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

In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the magnificent and golden hall was coated with a layer of dazzling gold by the early spring sunshine.

The cold wind of mid-January was blocked out by the thick palace walls, and the charcoal fire in the palace was burning brightly, making it warm like spring.

The new king of Chu, Chu Ning, sat upright on the dragon throne, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and a twelve-tassel crown on his head. His face was as calm as water, and his eyes were as sharp as torches as he stared at the ministers and foreign envoys of his palace.

On both sides of the hall, civil and military officials of the Chu State, dressed in court robes, stood solemnly on both sides.

On the left was headed by the Minister of War Feng Anguo, and on the right was headed by the Minister of Revenue Liu Shouren.

Their faces were filled with pride and joy, and from time to time they glanced at the three envoys standing in the center of the hall - Cui Gaoxuan, Pei Yanzhi and Sima Hui, with a gleam of victory in their eyes.

Just now, Cui Gaoxuan, the envoy of the State of Wei, wanted to challenge their emperor to a duel, intending to embarrass the new king of Chu in public at his coronation ceremony.

Who would have thought that Chu Ning just smiled slightly and ordered someone to bring a cat. The cat walked around a few steps on the white paper and actually surpassed Cui Gaoxuan.

At this moment, Cui Gaoxuan's face was ashen, the blue veins on his forehead were faintly visible, and the ivory folding fan in his hand was almost crushed.

"Hahaha, Master Cui, it seems your painting skills are just so-so!"

Han Xing, the Vice Minister of War, clapped his hands and laughed so loudly that his voice almost shattered the glazed tiles on the ceiling of the hall.

"That's right, a cat can win, and you dare to compete with me, the Emperor of Chu, in painting?" Minister of Personnel Lu Xiuwen twirled his beard, his eyes full of sarcasm.

Cui Gaoxuan's face turned from blue to red, and then from red to white. He held on to the last bit of his dignity and said with a bow:

"His Majesty the Emperor of Chu is indeed... extraordinary."

The four words "extraordinary" were almost squeezed out from between his teeth.

Pei Yanzhi and Sima Hui, who were standing next to Cui Gaoxuan, looked at each other and saw shock and uneasiness in each other's eyes.

The first of the three difficult problems they had carefully planned was solved so easily, which was a devastating blow to their plan.

Sima Hui gritted his teeth, snapped the feather fan in his hand shut, took a step forward and said in a deep voice:

"Since the new king of Chu is so powerful, I wonder if he can solve the problems facing our dynasty?"

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the palace.

"presumptuous!"

Cabinet Minister Zhang Xuan was the first to step forward, his white beard trembling and his eyes wide with anger. "Today is the coronation ceremony of our emperor. You foreign envoys are repeatedly provoking us. What is your intention?"

"Master Sima, are you wrong?"

Imperial Censor Jia Yu said coldly, "Han Dynasty problems should be solved by Han officials. Why are you asking me, the King of Chu? Is there no one in the Han Dynasty?"

Sima Hui faced the accusations of the Chu officials, but instead of retreating, he straightened his back and sneered:

"Why, are you worried that your new ruler won't be able to solve our dynasty's problems? If so, the new ruler of Chu should relinquish his title as the world's greatest talent!"

Pei Yanzhi also chimed in at this moment, "That's right. If you feel that you are not talented enough, you shouldn't take up this title."

"In recent years, you, the new king of Chu, are considered the most talented person in the world, but you haven't published any poems or songs. This is really puzzling."

Cui Gaoxuan, who had just been defeated, seized on the opportunity and said sinisterly, "Is the new king of Chu afraid?"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense. The ministers of Chu State all glared at each other, and several generals even held down the swords at their waists.

Feng Anguo frowned and waved his hand: "Come here, take this foreign envoy who doesn't know etiquette away!"

A team of armored imperial guards immediately rushed in from outside the hall, and the clanging sound of armor echoed in the hall.

Sima Hui, however, showed no fear. Instead, he laughed heartily, "Hahahaha! Chu is known as a nation of propriety, yet this is how they treat envoys? If word gets out, won't you be ridiculed by the world?"

"slow."

A cold voice came from the main seat.

Chu Ning raised his hand slightly, and the imperial guards immediately stopped. His eyes swept over the three Han envoys, and he suddenly laughed out loud:

"Afraid? I never knew how to write the word afraid!"

The laughter echoed in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, causing the bronze bells in the corners of the hall to tremble slightly.

Chu Ning stood up, the golden threads on his dragon robe gleaming in the sunlight. "I've been busy fighting wars all these years. How could I have the time to write those whining poems?"

"That's just something you writers and poets use to relieve your loneliness in your spare time."

"My ambition is to rule the world. How can you, sparrows, understand the ambition of a swan?"

These words were like a loud slap in the face of the three Han envoys.

Feng Mulan, who had just been named Consort Lan, stood beside Chu Ning and couldn't help but chuckle, "The tricks of the literati won't work in front of His Majesty. You'd better give up on this idea."

"As for the difficult problem you mentioned, that's your Han Dynasty's business. Why should His Majesty the Emperor of our dynasty help you solve it?"

"Empress Lan, you are wrong!"

Sima Hui suppressed his anger and forced a stiff smile on his face.

"Talented people should learn from each other. Moreover, His Majesty the Emperor of Chu is known as the world's greatest talent. If he can't even solve a small problem in our dynasty, then isn't this title undeserved?"

"presumptuous!"

Feng Anguo roared angrily, his eyes wide open: "Sima Hui, you have insulted my emperor time and again. Do you really think that I am powerless in the Chu State?"

The ministers of Chu State echoed the sentiment one after another, and mocking voices arose one after another.

"How courageous the Han Dynasty envoy is!"

"I think they're here to cause trouble!"

"Is the Han Dynasty empty-handed? Why send such a rude person as an envoy?"

Sima Hui faced the accusations of the crowd, his face dark as steel, and he stopped waving the feather fan in his hand. He said coldly:

"Alright, you've said all this because you're worried that your new ruler is incompetent and can't solve the problems our dynasty has faced!"

Feng Anguo could no longer hold back, and glared at the imperial guards, ready to take action.

At this tense moment, Chu Ning waved his hand gently to signal the imperial guards to retreat.

He walked slowly down the dragon steps, his bright yellow dragon robe dragging on the scarlet carpet, making a slight rustling sound.

"Although I know you are trying to provoke me."

Chu Ning's voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone: "But I still want to appreciate your expression after failure."

"Tell me, what's your problem?"

A glimmer of triumph flashed in Sima Hui's eyes. He straightened his clothes and said loudly, "The Han Dynasty is currently facing the following three problems.

"First, the national treasury is empty and unable to provide relief to the drought victims in the north."

"Secondly, there are constant wars on the southeastern border, and military expenditures are enormous."

"Thirdly, if we mobilize troops to suppress the border, the victims will be left unattended and could cause unrest. These three options are contradictory. What are your Majesty's thoughts?"

It was said to be one question, but Sima Hui raised three questions in one breath.

This is obviously cheating!

But these three issues can be linked together and regarded as one issue.

The officials of Chu State were helpless in this matter.