Xiong Yuan's eyes lit up; he was quite interested.
Unexpectedly, Lord Chunshen Huang Xie suddenly spoke up, "The Qin state is growing stronger every day. Now we have a million elite troops. Even if we lose the evil man, we still have generals like Meng Ao and Wang Jian."
"To put it bluntly, even if Li Xin were to come, I'm afraid my Chu state would be unable to withstand him. Qin has already become a force to be reckoned with!"
Upon hearing Huang's words, Xiong Yuan immediately deflated.
Xiong Yuan had great faith in Huang Xie. When he was young, he was a hostage in Qin and it was Huang Xie's help that allowed him to escape back to Qin. Huang Xie was a man of great talent and strategy, and the two worked together harmoniously for decades, saving the state of Chu from collapse.
It can be said that Huang Xie made an indispensable contribution to the current strength of the State of Chu, so what he said is absolutely correct.
Neither left nor right works. Xiong Yuan pinched his throbbing temples and sighed, "What should we do then?"
Huang Xie pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Although Qin is strong, it is not invincible. There is still a gap. Perhaps we can unite with other states to jointly resist Qin." His gaze was very firm.
Upon hearing this, Xiong Yuan's eyes rekindled with hope, and he eagerly inquired, "Unite the feudal lords? How exactly will this be done?"
Huang Xie smiled slightly and replied confidently, "We can first contact the states of Qi and Zhao to discuss important matters. Although Qin is strong, if the six states unite, Qin will not be able to withstand it."
“In that case, if this wicked man is ungrateful and likes to cause trouble, then we will follow Cao Dianke’s plan…” As he spoke, he raised his hand and made a throat-slitting gesture.
"In this way, with both strategies running in parallel, we can be assured of peace of mind."
Xiong Yuan nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Huang Xie's suggestion. He knew it was a risky move, but with Huang Xie's assistance, there was hope for success.
Therefore, he immediately ordered that 200,000 troops must be transferred to the capital within three days, and that this must be done quietly, avoiding the presence of the wicked husband.
He was terrified of his husband's strength. In order to completely kill his husband when things came to a head, he did not hesitate to mobilize an army of 200,000, which shows how much he valued his husband.
Huang Xie was not idle either. He pulled Cao Zhen aside and whispered instructions, carefully telling him to send envoys to several countries to form alliances, and that there must be no mistakes whatsoever.
Cao Zhen understood perfectly. After memorizing everything Huang Xie had told him, he bowed to Xiong Yuan and took his leave, then went to arrange for people to carry out the task.
An hour later, three groups of people sped out of the capital of Chu like arrows released from a bow, and split up in three directions like shooting stars.
Meanwhile, Cao Zhen, with a smile on his face, headed straight for the Juyang City post station with several cartloads of generous gifts. He wanted to personally deliver the gifts to his wicked husband and, incidentally, test his thoughts.
When Cao Zhen arrived at the Juyang City post station, it was already dusk. He instructed his attendants to unload the gifts from the carriage one by one, and then personally went to the wicked man's residence. The wicked man looked surprised when he saw Cao Zhen, but quickly regained his composure.
"Cao Dianke, what do you mean by this?" the wicked man asked, his eyes filled with inquiry.
Cao Zhen replied with a smile, "His Majesty heard that the Grand Commandant had traveled a long and arduous journey, so he specially ordered me to come and offer my condolences and a small gift to express his respect."
Upon hearing this, the wicked man frowned slightly, seemingly trying to figure out Xiong Yuan's true intentions. He did not immediately accept the gift, but instead invited Cao Zhen inside for a detailed discussion.
After the two sat down, Cao Zhen began to tentatively ask her husband for his views on the current situation, including the marriage alliance between the two countries and the future world order.
Upon hearing this, the wicked man immediately revealed a knowing smile. He figured that the State of Chu was worried that he had ulterior motives, so they sent a generous gift to test his intentions.
"You're overthinking it, sir. I'll just say what I have to say!" The wicked man's smile was unusually warm as he spoke softly, "I've come here solely to welcome the bride and celebrate this joyous occasion for both our countries. I've brought generous gifts, and I'm sure I won't lose face."
"My husband is straightforward and speaks his mind. On this joyous occasion, let's not discuss state affairs or the global power struggles..."
A hint of surprise flashed in Cao Zhen's eyes. He hadn't expected this guy to figure out his own idea. He wasn't a brainless, crude brute.
"Not at all, I only came to chat with the Grand Commandant for a few minutes. It's getting late, so I won't bother the Grand Commandant any longer."
Having achieved his goal, Cao Zhen said no more and took his leave.
He needed to rush back to the capital, enter the palace to see the king, and convey the wicked husband's attitude to the king. At the same time, he was also very curious about the great ceremony the wicked husband had mentioned.
As he was leaving, he glanced at the carriages parked in the courtyard, trying to figure out what kind of generous gift they might be.
......
As darkness fell and the city was deserted, Cao Zhen's carriage headed straight for the palace.
After lingering for a moment at the palace gate, and waiting for the guards to enter the palace and receive Xiong Yuan's permission, Cao Zhen was allowed to enter.
Inside the hall, the lamplight flickered.
Xiong Yuan, draped in a cloak, coughed lightly from time to time. Although it was the height of summer, he seemed to be experiencing the dead of winter.
Footsteps sounded outside the palace, and Cao Zhen called out, "Your Majesty, I have important matters to report."
"Come in!" Xiong Yuan's voice sounded somewhat weary.
Cao Zhen entered the hall and saw Xiong Yuan's gray hair and the glaring aura of old age emanating from him. A pang of sorrow immediately gripped his heart. He thought back to those days when Xiong Yuan was a spirited young man, but now he was old and frail, and soon... perhaps he would pass away.
"Your Majesty, please...please take care of yourself!" Cao Zhen's voice was choked with emotion.
Xiong Yuan looked at the minister who had followed him for decades, a flicker of emotion crossing his eyes. He waved his hand weakly and said, "That's how it is when people get old... cough... entering the palace late at night, perhaps it was with that wicked husband..."
Cao Zhen wiped away her tears and said happily, "Your Majesty, my wicked husband has made it clear to me that he has brought great gifts this time, only to sincerely welcome the bride and celebrate the great joy of our two countries."
He said... "The betrothal gifts he brought are rare treasures, unique items that we have never seen before."
"Oh?" Xiong Yuan's eyes lit up, and his aura suddenly changed, showing a hint of vitality. "Did he really say that? How confident is he?"
Cao Zhen nodded emphatically, "He is very sincere. Given the importance of this matter and his current status, he would never lie to us."
"Okay...okay...."
Xiong Yuan was overjoyed and let out a loud and cheerful laugh. "What a great gift! I wonder what kind of great gift it is. I am very much looking forward to it. This betrothal gift may show the sincerity of the Qin State."
"We'll know everything in three days."
"Of course, the previous plan should not be abandoned. It's always better to be prepared."
Cao Zhen nodded and asked in return, "What about the alliance? We can't let our Chu state take the lead and then break our promise?"
Upon hearing this, Xiong Yuan fell into deep thought, his fingers tapping incessantly on the table, the sound echoing in the empty hall.
A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes and said decisively, "If the Qin state is truly sincere, then this is my return gift to them!"
Cao Zhen was taken aback, but quickly understood Xiong Yuan's plan. "Your subject understands."
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