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

An hour later, Chu Ning and Wu Zhao had lunch in the warm room of Fengqi Palace.

There was light snow outside the window, but it was warm as spring inside the palace.

The exquisite rosewood table was filled with delicacies: steamed sea bass, braised deer tendons, honey ham, emerald shrimp, and a pot of warm osmanthus wine.

Wu Zhao personally poured a glass of wine for Chu Ning, but there was a hint of worry between her brows.

"The three countries joining forces is no small matter!"

She whispered, "When you go on this expedition, what I am most worried about is not Wei, but the Tang Dynasty."

"While my Great Zhou troops can contain the Han army, they are powerless to prevent the Tang army from sending reinforcements from their homeland. If Emperor Li Shimin of Tang were to dispatch troops from Chang'an, how would you respond?"

With the current military strength of the Zhou Dynasty, there is no doubt that it will have no problem containing the Han Dynasty.

But not only was the Tang Dynasty far away from the Zhou Dynasty, but with the combat effectiveness of the Zhou Dynasty's troops, it was impossible to contain the other side.

What she was most worried about was the main force of the Tang army joining forces with the Wei army. Even though the Chu State was now powerful, it was unlikely that it would be able to defeat the other side in a short period of time.

Once a war reaches a stalemate, the attacking party will be in a very passive position.

Morale is one thing, but the transportation of food and supplies and logistics are the most troublesome.

Chu Ning chuckled upon hearing this, picked up the wine glass, drank it all, and said with a smile:

"I have ordered Feng Anguo and Ran Ming to lead their troops to garrison Jin and stop the Tang army's vanguard."

Wu Zhao frowned slightly and asked, "What if the Tang army dispatches its main force from its territory?"

The Tang Dynasty had a large number of troops. Even if the Tang army in Jin was blocked, the Tang army could still transfer troops from within the Tang territory.

Chu Ning's lips curled up slightly, a gleam in his eyes: "I have already considered this matter. Later I will summon the Scorpion Clan's envoy Gongsun Yi to have a good talk with him."

Wu Zhao was startled when she heard this, but then she reacted and said with a smile:

"You want the Scorpion Tribe to send troops to contain the Tang army?"

She shook her head. "The Scorpion Clan is cunning and fickle. Even if they agree now, they may not fulfill their promise in the future."

Chu Ning put down his wine glass, reached out and held her hand, and said softly, "Don't worry, I have my own way."

"The Scorpion Tribe is currently facing a major disaster, and each tribe is short of food. If the Khan wishes to stabilize the situation, he must rely on my food supply. Without my food, his tribe will quickly fall apart."

Wu Zhao stared at him, and seeing that he was confident, she stopped talking and asked, "When do you plan to leave?"

"Three days later." Chu Ning replied.

"Then I will return to the Great Zhou in two days and dispatch troops to contain the Han army." Wu Zhao said.

Chu Ning nodded: "I will send you off personally."

After lunch, Chu Ning summoned the Scorpion Clan envoy Gongsun Yi to the imperial study.

The weather in mid-January was still bitterly cold, with drizzle mixed with broken snow. Gongsun Yi came up on the slippery stone steps, wearing a heavy wolfskin cloak, and the scimitar at his waist was already placed outside the hall.

This man has a rough face, but his eyes are extremely sharp.

"Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor of Chu!" Gongsun Yi knelt on one knee and saluted.

Chu Ning sat upright behind the dragon table and said calmly, "No need to be polite."

He didn't bother to be polite and went straight to the point: "The coalition forces of the three countries besieged my Great Chu. I believe you already know about this."

Gongsun Yi feigned indignation, clasping his fists and saying, "The three kingdoms' combined forces are truly going too far!"

However, he stopped talking after he finished speaking, obviously waiting for Chu Ning to make conditions.

Chu Ning knew his thoughts very well. Although this Scorpion general looked rough, he was actually very cunning.

