I will not be king in the Spring and Autumn Period

Chapter 255 The Last Temptation
The reason why Li Ran wanted Ji Le to return to Zhengyi was understandable, after all, it was too dangerous to stay in Chu State.

He is in danger because he cannot help himself.But he couldn't let Ji Le take this risk with him.

Furthermore, the Ji family still needs to manage the inside and outside of Jiyue. If Jiyue doesn't return for a long time, this may not be what Jixian and Ji's family would like to see.

Therefore, whether it is for the sake of Ji Le or Ji family, Li Ran thinks that his own idea must be right.

It's just that he was wrong. He really underestimated Ji Le's determination to share weal and woe with him.

As for Ji Le, since she came to Chu State, she had no plan to go back alone.No matter what happens to Li Ran in Chu State, she will always be by Li Ran's side.

Love is stronger than gold, nothing more.

Cars and horses are indeed very slow these days, and if two people are in love, it can be a whole life.

At this time, the servants outside came to tell them that the King of Chu had entered the Fragrant Garden.

When Li Ran heard the news, he hurriedly got up and went to meet him.But who knew that the king of Chu took three steps at a time and made two steps at the same time. In a blink of an eye, he came straight to Li Ran and grabbed Li Ran's arm, his face full of fear.

"Oh my goodness, fortunately my husband is safe!"

"Heaven pity me, God pity me!"

The tearful King Chu started his performance, his originally heroic face looked extraordinarily guilty at this moment, the hand holding Li Ran trembled uncontrollably, his tall body seemed hunched for a moment.

Seeing this, Li Ran had no choice but to bow and salute:
"Your Majesty's words are serious."

"The minister is no more than a mere guest minister, why should the king be so concerned about it?"

Even Chu Dang, who entered the garden with King Chu, could hear the irony in these words.

Today in Prince Qiji's mansion, if King Chu really wanted to save him, Prince Qiji would never have a chance to draw his sword to force him.

Therefore, it is a bit hypocritical for the King of Chu to perform such a performance now.

"Oh! Sir, what you said is wrong! Sir is the great weapon of my Chu country, and the right-hand man of the widow, how can the widow let the husband suffer such grievances?! Um... this matter, only Jidi is to blame! The widow is not well disciplined, I never thought that he would be so presumptuous, he dared to harm the husband!"

"Sir, don't worry, the widow has already sent someone to arrest him, and the widow will definitely seek justice for the sir!"

According to the criminal law of Chu State, it is not a crime for the prince to want to kill someone.

It's just that Li Ran's weight as a guest is so important that the King of Chu actually wanted to personally question the prince's Qiji.

Li Ran couldn't help but startled slightly, and quickly said:
"Is Your Majesty trying to harm the minister? Or is he trying to seek justice for the minister?"

As soon as this remark came out, the King of Chu was taken aback when he heard the sound, and hurriedly asked:

"Why did you say that, sir? Why do you say that a few people want to harm you?"

Obviously, Chu Wang Xiongwei is guilty of being a thief.Li Ran's words clearly meant that he should not go to war for this matter, but at this time the King of Chu thought that what Li Ran was alluding to today's matter was his acquiescence.

Obviously, Li Ran's meaning is obviously not the same as what the King of Chu himself intended.

"Your Majesty, let's not say that the minister is not injured today, even if the minister was injured in the fourth prince's mansion today, and even died tragically, the king should not punish the fourth prince!"

"If this is the case, how will the Chu Kingdom look at its ministers in the future? Could it be that I, a mere foreign minister, can still compare with the dignified four princes?"

"Therefore, please don't punish the fourth prince, Your Majesty. What's more, the fourth prince's action is also due to worrying about the country, and it is also a blessing for the King of Chu!"

Li Ran's words are also true.

The identity of the prince Qiji is already there. In this era where everything depends on status first, a person without a title, no matter how famous he is, will be inferior after all.

"Mr. Gaoyi, I am ashamed of myself! ... Well, since my husband has said so, I will not pursue it anymore."

With a sigh from the King of Chu, the matter was hastily settled.Then the two came to the garden and sat down again. At this time, Guan Cong was also standing beside the King of Chu, his eyebrows lowered all the time, showing no expression.

After a short exchange of pleasantries, the topic finally came to the upcoming battle in Zhufang City.

"This time, sir, to solve our difficulties in Zhufang City, it can be said to be another great contribution to our Chu State."

"However, if Zhufang City is breached this time, the nations of the Central Plains must be more vigilant against our Chu State."

"At that time, if our country of Chu wants to go north, I'm afraid it will be even more difficult."

In fact, whether or not Zhufang City will be broken will be a difficult problem for Chu State now.

If it is not broken, Chu State will suffer from the mange of Qingfeng and Wu State. Although it is not painful, it is enough to make it difficult for Chu State to move northward.

