voice beside him. Zhao Yu led three hundred white horse cavalrymen in a fan-shaped guard.

Along the way, the rice fields are rolling with golden waves, and the newly built ditches are shimmering in the sunset glow.

This is the vitality shown by the three border counties of Qin after the implementation of the new policy.

"Your Highness, urgent news from the northern border." Jia Yu suddenly lowered his voice and pointed his finger at a certain place on the bamboo slips.

"Three days ago, Li Ji, the Great General of the Tang Dynasty's Left Guard, led 50,000 elite troops out of Tongguan, with their banners pointing directly towards the Wei Kingdom's Yecheng."

He paused. "What's interesting is that Wei's offensive against Yanzhou suddenly weakened, and the defending general Xu Fang withdrew troops from three lines of defense."

Chu Ning chuckled upon hearing this, tapping his palm with his whip. "Fifty thousand Tang troops... Li Shiming is quite willing to invest."

He looked at the farmers working in the distance and said in a playful tone, "The Wei State is moving so fast. One moment they're attacking Yanzhou, and the next they're rushing back to defend it."

Zhao Yu couldn't help but interrupt: "Could it be that the Wei Kingdom is really afraid of the Tang army?"

"afraid?"

Chu Ning suddenly burst into laughter, startling a flock of sparrows on the roadside. "That old fox Sima Yi was able to hold off a Han army of 100,000 for half a month with only 30,000 tired soldiers. Would he be afraid of Li Ji's 50,000 men?"

He suddenly stopped laughing, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "This is for me to see. The alliance between the three dynasties is a foregone conclusion."

Jia Yu nodded thoughtfully: "The Tang Emperor's move not only fulfills his promise to you to contain the Wei Kingdom, but also allows us to take the initiative in the alliance."

As soon as he finished speaking, a few children suddenly came running from the village entrance in the distance, holding freshly picked melons to present to the prince.

Chu Ning took it gently and tossed a gold coin to his guard. After the child happily ran away, he continued the conversation:

"How's the big man doing?"

"Maple Leaf City is harassed by the Han army every day, but these are just tests with a thousand men."

Jia Yu flipped through the bamboo slips. "But spies report that the Han Dynasty is conducting a large-scale conscription. Even the Jiangzhou Navy has drafted 30% of its veterans as instructors."

The cavalry was passing by a newly built watchtower. When the soldiers on the tower saw the prince's procession, they immediately blew their horns to salute him.

Chu Ning raised his hand in return, a sneer on his face: "Liu Che is a smiling tiger. He wants to share the pie with the Tang Dynasty, but he is reluctant to sacrifice his own elite troops."

He suddenly pulled the reins tight, and the horse stood up. "Send the order!"

Jia Xu's face changed and he looked serious.

Chu Ning wrote quickly on horseback: "Let the major military camps continue to recruit soldiers, but they must be trained well and not just fill in the numbers."

"If a battle breaks out in the future, our dynasty must be prepared to deal with the troops of three dynasties at the same time."

Jia Yu rolled up the bamboo slips calmly, but heard Chu Ning's meaningful whisper:

"It's true that the three dynasties each harbored their own agenda, but a hungry wolf will eventually devour meat. Tell Xun Yu to raise the walls of Yanzhou by another three feet."

As dusk deepened, the outline of the capital city became faintly visible ahead of the team.

In the rice fields on both sides of the official road, farmers are still bending over to work, completely unaware that the rice they planted may become military rations for a future war.

Chu Ning looked at the smoke curling in the distance, and suddenly seemed to remember something and asked:

"Li Shiming is a good man. In order to deal with me, he actually put on a show with the Wei Kingdom."

The night wind swept across the fields, bringing with it the coolness of early autumn.

Chu Ning's lips curled up slightly, he lightly squeezed the horse's belly, and his figure gradually blended into the night:

"Let's go, go back as soon as possible, so that the emperor won't be frightened!"

Although he didn't know why the King of Chu was so anxious to call him back, his intuition told him that the reason of worrying about the siege by the three dynasties was not valid.

Half a month later.

The capital of Chu State, outside the Suzaku Gate.

