Zhang Ping came and went, although Xiong Huai planned to envelop him with heavy gifts, but it was completely useless to him with a mission.

As a result, Zhang Ping, when he received a heavy courtesy from the king of Chu, rebuked and even scolded the king of Chu in extremely fierce words in the Chu palace, and on this occasion, Chu and Han officially broke off their diplomatic relations.

Half a month later, Zhao Ju led the army back to Yingdu, and as soon as he returned to the capital, Zhao Ju met the king of Chu for the first time.

"The king, the minister is guilty, because of the minister, the king's strategy failed, and the king was humiliated by South Korea, and the minister was guilty of death."

After speaking, Zhao Ju immediately fell to the ground and put on a look of pleading.

The reason for the severance of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Chu this time was not that Chu's reinforcements did not arrive, but that Chu Xiangzhaoju suddenly disappeared from the battlefield, so that Yiyang was isolated and helpless, and South Korea had to surrender to other countries.

In this way, not only did the state of Chu bear the notoriety of betraying the alliance, and the king of Chu was insulted by the Koreans, but also made the state of Chu plan to let South Korea take the initiative to betray the alliance, and then failed to attack Korea again in the future.

If so, this is the reason why Zhao Ju came to ask for sin in the first place.

As Ling Yin, as a direct party, he has to carry this pot on his back for the King of Chu.

Xiong Huai shook his head when he heard this: "Ling Yin asked, the fundamental reason for the severance of diplomatic relations between Chu and Han is that the widow did not send troops to rescue, as for Ling Yin's departure, it is just an excuse for South Korea." This matter has nothing to do with Ling Yin, it is a strategic mistake of the widow, and it puts Ling Yin in danger. ”

Saying that, Xiong Huai smiled and said: "What's more, compared to making Yin An's safety, a mere South Korea is not worth mentioning at all." ”

When Zhao Ju heard this, he immediately showed a touched look: "Thank you for your love." ”

Then, Xiong Huai and the others straightened up and said: "Ling Yin is returning at this time, it is the right time, it will be the autumn harvest season soon, and after the autumn harvest, the widow plans to recruit the people of Jianghan on a large scale, and one will show all countries that my Chu State has taken precautions."

If the countries attack, then these people are the army, if the countries are in the future, then these people are the main force to build the canals. ”

Zhao Ju immediately responded: "Please rest assured that the king will live up to the king's trust." ”

"Okay." Xiong Huai nodded.

On the other side, after the break between Chu and Han, King Han and King Qin took the lead in meeting in Yiyang.

After the alliance ended, the two countries reached an alliance, and Korea took Gongzi as a hostage to Qin, and Qin returned the land east of Korea's Jiaodi.

At the same time, the armies of Qi and Wei also withdrew from Xinzheng one after another.

And the envoy sent by South Korea to Zhao for help, the crown prince Jise, stayed in Zhao State...

October.

The harvest was completed in various parts of the Chu State, and soon after the autumn harvest, the people from all over the country began to be continuously transferred to Yingdu.

At this time, the kings of the four kingdoms of Qin, Han, Wei and Qi gathered in Xinzheng, the capital of Han.

In the Yingdu Chu Palace, Xiong Huai and the important ministers of the court gathered together.

"Great King, Xinzheng's Neiying should come to report, the kings of the four kingdoms met, and the king of Qi and Wei called on all countries to send troops together, but for this proposal, Qin Han rejected the proposal to immediately send troops to attack Chu on the grounds that the two countries had been at war for too long and could not continue the war.

The four countries discussed for a long time and decided to postpone the time of the invasion of Chu for one year to give Qin and Han time to recuperate.

At present, the kings of the four countries have returned to their respective countries. ”

After listening to Chen Zhen's report, Xiong Huai smiled and said: "As expected, in recent years, Qin and South Korea have been at war, and the loss of national strength is not small, especially South Korea, the loss must be huge. ”

At this time, when Chen Zhen heard King Chu talk about South Korea, he immediately agreed: "King Yingming, according to the news from South Korea, I am afraid that the loss of South Korea this time is even greater than we expected. The spies came to report that soon after the two-week autumn harvest, the king of Han sent an envoy to borrow grain from the two weeks, and the Western Zhou Jun and the Eastern Zhou Jun had no choice but to agree to the request of the Koreans.

Not only will South Korea lend all the new grain collected from this autumn's harvest to South Korea, but it will also allow South Korea to buy grain from the people at an equal price between the two countries.

And..."

