Seeing the situation inside the palace, the old Kushan king showed no unusual expression; the balance of power among the three parties seemed to be what he most wanted to see.
"What is your opinion, my son?" the old Kushan king asked his eldest son.
“Father, since last year, the Xianbei and Xiongnu tribes have been constantly harassing the northeastern border. Our army has suffered more defeats than victories, not only losing a lot of military expenses, but also losing some passes and cities.”
Now that the Xianbei and Xiongnu have mobilized all their forces, they must be prepared for a major battle. If we send troops at this time, it will be very difficult to win..."
Before the eldest prince could finish speaking, Damothi retorted coldly, "What? Does my elder brother think that the warriors of the Kushan Empire are inferior to those barbarians?"
The eldest prince glanced at Damoti indifferently: "I naturally trust our warriors, but I have little faith in the mediocre group leading them..."
Damothi glared at him: "Who are you calling a mediocre person?"
"Who am I talking about? Don't they know who they are?"
"you……"
"Enough!" Seeing his two sons arguing again, the old king immediately spoke up to stop them.
The old king looked at the eldest prince and said, "Continue!"
"Yes, Father!"
The eldest prince agreed and then said, "I think we should send someone to talk to the Xianbei and Xiongnu first, to see what they want. If we can get rid of them, that would be best. Even if we can't, we can still see their intentions and prepare a response!"
"This suggestion is not bad," the old king nodded slightly, then said, "However, if it's just negotiation, it won't be very effective!"
With that, the old king looked at Damoti and said, "Immediately mobilize 150,000 troops and head to the northwest region to bolster our negotiating position!"
"And the third brother, have the Buddhist sect members make more outreach to appease the people. How can our mighty Kushan Empire be intimidated by a mere tens of thousands of barbarians?"
"Yes, Father!!"
Upon hearing the old king's instructions, the three princes responded in unison.
"Ahem, alright, everyone, you may all leave!"
The old king, reclining on his throne, waved to the crowd and then closed his eyes.
Upon seeing this, the three princes and the ministers quietly bowed and withdrew.
After everyone had left, the old king opened his eyes and sat up, his previously sickly appearance disappearing.
Looking at the entrance to the main hall, the old king sighed helplessly, "These three fellows are really a handful; they always want to compete for everything!"
"Your Majesty, this is a good thing. As the saying goes, the capable rise to the top. The competition among the three princes will allow you to better see their abilities, won't it?"
Just then, a young man dressed in hemp clothing walked out from the back hall carrying a tray.
This person was none other than Yu Zheng, who had come to Kushan with Xi Zhicai.
Upon arriving in Kushan, Yu Zheng and Xi Zhicai separated.
Xi Zhicai took the disguised heads to the Second Prince, while Yu Zheng disguised himself as a Persian and began to treat and save people. Later, through the secret introduction of the Molin family, he came to the side of the old king.
After Yu Zheng's diagnosis and treatment, the old king, who was originally terminally ill, miraculously began to slowly recover.
This change delighted the old king, who placed great trust in Zheng.
"What you say makes sense, sir. People grow through struggle!"
Upon seeing Yu Zheng approaching, the old king also showed a smile.
The reason he still pretended to be sickly in front of others was because he followed Yu Zheng's advice, so that the three princes would fight each other even more fiercely in order to select a qualified successor.
After all, they still inherited the tradition of the Yuezhi nomadic peoples of yesteryear, especially in terms of successors, whoever was the strongest always took the position.
However, what he didn't know was that behind each of his three sons stood a powerful figure stirring up trouble. While vying for the throne, his Kushan Kingdom was already teetering on the brink of collapse.
The three-way balance of power appears stable on the surface, but in reality, it is trapped in an endless cycle of attrition.
"Your Majesty, it's time to take your medicine!"
Seeing the old king's appearance, Yu Zheng smiled and walked closer with the tray in his hand.
"Your Persian medicine is really good, it's just a bit too bitter!"
Looking at the medicinal soup in the jade bowl, the old king, though complaining, could not hide his inner joy.
This medicine not only cured his illness but also restored his former virility, allowing him to continue to favor the many beauties in his harem.
This was an immense surprise for the old king, who had been powerless to help for many years.
Yu Zheng smiled and said, "Good medicine tastes bitter, Your Majesty, you should drink it while it's hot!"
"Okay!"
The old king agreed, then picked up the medicine bowl and gulped it down.
Seeing the old king drink every last drop of the medicinal soup in the bowl, Yu Zheng's lips curled up slightly, revealing a mysterious smile.
Not long after drinking the medicinal soup, a rosy glow appeared on the old king's face.
Feeling a burning sensation in his stomach, the old king smiled and said, "Sir, you've worked hard. You should go back and rest!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Yu Zheng agreed, then bowed and left with the tray in his hand.
Seeing Yu Zheng leave, the old king also stood up and walked impatiently towards the harem.
...
Meanwhile, the second prince, Damotti, who had left the palace, did not rush home but instead went to the market town in the east of the city.
This market town is the largest trading place in the capital.
The market town was not only frequented by Kushan merchants, but also by merchants from Persia, Parthia, Rome, India, and the Han Dynasty.
Within the market, the most popular items were still Han Dynasty silk, porcelain, tea, and highly toxic spices.
Therefore, the market was dominated by stalls belonging to Han Chinese merchants.
Upon arriving at the market, Damothi walked straight toward a shop located in the center.
Upon entering the shop, Damotti went straight to the counter and asked a servant, "Is your manager here?"
"Yes, young master, please follow me!"
The servant nodded and then led Damotti towards the back hall.
As soon as he arrived at the back hall, Damoti saw Dian Wei guarding the door.
Although it wasn't the first time they had dealt with each other, Damoti couldn't help but feel a pang of fear every time he saw Dian Wei.
Damoti calmed himself down, then stepped forward with a smile and cupped his hands in greeting to Dian Wei.
"Brave Warrior Dian, how have you been these days?"
Dian Wei forced a smile: "It's alright, it's just that the food here isn't very good, the taste is terrible!"
Damoti smiled and said, "The cooks here are not as good as those in Han. Don't worry, I will definitely find you a better one in a few days!"
"Haha, that's great!"
Dian Wei grinned and then pushed open the door: "The master has been waiting for you for a long time. Please come in!"
Damoti looked inside and saw Xi Zhicai sitting upright behind the table.
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