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

The rain outside the tent was getting heavier. The raindrops as big as beans hit the cowhide tent, making a dull "dong dong" sound, like the beating of drums before a battle.

Jia Yu sat upright beside a low table, holding a celadon teacup with his slender fingers, and curls of hot steam spread out before his eyes.

He took a sip and raised his brows slightly - this brick tea from the northwest has a unique and rough flavor.

"Master Jia is in a good mood."

Gongsun Yi watched coldly, his voice tinged with sarcasm: "In my Scorpion Clan camp, you can still enjoy tea so leisurely."

Jia Yu put down the teacup and lightly traced the rim with his fingertips. "General, you're joking. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince often teaches us that the more critical the moment, the more we must remain calm."

He raised his eyes to look at Gongsun Yi, his gaze like water: "Just like now, I am waiting for the general to make a decision, so naturally I cannot lose my manners."

The candlelight in the tent flickered, casting the shadows of the two people on the tent, like two beasts facing each other.

Gongsun Yi's deputy envoy Helian Tie stood with his sword pressed down, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The other guards also had solemn expressions, and the air seemed to be frozen.

A quarter of an hour passed and the sound of rain became heavier.

Jia Yu was neither anxious nor impatient, and even signaled to his servant to refill the hot tea. His calmness made the Scorpion Clan even more uneasy.

Finally, Gongsun Yi slammed the table so hard that the teacup jumped up:

"Alright! You have a saying in the Central Plains: If you don't do anything wrong, you don't have to worry about ghosts knocking on your door! I don't believe your prince dares to do anything to me!"

He stood up suddenly, his armor clanging. "I will follow you to the East Palace!"

"General!"

Helian Tie cried out in shock and rushed forward: "Absolutely not! If you go alone, the Crown Prince of Chu will set an ambush..."

Jia Yu chuckled and slowly put down his teacup. "General Helian, you're worrying too much. Our Crown Prince is a very reasonable person. As long as he can confirm that this matter has nothing to do with the Scorpion Clan, he will definitely not make things difficult for General Gongsun."

He looked up at the darkening sky outside the tent and said, "It's getting late. General, please make a quick decision."

Helian Tie was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead. He suddenly turned around and stood in front of the tent door: "It's raining too hard outside. Why don't we wait until it subsides?"

"enough!"

Gongsun Yi interrupted harshly and pushed Helian Tie's hand away.

"Since I dare to go, I am not afraid of Chu Ning's tricks!"

He turned around, took down the sword hanging in the tent, and said coldly, "Master Jia, please."

Jia Yu stood up calmly, straightened his sleeves that were wet from the rain, and walked out of the tent first.

In the rain, his figure was like a sword drawn from its sheath, exuding an irresistible edge.

Seeing that he couldn't stop them, Helian Tie hurriedly whispered to his guards, "All of you, follow the general immediately. If the situation changes, fire the signal arrow immediately!"

He stared at Jia Yu's back and added through gritted teeth: "Remember, you must keep a close eye on that guy."

Several elite guards took the order, quickly put on their straw raincoats and followed him out.

Helian Tie turned back to the tent and slammed his fist on the table, causing the tea set to jingle.

"Quick! Order all units to be on alert, and for archers and crossbowmen to stand by in the arrow tower!"

Outside the tent, the rain was getting heavier.

Gongsun Yi strode towards the carriage that had been prepared long ago. The rain flowed down his armor, leaving a series of deep footprints on the mud.

Jia Yu jumped on his horse and looked back at the Scorpion camp - in the darkness, he could vaguely see figures swaying on the arrow tower, and the bowstrings reflected a cold light.

"General please."

Jia Yu made a gesture, and twenty Jinyiwei immediately spread out in a fan shape, protecting the carriage in the center.

Gongsun Yi snorted coldly, bent down and got into the carriage.

The carriage started slowly and rolled over the muddy road.

In the rain, several dark shadows followed quietly. They were the personal guards sent by Helian Tie.

Jia Yu raised the corner of his mouth slightly and pretended not to notice.

The wheels rolled over the puddles, splashing mud.

In the distance, the outline of Kyoto was faintly visible in the rain, like a dormant giant beast, opening its bloody mouth, waiting for its prey to fall into its trap.

Three quarters of an hour later.

After the rain, the East Palace was filled with the scent of damp grass and trees, and the sound of dripping water from the eaves was endless.