Chen Zhen paused, saw that all the other ministers in the palace looked at him, and said with a smile: "Great King, King Han has sent most of the important ministers of the court to various places to ask the people to replant wheat and rice. To this end, King Han ordered that in order to facilitate the people to make flour, Korea would provide stone grinding and animal power for the people in all parts of the country free of charge. ”

"This..." Xiong Huai was stunned: "In this way, South Korea is really short of food!" ”

Saying that, the stone in Xiong Huai's heart suddenly fell to the ground, if he still had a little doubt about whether to take the lead in striving for an alliance with the Qin State, then now, he has no doubts at all.

At this time, Zhao Ju heard King Chu muttering again, and immediately continued: "King, there is no objection to the lack of food in Korea. Before the minister helped in the war in Yiyang, South Korea needed to provide 200,000 stone grain for the minister every month, and the minister stayed in Yiyang for nearly nine months, and South Korea provided a total of 1.8 million stone grain to the minister.

Among them, most of the grain provided by South Korea at the beginning was new grain, and half was old grain, but Xinzheng was besieged by the Qi-Wei coalition army, and at that time, when South Korea was in urgent need of Chu reinforcements, the grain provided by South Korea was all old grain, and it was all the kind of grain that had been hoarded for several years.

Therefore, the minister estimated that the accumulated grain in South Korea may be about to run out. ”

When Xiong Huai heard this, he smiled and said: "Okay, that's good, South Korea is greatly weakened, and next, my Chu State will have to deal with other countries a lot easier." ”

As he spoke, Xiong Huai's gaze swept over the ministers and said in a deep voice: "Zhuqing, since all countries will not come to attack my Chu State, then this winter, let's not waste it, hurry up and make every effort to build a canal." ”

"Yes, my lord."

With the order of the king of Chu, the 200,000 people who had already gathered in Yingdu began to build a canal between Yunmeng and Jianghan under the dispatch of Zhaoju.

Winter December.

Just when the State of Chu was working hard to build the canal, an earth-shattering event came from the side of the State of Zhao.

"King, King Zhao has abdicated."

"Huh?" Xiong Huai was stunned.

Abdication? Zhao's civil unrest? Or did that country suddenly attack the Zhao State? Or maybe King Zhao suddenly became confused?

For a while, Xiong Huai's thoughts turned back and forth, but he didn't react in the middle of the ring.

After a long time, Xiong Huai calmed down and asked, "Chen Qing, what's going on?" ”

Chen Zhen swallowed his saliva and arched his hand: "King, when the countries invaded Han before, King Zhao intended to personally lead the army to attack Zhongshan again, but the matter of King Zhao's personal expedition was resisted by the ministers of Zhao led by Zhao Cheng.

They dissuaded King Zhao from saying that the world was changing, and the country could not be without a king for a day, and King Zhao abandoned the country and fought abroad for many years, which was not good for Zhao, and this was not done by Ming Jun. Moreover, the ministers of Zhao State said that King Zhao personally conquered Zhongshan, and in case of an accident, it was too dangerous. ”

Xiong Huai frowned slightly, and after a turn of thought, he knew why the previous Zhao Wang was no problem, but this time it was not good.

Now that Zhongshan has been surrounded by Zhao on all sides, its destruction is just around the corner, because the ministers of Zhao State do not want King Zhao to attack Zhongshan Kingdom in person, and snatch away the great attack of destroying the country.

The credit for the destruction of the country... Thinking about the destruction of the Yue State before the Chu State, Xiong Huai took out five county seats, more than a dozen towns, and more than 5,000 food towns in one go, as a reward for the ministers.

Zhongshan is not as good as Yue, but as long as you can lead the army to destroy Zhongshan Kingdom, its main general, a county town will not be able to escape.

Thinking about the situation that King Zhao was facing at that time, Xiong Huai gloated and said, "So King Zhao decided to abdicate." ”

Chen Zhen nodded and said: "The king is wise, the matter of Zhao State's attack on Zhongshan State has been settled because of the dispute between Zhao State's monarchs and ministers. Not long ago, Zhao Xiang Zhao Wen died of illness, and King Zhao officially announced at the court meeting to decide the next prime minister, he would give way to the crown prince He and call himself the main father.

At the same time, because Zhao Wanghe was too young to deal with state affairs, Zhao's father asked Feiyi to be Zhao Wanghe's Xiangguo, and entrusted all the national affairs of Zhao to Xiangguo Feiyi. ”

“···” For a while, Xiong Huai didn't know how to evaluate King Zhao's behavior.