He asked calmly, "I've sold you a lot of food lately. I wonder if it has helped alleviate the Scorpion Tribe's famine?"

Gongsun Yi's expression changed slightly, and he sighed, "Although we have received aid from your country, the food is still far from enough."

"Even if Your Majesty does not summon me today, I would like to request an audience. I beg Your Majesty to sell more food to my clan."

Upon hearing this, Chu Ning pretended to be helpless and sighed: "If it were a normal day, I could naturally sell more."

"But now the three kingdoms are besieging our Great Chu, and the military expenditure is huge. I also need to store food and fodder."

Gongsun Yi's face darkened, and a hint of anxiety flashed in his eyes.

Seeing this, Chu Ning changed the subject and said calmly, "However, if someone can help me hold back the Tang army and reduce our military expenditure, the extra grain can naturally be sold."

Gongsun Yi's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "My Scorpion Clan is willing to mobilize another 50,000 troops to put pressure on the Tang Dynasty! But without sufficient food, the soldiers will not be able to fight."

Chu Ning laughed loudly: "Great! As long as you send another 50,000 soldiers, I can sell you 30,000 dan of grain every month!"

Gongsun Yi calculated that this number was just the right amount, enough to barely sustain the Scorpion Army's needs without leaving them with any surplus food.

He wanted to bargain further, but Chu Ning waved his hand and said, "I will lead the army in person in three days. I will not keep General Gongsun any longer."

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yi's eyes flashed and he immediately bowed and took his leave.

He must pass this news back to the Scorpion Tribe as soon as possible so that the Khan can make a decision early!

After Gongsun Yi left, Chu Ning stood alone in front of the window, looking at the snowflakes falling outside, with a hint of coldness in his eyes.

He murmured to himself, "The Scorpion Clan...is ultimately a double-edged sword."

At this time, the door of the imperial study was gently pushed open, and Jia Yu walked in quietly, whispering:

"Your Majesty, after Gongsun Yi left, he immediately sent a trusted confidant to release a carrier pigeon northward. I believe he was going to report the news."

Chu Ning nodded slightly: "Let him go. If the Scorpion Khan wants to stabilize the tribe, he must agree to my conditions."

Jia Yu hesitated for a moment, then said, "But if the Scorpion Clan regrets their decision later..."

Chu Ning sneered: "It's okay. I have already planted spies within the Scorpion Tribe. If they dare to break the contract, I can cut off their food supply at any time and make them lose their composure."

Jia Yu was sincerely convinced and said, "Your Majesty is far-sighted and thoughtful. I admire you."

Chu Ning turned around, his eyes deep: "In three days, I will go to war. The affairs of the court will be handed over to you."

Jia Yu said solemnly, "I will definitely live up to your Majesty's trust!"

In the evening, Chu Ning returned to Fengqi Palace and saw Wu Zhao reviewing the secret report sent by Da Zhou.

Seeing him come in, she put down the paperwork in her hand and asked, "What is Gongsun Yi's reply?"

Chu Ning smiled and said, "He agreed. The Scorpion Tribe will send another 50,000 soldiers to contain the Tang army."

Wu Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "The Scorpion Tribe has wicked ambitions, so we must be on guard against them."

Chu Ning walked up to her, stroked her long hair, and said softly, "I know my limits. As for you, you will be returning to the Great Zhou in two days, so please be careful on the road."

Wu Zhao raised her eyes to look at him, a trace of reluctance flashing in her eyes: "You... must come back safely."

Chu Ning laughed and picked her up: "Don't worry, I will not only return safely, but also bring back the territory of Wei!"

Wu Zhao lightly hit his shoulder and said angrily, "Put me down!"

Chu Ning ignored her and carried her to the inner room, his laughter echoing in the palace: "Don't worry, Queen, I won't break my promise."

Outside the window, the snow gradually stopped, but the wind and clouds in the world were just beginning to surge.