The King of Han set up a feast to entertain the triumphant Sun Bin and the Country of Han generals, he was overflowing with joy and raised his wine bottle to the crowd, “I''ve never raised my eyebrows so much in front of a great country before, and no words can express my feelings at this moment ...... Come on, I''ll toast to all of you here. ”


    All of them raised their bottles to thank King Han, and then drank it all in one go.


    King Han said, “Although Pang Juan was defeated, he will never be resigned to it, I still have to rely on you all to defend my country.”


    “Don''t worry, Father!” Crown Prince Han smiled spiritedly, “With me and the Military Counselor here, not to mention one Pang Juan, even if there are two or three Pang Juan, they won''t be able to take away an inch of Father''s territory.”


    King Han nodded his head and said, “This I believe, but Wei is powerful after all and threatens me all the time, you must not take this lightly.”


    Sun Bin spoke up and said, “Your Majesty, to remove the threat of Wei, it''s not enough to just cut down the army, you also need to cut down the traffic, and eliminate the enemy''s threat by socializing with other countries.”


    King Han asked Sun Bin how he planned to cut down the intercourse, Sun Bin replied, “Pang Juan once offended Chu and Qi, the Great King can send an envoy to lobby the King of Chu and the King of Qi so that they will ally with the Great King to deal with Wei together. In this way, the Great King will not have to levy a single soldier, and Pang Juan will not dare to act rashly against the Great King.”


    Dr. Shen said that he had had dealings with Dr. Shi Huang, an important minister of Chu, and offered himself to go to Chu, to which the king of Han agreed. Han King asked all the people who would like to go to Qi, no one promised for a while.


    Sun Bin suggested: “Your Majesty, Gongsun Yue, the brother-in-law of Miss Zhong Li, is the strategist of Zou Xiangguo of Qi, and Miss Zhong Li also has a relationship with General Tian Ji, she can take on the mission of your Majesty.”


    The king of Han then ordered Zhong Li Chun to go on a mission to Qi.


    Zhong Li Chun didn''t agree to go to Qi, she said no one would protect Sun Bin after she left. Sun Bin laughed and said, “I''m now the King of Han''s important minister and the military advisor of the Country of Han''s army, who would dare to harm me?”


    Zhong Li Chun had no words to retort but still said she was uneasy about the Country of Han.


    Sun Bin added with a straight face, “It''s very important for Qi to be able to ally with Country of Han. You know the King of Chu''s character, an alliance with Chu can''t be relied upon, unlike Qi, the Qi generals have always hated Wei, if the King of Qi agrees to an alliance, they''ll genuinely help Country of Han.”


    “Is it necessary for sir to be so devoted to Country of Han?”


    “It is necessary to do your best to establish yourself in Country of Han.”


    “The King of Han is a wallflower who falls with the winds of the great powers, and if the great powers are soft and hard, it is highly probable that he will abandon Mister again.”


    “This can''t all be blamed on the King of Han, Country of Han is located between the three powerful states of Qin, Wei and Chu, to survive, it is inevitable that it will fall with the winds of the great powers.”


    “Since this is the case, it is difficult for Mr. Han to build great achievements and establish a great cause in Country of Han, it is better to return to Qi.”


    “Let you return to Qi, I also have this consideration, you see General Tian Ji, ask him to probe the attitude of the King of Qi, then I will make plans.”


    “If you say so, I promise to go to Qi.”


    When King Hui of Wei heard that the King of Han intended to ally with Chu and Qi against Wei, he summoned Pang Juan to the palace to discuss a plan. Pang Juan said, “Your majesty can send a good speaker as an emissary to Chu with jewels. The king of Chu is good at talking and loves jewels, so the emissary only needs to honor the king of Chu as the head of the seven kingdoms, and then salute the jewels, and the king of Chu will not be an enemy of your majesty.”


