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

The night was as dark as ink, and the cold wind whistled past with fine snow. A thin layer of silver frost had already covered the blue brick ground in front of the palace gate.

Cui Gaoxuan, Sima Hui, and Pei Yanzhi stood outside the palace gate, their faces so gloomy that water seemed to drip out of them.

They looked at the closed palace gate, feeling angry and helpless.

"We can't delay it any longer!"

Sima Hui lowered his voice, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"The coronation ceremony is imminent. If we continue to be bothered by those two brats, we won't be able to contact the students at all!"

Cui Gaoxuan narrowed his eyes, his fingers tightly gripping his sleeves, his knuckles turning white from the effort: "Chu Ning is deliberately leaving us hanging, putting us in a dilemma!"

Pei Yanzhi snorted coldly, his beard trembling slightly with anger: "A great scholar of the Three Kingdoms was actually teased by two children. Wouldn't it be a laughing stock if this got out?"

The three of them were silent for a moment, the wind and snow swirling around them, as if mocking their predicament.

Finally, Sima Hui took a deep breath and whispered, "Since Chu Ning refuses to see us, let's try another approach."

"What method?" Cui Gaoxuan asked with a frown.

"Looking for Zhou Yanru, the Minister of Rites!"

A calculating look flashed in Sima Hui's eyes. "He's from the Ministry of Rites, responsible for the procedures of the enthronement ceremony. We can meet him openly under the pretext of asking about the ceremony. Even if the Jinyiwei keep an eye on us, they won't be able to find any fault!"

Cui Gaoxuan pondered for a moment and nodded slowly: "Yes, Zhou Yanru is an official of the Chu State. He may be able to help us meet Chu Ning."

Pei Yanzhi still had concerns: "But if Zhou Yanru is also targeted by the Jinyiwei, won't we have no way out?"

Sima Hui sneered: "So we can't just ask him to find Chu Ning directly, but ask him to help us contact another person!"

"Who?"

"Gongsun Yi from the Scorpion Clan's envoys outside the city!"

Half an hour later, the candlelight flickered in the inn and Zhou Yanru hurried over.

He was wearing a dark blue official robe, a jade belt around his waist, and a black gauze hat on his head. He had a thin face and sharp eyes, and it was obvious that he was a man who had been in officialdom for a long time.

"Gentlemen, why did you summon me so late at night? I wonder what's the important matter?" Zhou Yanru bowed and spoke respectfully, but there was a hint of vigilance in his eyes.

Although he was in collusion with these three people, he did not want to act rashly and expose his identity.

Sima Hui gestured for him to sit down, then lowered his voice and said, "Master Zhou, this is an urgent matter. The three of us have been deliberately delayed by Chu Ning. Now that the coronation ceremony is imminent, if we can't see him again, our plan will be completely ruined!"

Zhou Yanru frowned, his face gloomy. "You mean... to let me meet the Crown Prince?"

"Exactly!"

Cui Gaoxuan said in a deep voice: "You are the Minister of Rites. If you ask for an audience on the pretext of the procedures for the coronation ceremony, Chu Ning will definitely not refuse!"

Zhou Yanru was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "No, if I show up rashly, the Jinyiwei will definitely become suspicious. Then not only will I be unable to help you, but I will also be exposed."

Pei Yanzhi's eyes flashed with anxiety: "What should we do? Are we just going to sit there and wait for death?"

At this moment, Cui Gaoxuan suddenly sneered: "Since the Chu officials are not convenient to come forward, then let outsiders come!"

"Outsider?" Zhou Yanru was stunned.

"Gongsun Yi from the Scorpion Clan's envoys outside the city!"

A hint of cruelty flashed in Cui Gaoxuan's eyes. "He is the general of the Scorpion Clan and has a special status. If he comes forward to ask for an audience with Chu Ning, Chu Ning will definitely not dare to neglect him!"

Zhou Yanru's eyes lit up, then he frowned and asked, "But why would Gongsun Yi help us?"

Sima Hui pulled a document from his sleeve and handed it to Zhou Yanru: "This is a secret letter signed by the three kingdoms. We promise to sell them 30,000 dan of grain after the mission is accomplished!"

Zhou Yanru took the document, examined it carefully, and nodded slowly: "In that case, there is no time to lose. I will leave the city to find Gongsun Yi!"

But what he didn't know was that people would be talking about him as soon as he left.

Cui Gaoxuan stared at Zhou Yanru's departing back with a cold expression on his face, and said in a cold voice: "This person cooperated with us, and indeed he had bad intentions, but he also refused to obey our orders."

"Humph, if it weren't for the fact that this guy was still useful, I should have killed him just now!"

They had already decided to let Zhou Yanru go to find Gongsun Yi. Just now, they let Zhou Yanru go to find Chu Ning alone, just to test the other party's attitude.

Seeing Zhou Yanru's cautious look just now, he knew that even if the other party was colluding with them, he still had other intentions.

Ma Sima Hui was not surprised by this. He waved his feather fan and said calmly, "Don't forget, he is a Chu citizen after all. His family is here, so he should be cautious!"

"It is precisely because people are cautious that they are more worthy of our trust!"

Pei Yanzhi nodded slightly at this time and said seriously: "It doesn't matter whether Zhou Yanru has second thoughts or not, as long as he can do what we say, it's fine!"

"This time, no matter what, Gongsun Yi must go see Chu Ning and plead for us!"

"Only by completely getting rid of those two little brats can we contact more students and join forces to cause trouble at the coronation ceremony."

The three of them looked at each other, and a look of determination flashed in their eyes!

At this time, Zhou Yanru had already taken action.

The wind and snow were raging, and Zhou Yanru, wearing a thick cloak, rode out of the city at full speed on horseback.

Half an hour later, he finally arrived at the Scorpion Clan's envoy camp outside the city.

Inside the tent, a charcoal fire was blazing, and Gongsun Yi was sitting at the table drinking.

He was a burly man with a rough face and a savage look. Seeing Zhou Yanru coming through the snow, he couldn't help but laugh:

"Master Zhou is visiting so late at night. What a rare visitor!"

Zhou Yanru shook the snow off his cloak and said, "General Gongsun, I have something important to discuss with you!"

Gongsun Yi raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What could make Lord Zhou so anxious?"

Zhou Yanru said in a deep voice: "The great scholars of the Three Kingdoms have been deliberately made difficult by Chu Ning. Now that the coronation ceremony is imminent, they want to ask the general to come forward and plead with Chu Ning!"

Gongsun Yi heard this and a playful smile appeared on his lips. "Let me intercede? Sure, but what good will it do me?"

Zhou Yanru was well prepared. He took out the document from his pocket and handed it over: "After this is done, the Three Kingdoms are willing to sell you 30,000 dan of grain!"

Gongsun Yi took the document, glanced at it, and greed suddenly flashed in his eyes:

"Hahaha, great! Since the Three Kingdoms are so generous, I will do you a favor!"

Zhou Yanru felt relieved and said, "Thank you, General!"

Gongsun Yi put away the documents and waved his hand proudly: "At daybreak, I will enter the city and personally meet the Crown Prince of Chu!"

The night is dark and the wind and snow continue.

Inside the posthouse, Sima Hui and the other two waited for news from Zhou Yanru.

In the military camp outside the city, Gongsun Yi stroked the document, with a calculating gleam in his eyes.

Deep in the palace, Chu Ning stood in front of the window, looking at the falling snow, with a slight sneer on his lips.

"Fish, finally took the bait."