The early autumn sunshine shone on the official road paved with bluestone. The Minister of Rites Deng Hongwen, dressed in a crimson official robe with a jade belt around his waist, led all the civil and military officials in the court to line up in an orderly manner.

On both sides of the city gate, the imperial guards stood with spears in hand, their armor shining coldly in the sunlight.

Further out, the people of the capital who had heard the news came in large numbers, eagerly waiting.

"I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince destroyed the Jin Kingdom and even stopped the Tang army!"

"That's right! My cousin, who serves in the army, said that Your Highness is a master at commanding troops. The Jin army surrendered after barely holding out for half a year!"

"Look! There's dust flying over there. Is that the arrival of His Highness's white horse cavalry?"

There were constant discussions in the crowd, children rode on their fathers' shoulders, and vendors took the opportunity to sell small flags embroidered with the word "Chu".

The whole capital was immersed in a festive atmosphere.

Deng Hongwen stroked his dark beard and squinted his eyes as he looked into the distance.

When the white cavalry figure finally appeared on the horizon, he immediately raised his hand to signal.

Suddenly, drums and music sounded and flags fluttered.

Twelve dragon flags, each more than ten feet high, fluttered in the autumn wind, and the musicians played the "Triumph Order".

Chu Ning took the lead, wearing a black brocade robe and a sword at his waist.

Behind him, Jia Yu and Zhao Yu were on both sides, and tens of thousands of white horse cavalrymen were marching in unison, the sound of horse hooves was as deafening as thunder.

The originally noisy people suddenly quieted down, and everyone held their breath and stared at the young crown prince.

When Chu Ning arrived ten feet in front of the city gate, Deng Hongwen was the first to kneel and kowtow: "Welcome His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Welcome to the triumphant return of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" All the officials shouted in unison, their voices shaking the sky.

Chu Ning dismounted and glanced at the crowd.

He was smiling, but was keenly aware of the absence of an important person.

"Dear ladies, please rise."

Chu Ning gave him a false support and said, "This great victory is entirely due to the dedication of our soldiers and the support of the people. I dare not take any credit for it."

Deng Hongwen stepped forward and said respectfully, "Your Highness is too modest. His Majesty has already hosted a banquet in the palace to welcome you."

Chu Ning nodded and slowly walked into the city surrounded by his ministers.

On both sides of the street, people knelt down and some were even moved to tears.

Chu Ning waved to both sides from time to time, winning more cheers.

However, his mind was not on these appearances.

Taking advantage of the opportunity when turning, Chu Ning deliberately slowed down and walked side by side with Deng Hongwen.

"Master Deng!"

Chu Ning lowered his voice and asked, "Why don't you meet the Grand Tutor?"

Deng Hongwen's expression changed slightly. He subconsciously looked around and made sure no one was paying attention before whispering:

"Your Highness, you may not know that the Grand Tutor...is seriously ill."

Chu Ning paused, a trace of shock flashing in his eyes: "When did it happen?"

"It's been a month."

Deng Hongwen sighed, "The Imperial Hospital holds consultations every day, but... Alas, His Majesty has ordered the news to be suppressed, and I only learned the details yesterday."

Chu Ning frowned.

Dugu Xin, an old minister in his seventies, has always been in good health. How could he suddenly become seriously ill?

"Are there any other abnormalities?" Chu Ning asked.

Deng Hongwen hesitated to speak, and finally just shook his head: "Your Highness should go to the palace to see the emperor first."

Chu Ning understood.

No wonder his father urgently summoned him back to the court. It seemed that the situation in the court was more complicated than he had imagined.

He looked up towards the imperial palace. The sunlight shone on the towering palace walls, casting deep shadows.

"Send a message to Zhao Yu!"

Chu Ning suddenly said to the guards beside him, "Tell him to settle the White Horse Cavalry and then go to the Grand Tutor's residence immediately... to deliver some supplements."

The personal guards took the order and left.

Chu Ning straightened his clothes, put a calm smile on his face again, and strode towards the palace.

Behind him, the celebration in the capital was still enthusiastic, but Chu Ning had a bad feeling in his heart.