    King Hui of Wei also asked how to deal with Qi, Pang Juan laughed and said, “Gongsun Yue sent a secret letter saying that the King of Qi is seriously ill and will die soon, so I asked him to try to create chaos in Qi, so that Qi will have more than just internal strife, and then force Qi to bow down and submit to the king, and then deal with Country of Han with all his might.”


    As Pang Juan said, King Wei of Qi was indeed seriously ill and could not stay on his bed. He summoned Tian Ji and said breathlessly, “I may die soon. ...... I regret very much that I should not listen to the slanderous words and take back your military power. ...... I am now returning the military power to you... ...I hope you will assist the crown prince and revitalize the state of Qi once again......” Before he finished speaking, King Wei of Qi let out a violent cough, and the palace guards gently pounded his spine.


    Tian Ji asked King Wei of Qi to rest assured and said that he would do his best to assist the Crown Prince and revitalize the state of Qi.


    King Qi Wei added: “There is one more thing I regret, that is, I shouldn''t have let Mr. Sun leave the state of Qi. ...... People are old and easily confused. ...... You send someone to tell Mr. Sun that I look forward to his return... ...”


    Tian Ji promised King Qi Wei again.


    King Qi Wei coughed a few times and finally said, “You and Zou Xiangguo ...... are my right and left arms ...... Although Xiangguo''s heart is narrow ...... governing the country is still a good way ...... I hope you can ...... donate your former suspicions ...... and live in harmony ...... in the future. ”


    Tian Ji did not answer.


    King Qi Wei sighed softly, “I am about to enter the ancestral temple ...... I hope you can promise me ......”


    Tian Ji finally nodded.


    King Wei of Qi then summoned Prince Paijiang as well as his half-brother, Duke Jiaoji. The king of Qi said to Paijiang, “Heaven wants me to go ...... Heaven''s will cannot be disobeyed ...... After I leave ...... you must take charge of the late king''s state ...... General Tian Ji is loyal to the country, he is the one who can be relied upon ...... Sun Bin is an unrivaled marshal, he must be invited back and entrusted with a heavy responsibility ...... ”


    Paijiang promised one by one with tears in his eyes.


    When King Qi Wei and Paijiang were talking, the Noble son JiaoShi was uncomfortable, and he thought that he was the best heir to the throne.


    When King Qi Wei passed away, the whole state of Qi began to be busy with the great mourning and the succession of the crown prince. Gongs Yueun said to Zou Ji, “The crown prince is very close to Tian Ji, and the succession of the crown prince will be unfavorable to Xiangguo. We should try to make Noble son JiaoShi succeed to the throne.”


    Zou Ji said, “It''s too late now ......”


    “Not too late, as long as we get rid of the crown prince, Suburban Division can logically inherit the throne.”


    Zou Ji pondered for a moment, shook his head and said, “No, it''s too risky, killing the crown prince won''t work, and it will lead to fire.”


    Gongs Yueun said, “Not risky now, once the crown prince succeeds to the throne and reuses Tian Ji, Xiang Guo''s head will fall to the ground.”


    Zou Ji was silent.


    Gongsun Yue said, “If it is inconvenient for Xiangguo to come forward, I will come forward.”


    Zou Ji disagreed and said, “You are my strategist, even if I don''t appear, others will suspect me.”


    Gongsun Yue said, “I will no longer be your strategist, and from now on we will not communicate with each other ...... so that others will not suspect Xiangguo.”


    “No, Qi will thus be in internal turmoil, and the enemy will take advantage of the turmoil to profit.”


    Gongsun Yue saw that there was no opportunity for Zou Ji to take advantage of here, so he went to find Gong Zi Jiao Shi. Noble son JiaoShi was in the palace of the Empress Dowager, using the fact that Duke Huan of Qi had seized the throne before his brother, Duke Kao, to persuade the Empress Dowager to intervene and allow him to succeed the throne. When he heard that Gongsun Yue was asking for an audience with him, he immediately rushed back to his own palace to summon Gongsun Yue.


