Chapter 009: Where to Send the Envoy

I stayed behind to take care of Ma Fuzi, not to repay Ma Fujun! Upon hearing this, Ge immediately jumped up in anger, his long beard trembling wildly. This matter was the most infuriating to him, and usually, Di would use this to provoke him. Just as it seemed the two were about to fight, it was fortunate that Xìng intervened to prevent them from quarreling in front of Zhao Kuo

Zheng Zhu immediately made a vow, and only then did the expression of King Zhao soften somewhat. However, Yu Qing, who was sitting beside him, stood up with a grim smile and shouted, "We are about to become the slaves of the Qin people!"

What do you think should be done

Zhao Kuo opened his mouth wide, wondering what kind of people his retainers were.

"Ma Fuzi is here!" A soldier shouted, and immediately, the city gate erupted in chaos. Soldiers patrolling from a distance rushed over, and the commoners at the city gate also leaned out to see. Waves of eager, respectful, and almost fanatical gazes were fixed on Zhao Kuo, who felt extremely uncomfortable. More and more people crowded around, countless voices calling out Zhao Kuo's name, and some even knelt by the roadside to pay their respects to him.

Handan City is not as prosperous as he remembered; the streets are sparsely populated, and even in some eateries, one can only see one or two men eating meat. Handan appears very desolate and empty. Zhao Kuo's expression is somewhat dazed, and he does not speak a word until he leaves Handan. He even struggles to recall the circumstances within Handan City.

You are merely an unqualified commoner who does not deserve to go to the residence of Lord Pingyuan. Lord Pingyuan has accepted all the guests of Lord Mafu, yet he has not chosen you. What face do you have left to drive for Lord Mafu?

I, an old man, will inquire if there are any letters from my two children. I wonder where Ma Fuzi has gone

Zhao Kuo remained silent and shook his head

In the palace, King Zhao sat facing four ministers of the Zhao state. Among them, Tian Dan and Lin Xiangru were notably absent. The reason for Tian Dan's absence was his lack of concern for the military affairs, while Lin Xiangru was not present due to his serious illness at home; the king truly did not wish to trouble the elderly man any further. King Zhao looked at the four ministers before him and, filled with indignation, asked: "The initial battle did not go well, and the commander has been killed. I wish to don my armor and personally confront the Qin army in battle. What do you all think?"

What will he do

Goodness, Zhao Kuo had heard of Zhang Liao's formidable reputation, which could silence even crying children. He never expected that among his own ranks, there was a fierce man whose renown could quiet cattle and sheep. Wasn't this just madness? At this moment, Zhao Kuo felt a twinge of fear and chose to ignore the distant Di, who was shouting and banging his head against a tree. He left the courtyard with a spear and another retainer. He had been in the horse armor for some time; although life was comfortable, it was still somewhat dull. He wanted to go to Handan and take a look.

He nodded slightly, "He is a hot-tempered person. Once, feeling that his nose was always itchy, he punched himself and made it bleed... You may not know, young lord, that when he first arrived in the Zhao state, many people invited him to be their retainer. However, he talked too much and went on endlessly, so those people were unwilling to keep him and let him tend to sheep and horses instead. He is skilled at these tasks, but if those sheep do not listen to him or run around..."

Call you to hurt again Call you to hurt again

Zhao Bao was momentarily at a loss for words, and then said: "In that case, I request that Your Majesty send Zheng Zhu to Qin for peace negotiations. When the Qin people attacked Yan, he was the envoy sent to Qin, and I believe he is the most suitable candidate." Of course, the fourth minister sitting beside Zhao Bao, who was Zheng Zhu, stood up and bowed deeply to King Zhao, saying: "I am willing to go to the Qin state for peace negotiations."

... ...

I am going to Handan

The city wall of Handan is exceptionally tall, requiring Zhao Kuo to tilt his head back in order to see the soldiers stationed atop the wall. When the cart arrived at the city gate, it appeared somewhat desolate, with very few people around; only seven or eight elderly individuals stood to one side, undergoing inspection by the soldiers. Ge directly drove the cart to the city gate, where a soldier intercepted them, standing in front of them. When the cart arrived at the city gate, it appeared somewhat desolate, with very few people around; only seven or eight elderly individuals stood to one side, undergoing inspection by the soldiers. Ge directly drove the cart to the city gate, where a soldier intercepted them, standing in front of them.

This is Ma Fuzis car! Ge said proudly

Minister Lou Chang said: "The Zhao State and the Qin State are using all their national strength to engage in a decisive battle, which is not a good thing for either side. When two tigers fight, is it not a matter of delight for the surrounding wolves? I believe that Your Majesty should send someone to negotiate peace with the Qin State." After speaking, he bowed deeply. King Zhao did not respond and turned to look at Yu Qing, who appeared somewhat angry. He stood up and said:

Zhao Kuo widened his eyes and asked, "Is he usually like this?"

