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

Five days later, Chu Ning led the white horse cavalry to Yanzhou.

The team had flags flying, their armor gleaming coldly in the sun, the sound of horses' hooves was like thunder, raising a cloud of dust.

Chu Ning rode on a white horse, wearing silver armor, with a jeweled sword hanging from his waist.

His eyes were firm and deep as he stared at the winding road ahead.

This time, he must conquer the State of Wei and completely open up the passage from Qin to the Tang and Han dynasties!

At the same time, thousands of miles away, the Scorpion King's Court was bustling with activity.

The cold January wind howled, making the tent rustle.

In the golden tent in the center of the royal court, more than 20 tribal leaders gathered together. They were wearing leather coats of various colors, with scimitars on their waists, and their faces were full of vicissitudes and determination.

The Scorpion Khan sat on a throne covered with tiger skin. He was tall and strong, with a resolute face, and his eagle eyes scanned everyone in the tent.

Next to the Khan stood his counselor Ashina, a thin man with a sharp gaze, a famous wise man of the Scorpion Clan.

"Everyone!"

The Scorpion Khan's voice was deep and powerful. "Now that we have reached an agreement with the Chu State, if we send troops, they will increase their efforts to sell us food. However..."

He paused and took out a letter from his pocket:

"I have received news from Li Shiming that he wants me to cooperate with him in a play. He also said that after the plan is completed, he will definitely sell more grain to my dynasty. What do you think?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a tall chief suddenly stood up. He was Batur, the leader of the western tribe, who was famous for his bravery.

Batur sneered, "Li Shiming clearly wants to use us as pawns! When our dynasty ran out of food, we asked the Tang Dynasty to buy more, but they ignored us!"

"Now that our dynasty is of use, he wants us to act for him. Humph, we, the Scorpion Clan, are not dogs of the Tang Dynasty, to be summoned and dismissed at his will!"

There was a sudden echo of voices in the tent, and many leaders looked indignant.

But at this time, the leader of the eastern tribe, Arsalan, slowly stood up. He was older and had a high prestige in the tribe.

Arsleng frowned and said, "Chief Batur's words are certainly reasonable, but the Tang Dynasty is very close to our Scorpion Tribe. If we don't agree to their request, given Li Shiming's personality, he will most likely hold a grudge against us."

"If he and Wei conquer Chu, we will be next!"

These words changed the atmosphere in the tent, and some people began to whisper.

The southern tribe leader, Geriletu, narrowed his eyes and sneered, "Chief Arsalan, you're worrying too much. The Tang Dynasty is already struggling to take care of itself. With the Turkic harassment in the north and the constant civil unrest in the south, how could they spare any troops to deal with us?"

"I believe that the Emperor of Chu sold us food when we were in the most difficult time. My Scorpion Clan cannot be ungrateful!"

"That's right!"

The young leader, Su He, slammed the table and stood up: "If we cooperate with the Tang Dynasty's performance and offend the Chu State, once they stop giving us food, our Scorpion Clan will be in a dilemma."

"If it weren't for the food from Chu last winter, at least 30% of our tribe would have starved to death!"

Everyone was talking at once, and the argument became more and more intense.

Those who supported cooperation with the Tang Dynasty believed that this was an opportunity to obtain more food, while those who opposed it insisted that they could not betray the Chu State, a friend who came to their aid in times of need.

During the argument, someone even pulled out a machete, and the atmosphere became tense.

"enough!"

The Khan slammed the table with a sound like thunder.

"I, the Khan, will reconsider this matter and see how the situation develops. This is a matter of great importance. If we make a wrong move, the Scorpion Tribe will face catastrophic destruction."

The counselor Ashina stepped forward at the right moment and whispered, "Khan, why don't we send someone to the Chu Kingdom to test the waters and see if they know anything about this matter before making a decision?"

The Khan nodded and said, "That makes sense. Pass the order on. Send an envoy secretly to the State of Chu to ascertain the country's true attitude."

"Also, strengthen border patrols to prevent the Tang Dynasty from taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble."

While the Scorpion Clan was arguing internally, the Han Emperor Liu Che was also discussing countermeasures with his ministers in the Weiyang Palace.

In the Weiyang Palace of the Han Dynasty, candles were brightly lit, and civil and military officials were lined up on both sides.

Liu Che was wearing a dragon robe and sitting upright on the dragon throne with a frown on his face.

Prime Minister Chen Pin stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, the latest military reports indicate that the Great Zhou army has already been dispatched and is gathering towards our border. There are no fewer than 100,000 soldiers."

"If our main force attacks Maple Leaf City now, I'm afraid the Great Zhou will take advantage of the opportunity and invade."

The Minister of War immediately echoed, "The Prime Minister is absolutely right. According to spies, the Great Zhou has mobilized elite troops, led by the renowned general Xue Huaide, and they are coming with great force."

Liu Che frowned upon hearing this, and tapped the armrests of the dragon throne with his fingers:

"But this was previously agreed upon with the Emperor of Tang and the Emperor of Wei. If we don't send troops, wouldn't that be a breach of promise? How can we gain a foothold among the princes in the future?"

Chen Pin stepped forward and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, this is a different time."

"If the Great Zhou hadn't sent troops, our dynasty would naturally have cooperated with them in attacking Maple Leaf City. But now that the Great Zhou has sent troops, our dynasty can only choose to protect itself."

"Between nations, interests come first. I believe Tang and Wei can understand this."

The Grand Marshal disagreed: "Your Majesty, I think this is inappropriate."

"The Three Kingdoms Alliance was hard-won. If we retreat because of the threat from the Great Zhou, we will not only lose the trust of Tang and Wei, but will also make the Great Zhou think that our dynasty is weak and can be bullied."

"Why not send a small force to feint an attack on Maple Leaf City, while the main force remains to defend against the Great Zhou."

There was a sudden buzz of discussion in the court, and the ministers split into two factions arguing with each other.

Liu Che watched the ministers arguing, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. He knew that no matter which choice he made, the risks would be enormous.

At this moment, the Imperial Censor, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up: "Your Majesty, I have a plan. Why not send an envoy secretly to the Great Zhou, pretending to ask for peace, and thus buy time?"

"At the same time, secretly mobilize troops. If the Great Zhou really makes any unusual moves, we can immediately counterattack. If the Great Zhou does not move, our army will proceed according to the original plan."

A hint of approval flashed in Liu Che's eyes, but then he fell into deep thought.

He stood up and walked to the huge map hanging in the center of the hall, staring at the territories and troop deployments of various countries marked on it.

After a long pause, Liu Che turned around and said, "Pass on my order. Order the border guards to strengthen their vigilance, but do not send troops to Maple Leaf City for the time being."

"At the same time, send secret envoys to the Tang Dynasty and the Wei Kingdom to explain our dynasty's situation."

"Also, send an envoy to visit Da Zhou secretly to find out its true intentions."

Chen Pin hesitated to speak, and finally bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

As the night deepened, the meetings in the Weiyang Palace continued.

Thousands of miles away, the bonfire in the Scorpion King's Court gradually died down, and the leaders of each tribe returned to their tents with different thoughts.

The north wind howled, as if foreshadowing the coming storm.