    The Suburban Master smiled at Gongsun Yue and said, “Mr. Gongsun Yue, even if you don''t come, I will send someone to invite you.”


    Gongsun Yue said respectfully, “Your Excellency, don''t say please, if there is anything, just command.”


    “Have you heard of the succession of the late ruler Duke Huan?”


    “I have heard of it.”


    “I want to be Duke Huan.”


    “Duke, if this gets out, you''ll be killed!” Gongsun Yue pretended to be surprised.


    “I''d rather die if I can''t inherit the throne!”


    “I''m not talking about the Duke, the Duke is the Empress Dowager''s own son, as long as the Empress Dowager is around, no one dares to kill the Duke, I''m worried about killing my head.”


    “No need for Mr. Gongsun to step in, as long as you give me an idea.”


    Gongsun Yue pretended to be difficult and said, “This matter is too big ......”


    The Suburban Master sneered and said, “Mr. Gongsun, you already know what I intend to do, if you don''t give me an idea, I won''t let you go out alive!”


    Gongsun Yue''s face appeared fearful and agreed to Suburban Master''s request. He thought for a moment and said to Jiao Shi, “The idea is actually very simple, get rid of the Crown Prince, and the Gongzi will be able to inherit the throne as a matter of course.”


    Jiao Shi paced a few steps and said, “Mr. Gong Sun, I plan to do it today, do you think it''s okay?”


    “No.”


    “Why not?”


    “You don''t have the power to fight against the Crown Prince, and you won''t be able to kill the Crown Prince, instead you''ll be killed by the Crown Prince.”


    “What do you say?”


    Gongsun Yue said, “At the initial stage, Gongsun Yue should spare no expense to enlist people''s support, and then offer his official to make wishes, and make a wide range of diehards inside and outside the court, and then think of a way to get rid of the Crown Prince.”


    Jiao Shi agreed.


    Noble son JiaoShi''s activities of making wishes and gifts to the officials and gathering diehards aroused the alertness of Tian Ji and Qin Gu. Tian Ji wanted to transfer General Tian''s army into the city to protect the crown prince, but during the period of great mourning, no army could be raised without special changes. Qin Gu lamented, “If only Miss Zhong Li were here.”


    At the entrance of Linzi Street, a carriage came with the dusty, female-dressed Zhong Li Chun in it, and was noticed by Gongsun Yue as it drove through the street, when he was about to take a ride to the royal residence of Gongsun Suburban Shi.


    As soon as Gongsun Yue arrived at the royal residence of Suburbia Master, Suburbia Master told him joyfully that he had contacted hundreds of dead soldiers, who were all willing to sell their lives for Suburbia Master, among them there was also General Gao, who was guarding Linzi. Suburban Master asked, “Mr. Gongsun, what should be the next step?”


    Gongsun Yue thinks for a moment and asks, “What is the Prince''s favorite?”


    “Beautiful women.”


    “Do you have a beautiful woman in your mansion?”


    “...... There is one.”


    “How beautiful is she?”


    “Better than Xishi.”


    “Do you like her?”


    “Without her company, I can''t eat or sleep at night.”


    “Like her better than the throne?”


    “No, I prefer the throne.”


    “Then trade a beautiful woman for the throne.”


    “Mr. Gongsun means to give the beautiful woman to the crown prince?”


    “Right.”


    “In the midst of a great mourning, beautiful women cannot enter the palace.”


    “Invite the crown prince out, invite him to your palace to enjoy himself with the beautiful woman, and then ......”


    The Suburban Master understood Gongsun Yue''s meaning.


