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

In June in Dongping City, the air was filled with suffocating heat.

The Wei flags on the city wall hung listlessly, occasionally blown up by the hot wind, and then quickly fell down.

Outside the city, the Chu army's tents were endless, like a giant python tightly entangling the city.

On the streets of the city, soldiers were leaning against the walls in groups of three or four, their faces filled with fatigue and despair.

The atmosphere inside the General's Mansion was even more depressing than the weather outside.

Xu Fang sat upright in the main seat, with beads of sweat on his forehead sliding down his resolute face, but he had no time to wipe them off.

Two rows of generals stood solemnly in the hall, but no one dared to look up at the main seat.

The June heat wave poured in through the open doors and windows, but it could not dispel the chill in everyone's hearts.

Xu Fang's fingers tapped the armrest unconsciously, and the dull sound was particularly harsh in the silent hall.

"By failing this battle, our army lost its last chance to break out."

Xu Fang's voice was low and hoarse, as if coming from far away: "General Zhang, tell me about the casualties in this battle."

Zhang Changming, who was standing third from the right, slowly stepped out of the line. His left arm was wrapped in a blood-stained bandage and his face was as pale as paper.

"General."

He spoke with difficulty, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "In this battle, our army lost 18,000 men, and another 5,000 are missing. It's likely that the new recruits lost their way on the battlefield..."

"Hmph!" A cold snort interrupted Zhang Changming's report.

The bald general Wu Yong, standing at the first position on the left, took a sudden step forward. His burly body was like an iron tower, and the scar on his face looked even more hideous in his anger.

"Let them desert, there's no need to excuse them! These rubbish are a nuisance if they stay, it's better if they leave!"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense.

Xu Fang looked up at Wu Yong, and a trace of fatigue and helplessness flashed in his deep eyes.

"General Wu."

His voice was quiet, but it carried undeniable authority: "Don't speak of the men of Wei like that. They are also men of flesh and blood, born and raised by their parents."

Wu Yong's fists were clenched so hard that they made a creaking sound, and the flesh on his face trembled constantly, but he finally took a step back under Xu Fang's gaze, snorted coldly, and said no more.

Xu Fang slowly stood up, and his armor made a dull friction sound.

He walked to the center of the hall and looked around at the generals. Outside the window, a hot wind swept past, carrying dust and sand, slapping against the window frames with a crackling sound.

"There are only about 80,000 soldiers and horses left in the city now!"

Xu Fang's eyes swept over the faces of each general. "The food and fodder can still sustain us for another month, but the arrows, logs, and other defensive equipment won't last much longer."

He paused, his voice becoming graver. "Generals, immediately organize personnel to gather supplies for the city defense and repair the damaged areas of the city walls."

Xu Fang turned and walked towards the Dongping City Defense Map hanging on the wall, pointing his finger at a spot in the south of the city. "The main force of the Chu army is stationed here, commanded by Chu Ning himself."

"I will write to Your Majesty, requesting that while our army and the Chu army are at a stalemate, you send troops to raid the Chu army's center, creating an opportunity for our army to break out."

The generals looked at each other, but no one dared to raise any objection.

Without waiting for anyone's response, Xu Fang strode towards the back hall, his heavy footsteps gradually fading away.

In the back hall, Xu Fang took off his armor and sat at the desk wearing only a thin inner garment.

Sweat had already soaked through his clothes, sticking to his body.

He picked up the pen, but hesitated before writing.

Outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun shines through the window lattice, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground.

He picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and wrote on the paper, "Your Majesty, I, Xu Fang, wish you the best of health." Then he paused and continued:

"Dongping has been under siege for twenty days. Our army has failed in three attempts to break out, suffering heavy casualties. Now, only 80,000 exhausted soldiers remain to defend the city. The Chu army of 200,000 has laid siege to the city, attacking day and night. The city walls have been damaged in many places, and the defense equipment is almost exhausted..."

As he wrote this, Xu Fang's pen tip trembled slightly, and a drop of ink smudged onto the paper, just like the uneasiness spreading in his heart.

He took a deep breath and continued writing: "I implore Your Majesty to take advantage of the fact that the main force of the Chu army is besieging Dongping and send a surprise attack on the main camp of the Chu army."

"If Your Majesty can help me, I will lead my troops to break out and, together with the reinforcements, attack from both inside and outside, perhaps we can turn the tide of the battle."

After finishing the letter, Xu Fang rolled it up carefully, sealed it with wax, and handed it to his personal soldiers who had been waiting outside.

