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

Five days later.

The cold November wind cut through the wilderness outside the capital of Chu State like a knife. The withered and yellow weeds trembled in the wind, as if sensing the coming storm.

The sky was so gloomy that it seemed to be pressing down on the city walls. Occasionally, a ray of pale sunlight shone through the gray clouds, but it disappeared in a flash.

Jia Yu stood on the official road outside the city gate, his hands clasped in his wide sleeves, his seemingly calm face concealing extreme vigilance.

Behind him were officials and musicians from the Ministry of Rites lined up in neat rows. The colorful flags fluttered in the wind, but could not conceal the tension in the air.

"Sir, the barbarian delegation has appeared on the official road three miles away." A Jinyiwei spy knelt on one knee and reported in a low voice.

Jia Yu nodded slightly and looked into the distance.

He deliberately wore a dark purple official uniform today, and the jade belt around his waist still shone with a warm luster under the gloomy sky.

As a minister of the Chu cabinet and commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he was well aware of the importance of welcoming the barbarian delegation - this was not just a simple etiquette exchange, but also a silent contest of strength between the two countries.

Zheng Yuanpei, the Minister of Rites, stepped closer and whispered, "Lord Jia, according to custom, the barbarian delegation should dismount and walk one mile away as a sign of respect for our Chu State."

Jia Yu sneered, "Master Zheng, do you think these barbarians will still abide by any conventions?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cloud of dust suddenly rose on the distant horizon, followed by the dull sound of horse hooves that came closer like thunder.

Jia Yu narrowed his eyes and saw a black mass of cavalry rushing towards the city gate like a tide.

The barbarian knight at the front held high a large black flag embroidered with a ferocious wolf head, which danced wildly in the wind.

"This...this is wrong!"

Zheng Yuanpei's expression suddenly changed: "Why are they still charging?"

Jia Yu's pupils suddenly contracted - the cavalry team showed no intention of slowing down, but instead rushed straight towards the city gate like a charge.

The sound of a thousand barbarian cavalry charging at the same time was so astonishing that the ground was shaking under the horses' hooves. The officials of the Ministry of Rites involuntarily took a few steps back, and some even fell to the ground in fear.

"Sir! Are they going to continue charging?" A captain of the Jinyiwei put his hand on the hilt of his sword, his voice filled with shock and anger.

Jia Yu raised a hand to stop his subordinates from panicking.

He had long expected the barbarians to do this - to give the Chu State a warning.

Without even turning around, he addressed the messenger behind him, "Inform the city defense camp, archers, prepare. If the barbarian cavalry enter within a hundred paces and don't stop, shoot immediately!"

"Yes!" The messenger ran away.

Almost at the same time, the Chu soldiers on the city wall drew their longbows in unison, and the cold arrows flashed coldly under the gloomy sky.

The well-trained soldiers of the city defense camp moved in unison, and the sound of taut bowstrings merged into one, like the whisper of death.

A scout in the charging barbarian cavalry suddenly reined in his horse, turned his horse's head and galloped towards the center of the team:

"Report! There's an ambush on the Chu city wall, and the archers are ready!"

In the middle of the team, an unusually tall man snorted coldly.

He was wearing black iron armor and carrying a huge mace on his shoulder. His thick beard almost covered half of his face, leaving only his hawk-like sharp eyes exposed, flashing with a fierce light.

This man was none other than the barbarian general Gongsun Yi, a fierce barbarian warrior known for his bad temper and bravery in battle.

"stop!"

Gongsun Yi raised his hand and shouted, his voice like muffled thunder.

The charging cavalry obeyed orders and stopped their horses at about 150 steps away from the city wall. The horses neighed and raised a cloud of dust.

Jia Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but didn't show it on his face at all.

He had already studied Gongsun Yi's information long ago - this man seemed rude and violent, but in fact he was meticulous and would never actually send his cavalry to attack the capital of Chu, as that would be tantamount to declaring war.

This is just a common psychological tactic used by barbarians.

The dust gradually cleared, and the barbarian cavalry lined up in neat rows, but no one dismounted.

Gongsun Yi rode his horse slowly forward and stopped ten steps away from Jia Yu.

He was riding a pitch-black warhorse that was nearly a head taller than an ordinary horse, making the already tall Gongsun Yi appear even more commanding.

"Who is here to greet you?" Gongsun Yi asked, his voice filled with undisguised contempt.

He didn't even get off his horse, but looked down at Jia Yu and a group of Chu officials from a high position.

Jia Yu bowed with a dignified gesture, "I, Minister of the Chu Cabinet, Imperial Censor, and Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Jia Yu, lead the officials of the Ministry of Rites to welcome General Gongsun Yi."

The cold wind blew past, blowing Jia Yu's robe, but it could not blow his straight back.

His voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone.

Gongsun Yi raised his thick eyebrows upon hearing this, and suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter full of mockery:

"Hahaha! Your Chu State is a powerful nation that has annexed four dynasties. How come you don't even know this little bit of etiquette?"

He suddenly dropped his smile, his face darkening. "I'm a barbarian general, and you're sending a cabinet minister to greet me? Shouldn't you send your Chu's great general, Feng Anguo, to come personally?"

Jia Yu had anticipated this question and calmly replied, "General Feng Anguo is currently training the navy at the front and has not yet returned to the capital."

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has specially ordered me to come and greet the General to show the importance our State of Chu attaches to the Barbarian envoys."

Gongsun Yi snorted coldly, his muscles clenching beneath his armor. "Training the navy? Humph, I'm afraid they're training cavalry to attack our barbarian border!"

He waved his hand fiercely: "Stop talking nonsense! Since Feng Anguo didn't come, let your Crown Prince Chu Ning come to greet him in person! Otherwise, I won't go in today!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the officials of Chu were in an uproar.

Asking the prince to personally welcome a barbarian general is a naked humiliation.

Zheng Yuanpei couldn't help but step forward and said, "General Gongsun, this is against etiquette! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is the heir to the throne, how could he..."

"Shut up!"

Gongsun Yi roared loudly, his voice like thunder, frightening Zheng Yuanpei so much that he staggered back.

"Don't you, the Chu State, pride yourself on being a nation of etiquette? Is this how you treat guests?"

He suddenly raised his mace, and thousands of cavalrymen behind him drew their swords at the same time, with cold light flashing.

A cold light flashed in Jia Yu's eyes, but he still maintained a calm appearance.

He noticed that although Gongsun Yi appeared irritable and easily angered, his eyes were always calmly observing the surroundings. It was obvious that he was deliberately provoking the Chu officials and looking for an excuse to cause trouble.

"General Gongsun!"

Jia Yu stepped forward and said in a steady voice, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is accompanying His Majesty on state affairs today and is indeed unable to get away."

"How about this? I've prepared a banquet at the Honglu Temple to welcome the general. Tomorrow, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will personally host a banquet for the general."