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

The night is as dark as ink and the cold wind is howling.

Gongsun Yi rode his horse through the intricate streets and alleys south of the Chu capital, the horse's hooves making crisp sounds on the bluestone slabs.

Behind him followed four personal guards, each wearing a heavy cloak, their faces hidden beneath the hood, revealing only a pair of vigilant eyes.

The dark alleys in the south of the city are the most chaotic places in the capital of Chu. They are dark and damp after the rain during the day, and are shrouded in a strange atmosphere at night.

Most of the lanterns on the street have been extinguished, with only a few still emitting dim lights, illuminating the mottled water stains on the ground and the debris piled up in the corners.

Gongsun Yi reined in his horse in front of a seemingly ordinary mansion.

The door of the house was closed, and an inconspicuous wooden sign with a vague word "Shang" engraved on it was hung on the lintel.

He dismounted, raised his hand to signal his guards to wait outside the door, and walked to the door, knocked three times gently, paused, and knocked twice more.

The door creaked open a crack, and a pair of cloudy eyes looked at him through the crack.

"The wind from the grassland has brought wolves from the north." A hoarse voice came from inside the door.

Gongsun Yi sneered and whispered, "Wolves come for food, not to kill."

The code words matched, and the door opened silently.

Gongsun Yi stepped in and immediately closed the door behind him, isolating the cold wind and his personal guards from outside.

The interior of the house is much more spacious than it appears from the outside.

After passing through a dark corridor, Gongsun Yi was led into a brightly lit hall.

There were already more than a dozen people gathered in the hall. All of them were wearing loose brocade robes, and their faces were covered with masks or hoods, so their true appearance could not be seen.

Gongsun Yi's arrival made everyone who were originally talking in low voices suddenly quiet down.

Countless eyes were cast at him, some with scrutiny, some with curiosity, and some with undisguised greed.

"You guys have been waiting for a long time."

Gongsun Yi strode to the center of the hall, took off his cloak and threw it on a chair beside him, revealing the fine leather armor underneath and the scimitar hanging at his waist.

His hawk-like gaze swept over everyone present, and his voice was low and powerful: "I'm sure you all are aware of my identity. I came here only for food."

The hall was silent, with only the occasional soft crackle of the candlelight.

A man wearing a bronze mask slowly stood up, his voice hoarse as if it had been rubbed by sandpaper:

"General Gongsun is quite direct, but food is not so easy to buy, especially at this critical juncture."

Gongsun Yi narrowed his eyes slightly: "Oh? What do you mean?"

Another obese man with a black veil covering his face sneered, "Crown Prince Chu Ning has just taken over the government, and the Jinyiwei are investigating more strictly than ever before."

"Transporting grain across the border at this time is quite risky."

“The greater the risk, the higher the reward.”

Gongsun Yi said solemnly, "I can offer a price 20% higher than the market price, as long as the grain can be safely transported to the border."

As soon as these words were spoken, a low murmur of discussion suddenly arose in the hall.

However, before anyone could express their opinion, an old man in the corner who had never spoken suddenly sneered:

"Twenty percent? General Gongsun, are you kidding?"

Gongsun Yi turned to look at the old man, a cold look flashing in his eyes: "Who is this?"

The old man slowly stroked his graying beard. Although he was wearing a mask, the lower half of his face was covered with wrinkles.

"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that we all know the current situation of your Scorpion Tribe. The grasslands have suffered a once-in-a-century white disaster, and the food reserves of the twelve tribes have run out."

"A 20% premium? I'm afraid it's not even enough to fill the gaps between our teeth."

There was a burst of echoing voices in the hall.

"Yeah, the situation is so tense right now, if you're not careful you could lose your head!"

"The Crown Prince just cleaned up the Grand Tutor's residence and demoted many of his officials. Who knows if we'll be next?"

"Forty percent! At least forty percent! Otherwise, forget it!"

Gongsun Yi's expression became increasingly ugly, his fists clenched unconsciously, his knuckles making a cracking sound.

He suppressed his anger, his voice almost squeezed out from between his teeth: "30%. This is my final bottom line."

"Thirty percent?"

The fat masked man spread his hands exaggeratedly: "General, are you treating us like beggars?"

"You know, we not only have to bribe the guards at the city gates, but we also have to bribe the guards at the checkpoints, and even bribe the Jinyiwei spies along the way."

"30%? Not even enough to cover the capital!"

"That's right!" another person echoed, "Besides, the price of the grain will go up after it's shipped out. 30% is too little!"

The veins on Gongsun Yi's forehead bulged, and he slammed the table so hard that the teacup on the table jumped up:

"Forty percent! Not a penny more! If you're unwilling, I'll find someone else right now!"

The hall fell silent instantly.

Everyone exchanged glances, and finally, the bronze-masked man slowly nodded, "Forty percent is fine, but a thirty percent deposit must be paid in advance, and each shipment cannot exceed five hundred shi."

"Five hundred dan is too little!" Gongsun Yi frowned and said, "At least one thousand dan."

"no!"

The old man flatly refused: "Five hundred shi is already the limit. Any more will inevitably arouse suspicion. We can increase the number of deliveries, but the amount each time cannot be too much."

Gongsun Yi was silent for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth and said, "Alright! I'll do as you say. But I have one condition—the first batch of grain must be shipped out of the city within three days!"

The man with the bronze mask discussed quietly with the others for a while before finally nodding, "Alright, the first batch of food will be shipped out at midnight three days from now."

After the agreement was reached, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became much more relaxed.

Some people began to talk in low voices, and some even took off their masks to drink.

Gongsun Yi had no intention of staying for long. He put on his cloak again and glanced at everyone coldly:

"Remember your promise. If anyone dares to play tricks..."

His hand rested on the hilt of his knife, and the unfinished words were more powerful than any threat.

"General, don't worry."

The man in the bronze mask stood up, his voice still hoarse but more serious: "The reason why we can survive until now is because of the word integrity."

Gongsun Yi snorted coldly, turned around and strode away.

When he pushed open the door, the night wind mixed with fine snowflakes blew in his face.

He took a deep breath, as if to expel the depression in his chest.

The guards immediately gathered around him and whispered, "General, is it done?"

Gongsun Yi jumped on his horse and did not answer.

His gaze passed over the numerous buildings and looked towards the distant imperial palace.

The place was brightly lit, and the faint sound of stringed instruments could be heard - it was said that Chu Ning was preparing for the coronation ceremony.

"Chun Ning..."

Gongsun Yi raised his lips into a cold smile, his voice so low that only he could hear it.

"Do you think you can stump me like this? Just wait, your coronation ceremony will never go as you wish!"

He shook the reins, the warhorse neighed, and carried him away into the night.