To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck

Chapter 732: Chapter 323: Barbarian Messenger_3

After all, they would have to turn against each other eventually.

When that time comes, an unexpected attack would be ideal. They could use all the grain Chu State had gathered and the silver Zhou Country had collected, without any need for the trouble of transportation. A perfect solution indeed.

Sometimes, when Lu Yuan thought about his plan, he couldn’t help feeling pleased with himself.

…

Chu State’s preparations were becoming increasingly complete, while the start date of the Battle of Hanzhong approached relentlessly.

As Lu Yuan deliberately kept everything hidden, nobody noticed that a war was about to break out, despite the widespread pessimism.

Even many people inside Chu State, including the heads of various departments in the imperial court, were kept in the dark, with only a few individuals who were directly involved in specific matters aware of the situation.

As the Book of Changes says, “A ruler who is not discreet loses his subjects; a subject who is not discreet loses his life; a secretive matter not kept confidential will bring disaster.”

Though Lu Yuan strategized military matters, the same principles applied – military secrets must never be leaked.

Everyone knew the importance of intelligence.

Having fought wars for more than twenty years, he placed great importance on confidentiality, with no oversights.

However, just when everything was almost ready, at the end of the ninth month, a group of unexpected visitors from the snowy plateau arrived in Hegu County. They quickly descended the mountains, passed through Xichuan, and came to Baling City by boat.

Inside the royal palace.

After being informed that the visitors from the snowy plains had arrived in Baling, Lu Yuan, who had just returned from leading troops at the border, immediately approached them.

“You have all traveled far and wide, crossing the snowy plains to come to Baling seeking me. What is the purpose of your visit?” Lu Yuan asked calmly after they had exchanged introductions and courtesies.

As he spoke, he sized up the five people below.

There were four men and one woman, all dressed in braided hair and fur clothing, clearly resembling the attire of the prairie nomads.

About half a month ago, these five people led a hundred-strong team through the rugged paths between Hegu County and the snowy plains and entered Hegu County.

Upon arrival, they promptly announced their identities as messengers from the four kings of the snowy plains – the Hulan Tribe, Tiel力 Tribe, Zhenyan Clan, and Duosi Clan – as well as the Great Mohism.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

This time, they had come as envoys to Chu State, acting on the orders of the four kings and the spiritual woman.

Each of the four kings of the snowy plains ruled over large tribes with over a million followers. Including their vassals, each king could influence millions of snowy plain barbarians.

Together, the four kings could directly rule over and influence more than ten million barbarians.

As for the Great Mohism, it was the most widely spread and longest-standing sect on the snowy plateau.

Ninety-nine percent of the barbarians on the snowy plains believed in the Great Dharma God, worshiping him as the creator of the snowy plains, the source of all barbarian bloodlines, and the ancestor of all spirits.

The Great Mohism practiced a dual-spirit system – the Spirit Master and the spiritual woman.

The Spirit Master was the head of the sect, responsible for various matters within the sect and dealing with worldly affairs.

The spiritual woman was the soul of the sect, dedicated to worshiping the Great Dharma God, single-mindedly devoted to the path, and her position was greatly revered.

Now that the four kings of the snowy plains and the Great Mohism had come together, they could virtually represent the entire population of the snowy plain barbarians. Naturally, their envoys attracted the attention of the authorities in Hegu County.

As soon as the local governor received the news, he immediately dispatched a thousand county soldiers to escort the delegation to Xichuan.

Later, when Huang Xuan, the local commander in Xichuan, learned of this, he summoned the envoys for an audience to confirm and probe their intentions.

However, these envoys were very tight-lipped.

No matter how Huang Xuan tried to probe them, they refused to reveal their intentions in coming to Chu State.

Eventually, Huang Xuan had no choice but to confirm their identities were genuine and inform Lu Yuan of the matter through divine thoughts.

He then continued to provide troops to escort them to Baling.

That was why Lu Yuan had hurriedly returned to Baling from his border patrol and training at the Chu Ning border.

The identities represented by this delegation were simply too important, symbolizing the entire power of the snowy plain barbarians, and Lu Yuan had no choice but to take them seriously.

In the grand hall.

When the five envoys heard Lu Yuan’s inquiry, they exchanged glances, and finally, the woman representing the Great Mohism stepped forward.

She bowed slightly to Lu Yuan and said, “Your Majesty, the reason for our visit is to propose a joint operation against the detestable Zhou people.”

“Fight the Zhou people?”

Hearing this, Lu Yuan was not surprised; he had been speculating as to the purpose of the barbarian envoys ever since he heard the news. This revelation merely confirmed his suspicions.

However, although their intentions were confirmed, when Lu Yuan heard their request, he merely smiled and asked with interest, “Honorable envoys, are you aware that Great Chu has just entered into a trade deal with Zhou Country, preparing to sell them ten million stones of grain? At present, although the relationship between Zhou and Chu is not that of allies, it is still amicable.

Under such circumstances, why should I betray Zhou Country, forsake great business opportunities, and instead help you fight against the powerful Zhou Country?”

People come and go in the world in pursuit of profit.

Although Chu State had long planned to wage war against Zhou Country and had already completed its preparations for an imminent battle…

Even if these barbarians didn’t come, Lu Yuan was already preparing to strike against Zhou Country on his own.

However, before launching the attack, if he could take advantage of the situation and extort something from these barbarians, that would also be an additional gain for Lu Yuan.

These barbarians had come from far and wide, and surely they couldn’t be so naïve as to think they could convince Chu State to take up arms just by empty words alone.

They must have a lot of benefits in their hands and confidence in persuading him.

Lu Yuan looked forward to this.

He was curious about what these barbarians would offer to persuade him.

A windfall right before the start of the war was a pleasant surprise indeed.

The envoy of the Great Mohism solemnly responded to Lu Yuan’s question, “Gold, silver, spiritual medicine, and women. As long as Your Majesty agrees to work with us, we snowy plain barbarians are willing to offer these treasures.”