But if it is broken by luck, the countries of the Central Plains will become more and more afraid of Chu.

Especially for the state of Jin.Although the Jin State is now internally discorded among the six ministers, each governs independently.But when they are faced with the challenge of foreign aggression, who can guarantee that they will not unite and unite to the outside world?

Now that the state of Chu is trying to scare the snake, it is tantamount to exposing all of its own ambitions.

Therefore, if they want to drink the horses of the Yellow River and aspire to the Central Plains easily in the future, it will not be so simple.

"Hehe, if your majesty finds it difficult, there is no need to be obsessed with marching north."

Hearing this, the King of Chu immediately frowned. Seeing Li Ran's calm expression, he couldn't help showing surprise on his face.

"What do you mean by this, sir? All the ancient kings of the Chu Kingdom have set their ambitions on the north. You have also advised me to stabilize the country first, and then move northward. But now, why do you let me give up the northward march?" ?”

In fact, Chu State's northward advance and Qin State's eastward exit are the same reason. In terms of expansion, the key is to show strength.

For them, no matter how well developed and powerful a country is, if it cannot practice and show off on the touchstone of the Central Plains, then everything will be meaningless.

This is like "Jin Yi Ye Xing", you are a very capable person, but you mix with barbarians every day, what can you do?
Therefore, Li Ran's persuasion, if there is no reason behind it, it is absolutely unacceptable to Chu people.

"What I mean is that at least when the king is in power, the state of Chu does not actually need to go north."

"Nowadays, although Jin is weak, it still has the power to be a hegemon. Marquis Qi now has the ambition of the world, and he has Yan Ying's assistance. Although the country's strength is not as good as before, it should not be underestimated."

"These are two tigers. If two tigers live together, one of them will be injured. Why don't your majesty wait for it? This is the plan of 'two tigers competing for food'!"

"Conversely, if Your Majesty insists on fighting for hegemony in the north, wouldn't the Chu Kingdom directly become the prey of the two tigers? Although Your Majesty may not be afraid of Jin and Qi, but rushing northward rashly, this is by no means the best choice for Chu. what!"

After Li Ran finished speaking, his gaze stayed on King Chu's face.

In fact, what Li Ran said, although it sounds like it, is still intended to lobby.However, from a practical point of view, it is not necessarily not reality.

It seems that more than fifty years ago, when King Zhuang of Chu passed away, there were constant civil strife in Chu.But Qi Jin in the north did not just sit idle.

The "Battle of Saddles" that the two countries fought for the hegemony of the Central Plains when the Chu State was in a slump was the best proof of this statement.

It's just that such a vertical and horizontal conspiracy is too far-reaching for the current king of Chu.

Therefore, the king of Chu obviously couldn't fully understand Li Ran's "Yang conspiracy".He even still felt that Li Ran's words were just another "excuse to restrain himself and return to courtesy" to persuade him.

In the final analysis, it is still for the sake of the tranquility of the countries in the Central Plains.

I saw that the King of Chu had a thoughtful look on his face, and he said after a long time:
"If you say that, isn't the revival of our Chu country in the foreseeable future?"

Think about how powerful, how domineering, and how ostentatious the state of Chu was during the period of King Zhuang of Chu!
Dominating the Central Plains and drinking horses in the Yellow River, the Chu State at that time was as dazzling as it wanted to be.

But according to what Li Ran said now, if the current state of Chu wants to regain the glory of King Zhuang of Chu, it may take another 100 years.

How can the king of Chu endure this?
"By the way, there is a saying, the widow has always wanted to ask Mr.

Before Li Ran could respond, the King of Chu turned his gaze to Li Ran.

"Also ask the king to show you."

"Why is Mr. so determined to help the Central Plains?"

This sentence was also asked by Prince Qiji today.

I have to say that they are really two brothers, even the doubts in their hearts are the same.

Hearing the sound, Li Ran couldn't help laughing in surprise.

"What are you laughing at, sir?"

"My lord laughs at why he would ask such a question."

"I was born in Luoyi, and I have been friends with Prince Zhou Jin since I was a child, and I also served as the history guard of the Zhou royal family. The Zhou rituals are to the ministers, what the sky is to the earth, the spring rain is to the spring seeds, and the autumn wind is to the gravel."

"The minister's heart is towards the Zhou royal family, and his heart is towards the country with the surname of Ji in the Central Plains. Is there any special reason?"

Li Ran used a very simple reason to answer King Chu's question.

But such a reason was something that King Chu could not refute.

After hearing this, the King of Chu was surprised for a moment, stared at Li Ran for a long time, and finally had to smile wryly to hide his unwillingness.

Because he found that no matter what he did, it seemed that Li Ran's original intention could not be changed.

(End of this chapter)