The next morning, as dawn broke.

The wicked husband, as if struck by lightning, suddenly sat up in bed, his face radiant, like the first rays of morning sunlight.

Although this ancient wine was not as strong as modern spirits, a few cups were like a gentle stream, soothing and refreshing, allowing him to sleep soundly and deeply.

"Erhe, I'm awake!" The wicked man instinctively shouted towards the door, his voice as loud as a bell, echoing in the air.

However, his expression suddenly froze, then he shook his head and smiled bitterly, sighing inwardly that he had really gotten used to the two rivers following him like a shadow, and had actually treated this place as his own residence.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Erhe's voice, as gentle as a spring breeze, drifted in from outside the room: "Grand Commandant, you're awake? I'll come and help you with your washing up right away."

"This kid!" The wicked man couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly. Zhang Erhe really treated the State of Chu as his own backyard, and as usual, he was still loyally guarding the gate.

You must know that this is his royal palace, heavily guarded. Not to mention outsiders, even the palace guards, maids and eunuchs dare not move around easily.

But he was so bold as to wait outside the door, which both touched and amused him.

"Creak..." The door opened slightly, and Zhang Erhe, carrying a washbasin and with a towel draped over his shoulder, walked in slowly like a courteous servant. "Grand Commandant, please wash up first."

The wicked man nodded slightly, scooped up the water as if it were a priceless treasure, and gently splashed it on his face. The cool sensation was like a wake-up call, instantly invigorating him.

As he washed up, he asked, "In this foreign land, and not as a maid or eunuch, why don't you sleep a little longer?"

Zhang Erhe smiled slightly, revealing two white canine teeth, like a docile little lamb. "I'm worried that the Grand Commandant might feel uncomfortable since he's new here. Besides... these people..."

Well, these days Zhang Erhe is becoming more and more like a big manager who handles everything, and he's also become increasingly timid, wary of everyone, like a frightened little deer.

"I wonder if those chickens have sobered up yet?" the wicked husband suddenly said.

"I drank too much yesterday, it's hard to say!" Zhang Erhe shook his head, then asked with some doubt, "Aren't we leaving today? Is there something else we need to do here?"

The wicked man wiped his face, grinned maliciously, and said in a low voice, "Although the State of Chu has declined, it is still very strong. Now that my State of Qin is suffering, the balance of power has shifted. We will have to use our brains to destroy them."

Of the seven Warring States, the State of Chu possessed the largest territory, and its lands were all fertile, making it exceptionally wealthy. Even though it was now in decline, a weakened camel is still bigger than a horse, and its strength was far beyond that of Han and Wei.

If the Qin state wants to conquer the Chu state without much effort, it is nothing but a pipe dream. The Qin state has just suffered a disaster and is greatly weakened. It would be unwise to start another war without giving the people time to recover.

Therefore, he wanted to use the bloodless tactic of short selling to reap the wealth of the Chu Kingdom, and then deliver a fatal blow when it was weak.

Zhang Erhe's eyes were somewhat dazed, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity with the wicked husband before him. The former Grand Commandant would simply grab his sword, mount his horse, and go into battle, completely disregarding everything else.

Now, they've even learned to use tricks and weigh the pros and cons before acting.

"Erhe, you have been with me for a long time, you should understand that war is not child's play. It requires not only bravery, but also wisdom." The evil man's eyes were deep, and his tone revealed a trace of worry and seriousness that was not easily detected.

Zhang Erhe nodded. Having followed the wicked man for many years, he naturally knew the Grand Commandant's temperament. He seemed cold-blooded and cruel, but he was full of concern for the people.

"What the Grand Commandant says is absolutely right, but we have never tried this short-selling technique before, and we don't know where to start." Zhang Erhe looked troubled. Although he was loyal, he seemed somewhat powerless when it came to this kind of strategic plan and could not offer any advice to his wicked husband.

The wicked man smiled slightly and patted Zhang Erhe on the shoulder. "It's alright. I already have a plan. Just watch this Grand Commandant give you a performance and let them taste what a steamed bun worth 500,000 is like."

Upon hearing this, a glint of conviction flashed in Zhang Erhe's eyes. He had complete faith in his wicked husband's scheme. He tidied up the basin and towel, and stopped asking any further questions. He simply focused on serving and taking good care of his wicked husband.

The wicked man stood up, walked to the window, his gaze passing through the palace walls outside, his mind racing with thoughts, "The unification of the world must be accelerated."

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from behind.

"Has the Grand Commandant woken up?!" Three eunuchs hurried over and asked the guards outside the room.

The wicked husband gave a wink, and Zhang Erhe immediately opened the door, laughing, "My Grand Commandant has woken up. Is it because the King of Chu summons him?"

The three eunuchs quickly bowed and said loudly, "Our king has sobered up and is waiting for the Grand Commandant. He sent me to inform him and lead the way."

Let's go!

At this moment, the wicked man walked out of the room with his hands behind his back and smiled at the three eunuchs.

"please!"

Three eunuchs led the way, bringing the wicked man to a grand hall.

Inside the hall.

Xiong Yuan sat at the head of the table, while seven important ministers of the Chu state, all of whom were Xiong Yuan's confidants, sat below him.

"We pay our respects to the Grand Commandant of Qin!" Upon seeing the wicked man arrive, the seven men quickly rose to greet him.

"Your Majesty, have you had your fill of this wine?" The wicked man entered the hall, cupped his hands, and smiled at Xiong Yuan. He also nodded to the others present as a greeting.

Xiong Yuan gave a wry smile and quickly waved his hand, saying, "Grand Commandant, come quickly, let's eat and talk!"

The wicked man went straight to the head of the table and sat down to Xiong Yuan's right. "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty." After sitting down, the wicked man's gaze swept over the important ministers of Chu present, and he secretly assessed their attitudes.

Xiong Yuan waved to the waiter to serve the dishes, then turned to the wicked husband, his tone somewhat probing: "Do you still remember what the Grand Commandant said yesterday?"

The wicked man smiled slightly and replied unhurriedly, "Your Majesty, of course I remember. As the saying goes, what is said is said, and what is spilled is said. Of course I remember."

Upon hearing this, Xiong Yuan raised an eyebrow and immediately smiled, "Hahaha, Grand Commandant, in this way, I can take advantage of this situation."

"I couldn't resist the delicious taste of those candies, so I had no choice but to swallow my pride..."

"It's alright. Since Your Majesty likes it, I'll come up with a few new dishes when I return to the country. I guarantee Your Majesty will enjoy them!" The wicked husband's smile was as bright as a flower, but it carried a hint of evil.

Xiong Yuan did not notice anything amiss; on the contrary, she felt a great weight lifted from her heart, as she had been fearing that her wicked husband would change his mind.

At this moment, Lord Chunshen asked, "Grand Commandant, yesterday you and the King only exchanged a few words. Why don't you explain your plan in detail so that we can cooperate with you?"

The wicked man immediately revealed his plan to everyone.

To put it simply, it was a trade certificate printed by the Qin state that could not be counterfeited. The Chu state could use money or goods to purchase items of equal value, and then use the certificate to buy whatever it wanted.

Meanwhile, the Qin state used Chu currency to conduct trade with Chu and purchase the goods it needed.

"In that case, everyone is happy!"