Well, I hope that Ma Fuzi has a safe journey," the old man said, chuckling as he lightly tapped the cart with his mulberry wood staff before departing

The soldier guarding the city gate, filled with excitement, walked up to Zhao Kuo. Only then did Zhao Kuo see his face. This soldier was very young, no, he was quite juvenile; he had only just begun to grow stubble on his face. His eyes were bright, and he cautiously asked, "Is Ma Fuzai here to request battle on behalf of the lord?"

King Zhao nodded and then looked towards Lord Zhao Bao, the Duke of Pingyang, who appeared somewhat angry at that moment. He spoke bluntly: "In the past, when the State of Qin attacked the State of Han, the governor of Shangdang, Feng Ting, was unwilling to surrender to the Qin people. When he offered up seventeen cities, I informed Your Majesty that unearned benefits are the greatest calamity. Such actions would surely provoke the Qin people. It would be better to cede these territories to the Qin. You insisted that it was a good thing to acquire so many cities without military effort. And now, what is the outcome?"

As soon as he stepped out the door, he saw Ge tightening the reins. Upon seeing Zhao Kuo come out, Ge bowed and said, "Young Master, it seems you have found a way to get up earlier. It turns out you stayed up late reading, which is why you get up so late. Now, in order to rise earlier, you have even stopped reading. It appears that you are indeed quite wise, Young Master." Zhao Kuo was immediately at a loss; he did not wish to bring this fellow along, but unfortunately, a vehicle was needed for the journey, and Ge was absolutely unwilling to let anyone else drive.

Zhao Kuo paid no attention to the quarrel between the two individuals and turned to the side, where his neighbor came out. His neighbor was a kind old man, leaning on a cane, and was very advanced in age. He was always cheerful and smiling. Zhao Kuo approached to pay his respects, and the old man, with a warm smile, tapped Zhao Kuo on the back with his mulberry wood cane. This was certainly not an act of aggression; Zhao Kuo believed that mulberry wood could ward off evil spirits, and the old man's action was considered a blessing for Zhao Kuo, driving away malevolent forces.

As Zhao Kuo just stepped out the door, he saw Di madly banging his head against a mulberry tree. With each impact, the mulberry leaves flew into the air, and quite a few had already accumulated on the ground. Zhao Kuo was terrified, wondering what was happening. Just as he was about to approach, Xing fortunately stopped him and helplessly said: "Young Master, do not panic. Di is just that kind of person. He drank with his friends yesterday, and today he is suffering from a terrible headache. In a fit of anger, he is banging his head against the tree."

The State of Qin has already exerted all its efforts and holds nothing back; it aims to annihilate our Zhao State. In such circumstances, how can we discuss peace?

Your Majesty should send envoys to the states of Wei and Chu to seek their assistance. In doing so, the state of Qin will undoubtedly suspect that the various feudal lords are uniting against them, and they will certainly be alarmed. Even if Your Majesty wishes to negotiate peace with the Qin, it would be prudent to first send envoys to Wei and Chu, as this would also be beneficial for the negotiations.

"You are nothing but an outsider; when did it become your place to reprimand me?" Ge originally had a conflict with Di, and upon hearing Di's insults, it was only natural for him to retaliate.

Later, it was not only those beasts that feared him, but even people were afraid of him, and no one dared to use him anymore

As the carriage set off, Ge waved the long whip in his hand, and the carriage sped away. Di, Xing, and a few others followed closely behind, running. Observing their appearance, Zhao Kuo thought perhaps he should buy them a few fine horses. However, when he saw Di running while continuously talking to Xing, and noticed Xing's expression of despair, Zhao Kuo felt that the current situation was quite good, and it would be better not to buy them horses, lest Di remain by his side.

Zhao Kuo was momentarily at a loss for words, and the young soldier hurriedly cleared a path for him, allowing the carriage to finally enter the city of Handan

He would punch and kick those sheep; I have personally witnessed him wrestling with a donkey, pinning the old donkey down and beating it. He would not spare even horses or cows; if they provoked him, he would certainly engage in a fight, caring little even if his fists bled. Later on, whether it was sheep, cows, or horses, they all came to fear him. The noisy flock of sheep would fall silent at the sight of him approaching, only daring to lower their heads and graze.

Zhao Kuo was just about to speak when Di, with a cloth tied around his forehead, stepped out and stood behind Zhao Kuo. He glared angrily at Ge and shouted, "If you dare to insult the young lord again, I will definitely chop off your head"

After much contemplation, King Zhao finally nodded and said, "This matter concerns the survival of the Zhao State, so please do not take it lightly."

"Where is Lord Ping going?" Zhao Kuo inquired

The young soldier felt somewhat disappointed, but he raised his head again and said, "I have two older brothers in Changping. If you become a general, I am willing to follow you to the battlefield"

King Zhao retorted angrily: "Does the fact that I do not want the Shangdang Commandery mean that the Qin people will not attack the Zhao state? The Qin is a nation like a tiger; should we not accept land to become stronger in order to deal with the tiger? Should we instead feed the meat we have obtained to the tiger and wait for it to come and eat people? What use is there in discussing this now?"