    Zhong Li Chun came to Tian Ji''s mansion and met Tian Ji and Qin Gu, who were overjoyed. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Tian Ji asked about Sun Bin''s recent situation, so Zhong Li Chun told them all about their sweet and sour experiences in Country of Han, and when he got to the sad part, he couldn''t help but shed tears. Tian Ji and Qin Gu were also sad with them. Zhong Li Chun finally said, “Although Mr. for the Country of Han has made great achievements, but if there is any wind, the King of Han will still abandon Mr. Therefore, Mr. asked me to probe the attitude of the King, I did not expect the King he entered the ancestral temple ...... I wonder what the Prince''s attitude towards Mr.?”


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.Tian Ji said, “The crown prince also hopes that Mr. Sun can come back, the crown prince needs him.”


    “That''s good. Mr. Sun said that if Qi needs him, he will come back once Qi and Han have successfully allied.”


    “The alliance with Country of Han will need to wait until the Crown Prince succeeds to the throne....... But don''t worry, the Crown Prince will definitely agree, and an alliance with Country of Han will be beneficial to Qi as well, especially now.”


    “When will the Crown Prince succeed to the throne?”


    “After ten days if we get through the crisis ......”


    Zhong Li Chun was stunned and asked, “Listening to the general''s meaning, the crown prince seems to be in trouble?”


    Tian Ji nodded and said, “Someone is trying to harm the Crown Prince.”


    Gongsun Yue returned home with an excited look on his face, and he told Zhong Li Qiu that Zhong Li Chun had returned. Zhong Li Qiu did not believe it. Gongs Yueun said, “Really, I bumped into her on the street, she wore an official uniform and went to General Tian''s house.”


    Gongsun Yue said, “If you don''t believe me, go and take a look.”


    Zhong Li Qiu missed her sister too much, she stood up and went out.


    Gongsun Yue stopped her and told her to dress up before going. Zhong Li Qiu hurriedly came to the dressing table and looked at the bronze mirror, organizing her hair.


    Gongsun Yue said from the side, “You tell General Tian by the way that Gongsun Suburban Master wants to harm the Crown Prince.”


    Zhong Li Qiu wondered, “Who did you hear that from?”


    “The servant of the Duke''s family ...... Noble son JiaoShi intends to invite the Crown Prince to a banquet this evening and secretly poison him at the banquet.”


    “Is the servant''s words credible?”


    “I don''t know, you ask General Tian to check.”


    Before Zhong Li Qiu left the door, Gongsun Yue instructed with an uneasy face, “You tell General Tian to keep it a secret, don''t say it was me who said it, if it reaches the ears of Gongsun Yue Shi, we can''t afford to ...... Also, you tell General Tian, it was for the sake of your sister''s face that I risked killing my head by revealing to him this news.”


    After Zhong Liqiu left, Gongsun Yue proudly hugged his son Xiaochunqiu and turned around, laughing: “Son, Qi is going to be in chaos.”


    Zhong Liqiu met her sister at the Tian Mansion and told Zhong Lichun and Tian Ji and Qin Gu what Gongsun Yue had said. Zhong Lichun was very serious and said to Zhong Liqiu, “Sister, this is a matter of national importance, and you can''t lie half-heartedly about it.”


    Zhong Li Qiu said, “Sister, you should know that I have never told you a single lie since I was a child.”


    Qin Gu said to Zhong Liqiu, “Your sister is not talking about you, she is afraid that Gongsun Yue is fraudulent. Gongsun Yue has always been against General Tian, and the Suburban Master''s usurpation of the throne is detrimental to General Tian, so why did he tell General Tian about the Suburban Master''s secret?”


    Zhong Li Qiu replied, “He said that it was for my sister''s sake that he asked me to tell you guys this news, and that he was trying to slowly eliminate his sister''s resentment towards him.”


    Zhong Li Chun let out a “humph” and said, “My resentment towards him will never be removed in my lifetime!”


    Zhong Li Qiu advised, “Sister, you can not forgive him, but you can not let your resentment towards him cause you to miss the state''s major events, if you don''t believe him, you can go and check.”


    Tian Ji said, “It''s too late to investigate now.”


    Qin Gu said, “General, whether Gongsun Yue''s words are true or false, we can use them as a trick.”