"Send it immediately to the capital by the fastest carrier pigeon, and be sure to deliver it personally to His Majesty."

The personal guards took the order and left. Xu Fang stood in front of the window, looking at the sky which was gradually getting darker.

In the distance, the bonfires in the Chu army camp lit up like stars, surrounding Dongping City.

Two days later, in the capital of Wei State.

Inside the palace, Sima Yi was pacing back and forth in the imperial study.

He was restless in the scorching June heat, but what made him even more anxious was that there was still no news from Dongping City.

He was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, but it was already soaked with sweat, and the blue veins on his forehead were faintly visible.

"Report!" A eunuch rushed in in a panic: "Prime Minister Cheng wants to see you!"

Sima Yi turned around abruptly: "Hurry up and announce it!"

Prime Minister Cheng Yu hurried in, holding a letter in his hand, his face as solemn as iron.

"Your Majesty, the general has sent a letter stating that our army failed in its attempt to break out, losing over 20,000 soldiers and horses. We are currently trapped in Dongping City by a Chu army of over 200,000."

Sima Yi's face turned pale in an instant.

He snatched the letter and opened the sealing wax with trembling fingers.

As he read, his breathing became more and more rapid, and finally he slammed the letter on the table.

"Damn Chu Ning! Damn Chu army! They are simply going too far!" Sima Yi's roar echoed in the imperial study.

He grabbed the inkstone on the table and smashed it hard to the ground, and the ink splashed everywhere like black blood.

Then came the pen holder, paperweight, teacup... one precious object after another turned into pieces in his hands.

Cheng Yu stood quietly aside, waiting for the emperor to vent his anger before stepping forward and saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down. The most urgent task now is to find a way to lift the siege of Dongping."

Sima Yi gasped, his eyes red. "Prime Minister, what should I do now? This is the last of our army's troops. If this force is gone, the Great Wei will perish!"

Cheng Yu stroked his graying beard and said in a deep voice, "The only option left is to ask for help from the Tang and Han emperors. Please ask them to send someone over."

"Otherwise, if Great Wei is defeated, Chu Ning will turn his spearhead towards them."

Sima Yi slumped down on the dragon throne. "The Han Dynasty and the Zhou Dynasty are currently at war. Liu Che is using this as an excuse to refuse to send troops."

"The Tang Dynasty's 80,000-strong army was just destroyed, and even the Fourth Prince Li Ge was killed by Chu Ning. This gives Li Shiming even more reason to refuse to send troops."

Cheng Yu shook his head: "Your Majesty, it was precisely because Li Ge died at the hands of Chu Ning that Li Shiming and Chu Ning became enemies that the Tang Dynasty sent troops."

"As long as we appeal to his emotions and reason with him, Li Shiming will definitely send troops."

Sima Yi's eyes lit up, and he stood up suddenly: "Prime Minister, you are right! I will write a letter right away!"

He walked quickly to the table, spread out two sheets of fine rice paper, picked up the brush and dipped it in ink.

The first letter was written to Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty:

"A personal letter from His Majesty the Emperor of the Han Dynasty: The ambitious Chu Ning has led an army of 200,000 to invade our territory. Dongping is in imminent danger. If Dongping falls, the Chu army will surely advance, and the northern border of the Han Dynasty will be in jeopardy. Your Majesty, remembering the alliance between our two countries, urges you to dispatch elite troops to rescue us immediately."

Sima Yi paused for a moment before continuing, "Wei is willing to give you the three Hexi states as a token of gratitude for your assistance, Your Majesty."

The second letter was written to Li Shiming, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty:

"Your Majesty, the Emperor of the Great Tang: I am shocked to hear that the Fourth Prince, Li Ge, has tragically died at the hands of Chu Ning. I am deeply saddened. Chu Ning was a cruel and merciless man. Not only did he kill the prince, he also sought to annex other states and dominate the world. Now that Dongping in the Wei Kingdom is under siege, if Your Majesty could send troops to aid us, attacking from both inside and outside, we would surely avenge our son's death."

Sima Yi finished writing the two letters, personally sealed them with his imperial seal, and handed them to Cheng Yu: "Send them immediately by the fastest carrier pigeon, without delay!"

Cheng Yu took the letter and bowed before leaving.

Sima Yi stood alone in front of the window, looking towards the distant Dongping City.

As the sun sets, the entire palace is dyed blood red.

He knew that what was coming next was a matter of life and death for the State of Wei!