The hall was brightly lit with candles. Chu Ning sat upright on a rosewood dragon-carved throne, tapping the armrests with his fingertips, making a rhythmic sound.

He was dressed in a black brocade robe, and the four-clawed python pattern embroidered with gold thread on the lapel was faintly visible in the candlelight, making him look even more majestic.

The palace door was slowly pushed open, and Jia Yu led Gongsun Yi into the palace.

There were still water droplets hanging on Gongsun Yi's armor, and every step he took made a slight metallic collision sound.

He took a deep breath and bowed, "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Chu."

Chu Ning narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at the once unruly Scorpion general in front of him.

However, after not seeing each other for a few days, Gongsun Yi's aura had actually subsided a lot, which surprised Chu Ning.

"I still prefer General Gongsun's unruly demeanor."

Chu Ning raised his lips with a playful smile: "How come you've become so docile after living in my Chu country for a few days?"

Gongsun Yi's knuckles turned slightly white under his armor, but he quickly controlled his emotions.

He raised his head, his eyes steady. "I'm new to the Chu capital, and I don't know the proper etiquette. I'm sorry if I've offended you. Your Highness, please forgive me."

The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the ticking of the copper clock.

Chu Ning slowly stood up and walked in front of Gongsun Yi. The two were only three steps away from each other.

"Regarding the prisoner hijacking case..."

Gongsun Yi took the initiative to speak in a low voice, "I truly have no knowledge of this. I don't know who forged those so-called Scorpion Clan tokens. If Your Highness doesn't believe me, you can order my soldiers to hand over the tokens for inspection."

Chu Ning stared into Gongsun Yi's eyes, and there was no trace of evasion in those brown pupils.

He suddenly chuckled: "Of course I believe what the general said, but..."

He changed the subject: "Words are not enough, there must be an explanation."

Jia Yu stepped forward at the right moment and said, "Your Highness, why not have General Gongsun participate in the interrogation? After all, this concerns the reputation of the Scorpion Clan, and it would be best for the general to personally investigate the truth."

Gongsun Yi frowned and immediately understood Chu Ning's intention - this was to drag him into the power struggle within Chu.

He was about to refuse when Jia Yu continued, "General, please think carefully. This is to help you clear suspicion. If this matter is not resolved, your trip to Chu to purchase grain may be postponed."

"food"

The two words were like sharp arrows, hitting Gongsun Yi's soft spot.

His face changed slightly as he remembered the Khan's instructions before he left - there was a great disaster this year, and if he couldn't bring back food, the entire Scorpion Tribe would face famine.

"it is good!"

Gongsun Yi gritted his teeth and said, "I will cooperate with you in investigating this matter, but you must give me a definite answer regarding the grain!"

Chu Ning laughed loudly before he could finish, "As long as we can find the mastermind behind this, I will discuss the food issue with the general in detail."

Gongsun Yi's eyes flashed with joy, and he clasped his fists solemnly: "A gentleman's word is his bond!"

"It's hard to catch up." Chu Ning took over the conversation, his eyes gleaming, "I never break my promise."

Chu Ning wants to use Gongsun Yi to find out the mastermind behind the scenes, but Gongsun Yi has to compromise temporarily for the sake of food.

The two of them have their own thoughts, but they have to cooperate temporarily.

"Master Jia."

Chu Ning suddenly spoke up, "Take General Gongsun to the side hall to rest. Tomorrow morning, you will all go to the Heavenly Prison to interrogate those assassins."

"Yes." Jia Yu bowed and accepted the order, then turned to Gongsun Yi and made a "please" gesture.

Gongsun Yi looked at Chu Ning deeply, then turned around and strode away.

His back was stretched out in the candlelight, and water droplets on his armor dripped onto the ground, leaving wet marks along the way.

As the footsteps faded away, the smile on Chu Ning's face gradually faded.

He walked back to the desk, picked up a pen, wrote a few words on a piece of paper, and then quickly burned the paper.

"Pass the order down," he whispered to the eunuch beside him, "Keep a close watch on every move of the Scorpion Clan camp."

Outside the window, a crescent moon rose quietly, and the cold moonlight sprinkled on the glazed tiles of the East Palace, reflecting a chilling feeling.

This game has just begun.

Chu Ning did not completely believe Gongsun Yi's words. He would keep an eye on the Scorpion delegation until he found out who was behind the scenes!