    “How do we do that?” Tian Ji asked.


    Qin Gu looked at Zhong Liqiu and did not answer.


    Zhong Liqiu understood the meaning in Qin Gu''s eyes, “Sister, General Tian, Mr.Qin, you guys discuss it, I''m leaving.” She walked to the door and turned back to Zhong Li Chun, “Sister, I''ll see you again when I have time.”


    Looking at her sister who came and went in a hurry, a trace of melancholy flashed across Zhong Li Chun''s face.


    Tian Ji said to Qin Gu, “Tell me, how do I put the trick in place.”


    Qin Gu said, “Decide first, borrow Gongsun Yue''s message, and once it''s dark, secretly move the army into the city.”


    “If Gongsun Yue tells a lie, the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince blame it, how to explain?”


    “Gongsun Yue lied about the army, and if the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince blame it, it is Gongsun Yue who is guilty.”


    Tian Ji thought Qin Gu was right, he asked Qin Gu if the crown prince would still go to the banquet, Qin Gu said, “Of course I will go, if the crown prince doesn''t go, how can I know if Gongsun Suburban Division really wants to harm the crown prince?”


    Tian Ji was worried about the safety of the Crown Prince and said, “If it''s true, wouldn''t it be too dangerous for the Crown Prince to go to the banquet?”


    Qin Gu smiled faintly, “Have Miss Zhong Li bring someone to pretend to be a palace guard and accompany the Crown Prince to the banquet, the general will then send troops to ambush the surrounding area, and if Suburban Master makes a move, he will be captured immediately.”


    Zhong Li Chun pretended to be a palace guard and came with the Crown Prince to Suburban Division''s royal residence. At the banquet, several beautiful women danced to the music, and the leading beauty was especially outstanding, graceful, with a pair of beautiful eyes that rippled in autumn waves, taking in the heart. Prince Paijiang held a bottle of wine and looked at the beautiful woman.


    Prince Paijiang asked the suburban division sitting on the side: “What is her name?”


    The Suburban Master replied, “Meiyu.”


    The Crown Prince exclaimed, “Good name, she is truly a piece of beautiful jade!”


    The Prince''s gaze was filled with desire as he stared intently at the dancing Meiyu.


    The Suburban Master looked at the Crown Prince and a trace of hatred flashed across his face. But once he thought of the throne, his gaze became softer and he asked the Crown Prince, “How about it brother, is my woman beautiful?”


    “Beautiful, too beautiful ......,” the crown prince not without envy said to the suburban division, ”brother, can get such a beautiful woman, life is enough.”


    Suburban division leaned over the prince''s ear whispered: “Beautiful jade is not only beautiful, treating people wonderful ......”


    The crown prince''s gaze became even more greedy, staring at Meiyu. The suburban master said he could let Mei Yu stay with her brother for the night. The crown prince''s heart hoped for these words, he whispered to the suburban division: “Never let the empress know ......”


    “Don''t worry, no one will know.” A hint of imperceptible killing intent was revealed in the suburban division''s smile.


    When Prince Paijiang and Meiyu entered the land of tenderness, Suburban Master''s retainer told Suburban Master that General Gao had sent a message that Tian''s army had secretly marched into Linzi. This surprised Suburban Master. The retainer said, “General Gao asks if he is still moving tonight?”


    Suburban Master''s heart crossed and he gritted his teeth and said, “Do it, kill Pi Jiang, and there''s nothing more armies can do to me if they enter the city!”


    After Meiyu and the Crown Prince lingered for a while, she snuggled in the Crown Prince''s arms and asked the Crown Prince in a delicate manner, “Crown Prince, are you still satisfied?”


    The Crown Prince caressed Mei Yu''s jade-like skin and nodded, “Very satisfied ......”


    “I''m happy to be able to satisfy the Crown Prince.” Mei Yu smiled shyly, and after saying that, she brought tonic soup for the Crown Prince, urging him to drink it while it was hot.


