The Eternal Beauty of the City of Wealth

Zixuan listened with great interest: "So what happened next?"

"Later, Fan Qi and Han Qi also took a fancy to this piece of land, and the three of them ended up arguing."

"After the three argued, they worried about each other's retaliation, so they all gave up, and it was eventually taken back by the royal family."

Zixuan sneered and said, "Haha, I didn't expect that Jiang Guang's orchestration of the Luan Ying Rebellion would actually cause so many problems."

"Yes, this is not over yet. After the Luan family was exterminated, one of the six ministers was vacated."

"Some ministers suggested giving it to Xun Ying, but some disagreed, saying he was too young and inexperienced to handle the affairs of the court."

"After arguing for a long time, Duke Ping of Jin finally decided to give the position of Lower Military Assistant to his favorite minister, Cheng Zheng."

"After hearing this, Cheng Zheng was both happy and scared. He was happy that he had finally become one of the Nine Ministers."

"I'm afraid that with my limited wealth, I might even be wiped out if I'm not careful."

"Haha, ever since the day he became a military lieutenant, Cheng Zheng has lived a life of fear, dreaming every day of being killed."

"Later, Gongsun Hui of Zheng came to visit Jin. Cheng Zheng had a good relationship with him, so he specifically asked him if there was any way to get himself demoted."

"Gongsun Hui didn't dare to wade into this mess, so he evaded the issue, saying he had no other options."

"Cheng Zheng felt that Gongsun Hui also knew the seriousness of the situation, so he didn't dare to offer any advice."

"This intensified his fear, and he was scared to death not long after. Hahahaha..."

Zixuan also thought Cheng Zheng was too timid. It was just a noble position, wasn't it? Was he scared to death? Haha, that was hilarious...

It seems that all the ministers of Jin State have contracted anxiety and depression. Who knows, some of them might even be frightened to death in the future, haha...

Duke Zhuang of Qi returned to Qi soon after fleeing from Jin.

He was in a very good mood, thinking that the people of Jin were nothing special. It seemed that the strength of our Qi State was also world-class.

Duke Zhuang of Qi was so happy that he said to Cui Zhu and Yan Ying, "My dear ministers, while the morale of the army is high, let's try to avoid entering our homes."

"Why not?! We won't even enter Linzi City. Let's just attack the State of Ju directly from the southern suburbs of Linzi."

"Now the Qi army is very powerful. The Jin State is frightened by us and dares not fight back."

"Besides, Ju is a weak country. Why don't we attack it with all our might and destroy it in one fell swoop?"

Cui Zhu and Yan Ying looked at him with strange eyes, thinking, see, he's crazy again.

You won't give up until you reach the Yellow River, and you won't cry until you see the coffin! Just keep trying!

The two exchanged a glance and bowed, saying, "Haha! Your Majesty is wise!"

However, the development of things was far beyond his expectations.

The Qi army, which had come from afar, was exhausted, while the army of Ju had already been prepared.

After the first battle, Duke Zhuang of Qi was wounded in the thigh by an arrow. He was so angry that he ordered the army to rest for a few days before fighting again.

I just don’t believe that I can’t take over a mere state like Ju?

After a few days of recuperation, Duke Zhuang of Qi's injuries improved, so he ordered General Qi Liang to lead his troops to fight against the Ju army.

But after just a few rounds, Qi Liang was attacked from behind and killed.

After these two battles, Jiang Guang was dumbfounded. When did the army of Ju State become so brave?

What should I do? If I withdraw my troops now, where will my dignity be?

Just when he was anxious, his subordinates came to report that the envoy from the State of Ju wanted to see him.

Duke Zhuang of Qi was stunned. Why did the envoy from Ju State want to see me? Could it be...

He quickly ordered the envoy to come in. After greeting him, the envoy said respectfully, "Your Majesty, my king has sent me here to negotiate peace. I wonder if your Majesty is willing?"

Duke Zhuang of Qi was delighted. Just when he was worried about not being able to get out of the house, someone brought him a ladder.

He pretended to be domineering and said, "Negotiation? What peace? I came here to destroy the State of Ju! Is there any need for peace?"

The envoy trembled with fear: "Qi, Your Majesty, please don't be impulsive."

"There's not much hatred between Qi and Ju to begin with. Why not put aside our hostility and call for a truce?"

"Haha! That's easy to say! I've come here on a long expedition, and the money, food, and supplies have been enormously expensive. If I withdraw now, who will compensate me for my losses?"

The envoy bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, my king has said that if you are willing to withdraw your troops, all expenses will be borne by the State of Ju."

Duke Zhuang of Qi was very proud. He thought it was good to get some compensation, so that he could save face by withdrawing his troops.

Okay, just go with the flow. Don’t refuse the favor someone has given you.

Jiang Guang nodded and said, "In that case, I will make a list. If you can fulfill my wishes, I will withdraw my troops immediately!"

Seeing that Duke Zhuang of Qi had relented, the envoy quickly agreed: "Okay, okay, please come in, King Qi."

Jiang Guang didn't dare ask for too much, for fear that if he asked for too much, the other party would go back on his word and his plan would fail.

He simply wrote down some compensation and food supplies and handed them to the envoy.

The envoy took the list and read it carefully, then he breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it was not written on Duke Zhuang of Qi's forehead.

So he quickly put the list in his arms, fearing that Duke Zhuang of Qi would snatch it away and rewrite it.

The envoy returned to Ju State and presented the list. When the King of Ju saw the items on the list, he was overjoyed.

I thought Duke Zhuang of Qi would make a fortune because of my initiative to seek peace.

I didn't expect that it only cost so little. It seems I got a bargain.

So he quickly ordered his subordinates to prepare these things and send them to the Qi army camp immediately.

After counting the compensation materials, Duke Zhuang of Qi withdrew his troops in disgrace.

After returning to Linzi, the report from Qi's office in Jin also arrived.

When he heard that Quwo was captured and the Luan family was wiped out, he was stunned.

He also regretted that he had instigated Luan Ying to rebel. Not only did he not help, but he also harmed him.

Seeing that all his original plans had failed, Duke Zhuang of Qi had to calm down and think about the reality.

In this battle with the State of Ju, he saw clearly that the combat effectiveness of the Qi army was not up to standard.

Such an army could not be a match for the State of Jin. Now Jiang Guang finally understood why he had never been able to defeat the State of Jin for so many years.

War depends on strength, not on how bold a man is or how fertile the land is.

What would I do if the State of Jin freed up its hands and organized a coalition to attack me?

If he fought, he would definitely lose, but if he surrendered, he would not give up. Thinking of this, Jiang Guang felt a cold sweat on his spine.

He immediately summoned his ministers to discuss the matter. The senior official, Yan Ying, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, we should inform the City Lord Zixuan and ask her to assist us when the allied forces attack Qi."

Duke Zhuang of Qi frowned. Why is he mentioning Zixuan again? Could it be that I can't live without her? This is outrageous!

He stared at Yan Ying coldly and said, "Pingzhong, when I attacked Jin last time, I invited her, but she didn't agree."

"I don't think she will send troops to help us in the future."

"I don't think so. Zixuan has never been at odds with the other princes. Last time, when the king went abroad to attack Jin, it was understandable that she didn't join."

"This time is different. If Jin leads an allied army to attack, it will be an act of aggression."

"As a member of the Qi State, City Lord Zixuan naturally understands the principle of the lips and teeth being cold."

"If our Qi State is destroyed, her wealthy city will also be difficult to preserve. I predict that Ding Zixuan will definitely help."