    The Crown Prince said to Mei Yu, “My body doesn''t need tonic, you drink it.”


    “This is a man''s tonic soup,” Mei Yu blushed, ”If the Crown Prince drinks it, he will have more fun tonight ......”


    The crown prince looked at the shy Meiyu, gladly took the soup, and was about to drink it, when a figure flashed into Aman, took a few steps to the front of the crown prince, and snatched the pot of soup from the crown prince''s hand. The person who came was Zhong Li Chun, who was disguised as a palace guard.


    The prince looked at Zhong Li Chun blankly, asked: “You ...... what do you want?”


    Zhong Li Chun said: “The soup is poisonous, you can not drink.”


    The crown prince angrily said, “Nonsense, this is the tonic soup that Meiyu cooked just for me.”


    Zhong Li Chun sneered and handed the pellet to Mei Yu, ordering, “Drink it, if you don''t I''ll pour it!”


    Mei Yu fell to her knees, tears flowing from her eyes, pleading, “Lord Gongwei, I don''t want to die ......”


    Zhong Li Chun coldly said, “Say it if you don''t want to die, who let down your poison? Is it the Gongzi Suburb Master?”


    Mei Yu was about to open her mouth, suddenly from the window flew into a thing, is hitting the head of Mei Yu, Mei Yu lightly grunted, fell to the ground.


    Zhong Li Chun was afraid that the crown prince would be assassinated again, he pulled the crown prince and hurried out of the bedchamber.


    A figure jumped in through the window, it was Gongsun Yue. He picks up Mei Yu and turns back to jump out of the window.


    Just as Mei Yu attempts to poison the Crown Prince, General Gao''s army begins to surround the Crown Prince''s residence. General Tian''s army repulses the rebels led by General Gao in one fell swoop and then breaks through the Suburban Master''s Mansion. After a melee, the retainers of the Suburban Master died and surrendered, but only the Noble son JiaoShi was not found.


    During the melee, Gongsun Yue rescued him from Linzi City. Suburban division sighed: “I am really upset, only one step short of the chess ......”


    “Don''t be discouraged,” Gongsun Yue consoled him, ”Next time, Marshal Pang will help you make a good move.”


    The Suburban Master bade farewell to Gongsun Yue, and with General Gao and his army, traveled to the borders of Wei to join Pang Juan.


    When the Crown Prince Pi Jiang ordered Tian Ji to lead his army in pursuit of the Suburban Master, the Empress Dowager intervened to stop him. The Crown Prince said to the Empress Dowager, “The Suburban Division is in rebellion and jeopardizes the state, so it should be captured and punished.”


    The Empress Dowager said in a serious tone, “The Suburban Master is young and doesn''t know what''s right, so let him live, will you?”


    The prince did not agree.


    The empress dowager was very unhappy in her heart and said with a stern face, “Even if mother is pleading with you.”


    The Crown Prince was afraid of the Empress Dowager and hurriedly said, “Empress Mother, ten thousand must not say begging, what the Empress Mother tells the child to do, the child will do.”


    The face of the empress dowager only then eased a lot, said, “You will be the head of a country, should be forgiving to treat people, not to mention to their own brothers it ......” She turned the topic, and said, “In a few days, you should be on the throne to inherit the throne, and this is the is the most important event for the country.”


    After the Empress Dowager left, Tian Ji said to the Crown Prince, “Crown Prince, if you don''t get rid of evil, you will suffer from it.”


    “Alas, I am not the king yet,” said the Crown Prince with a sigh of helplessness, and then with a look of determination, ”General Tian, when I succeed the throne, I will never let Suburban Shi go.”


    Noble son JiaoShi defected to Pang Juan, who was pleased, for Qi would henceforth have no peace. He ordered Pangcong to occupy the border towns of Qi in the name of Noble son JiaoShi of Qi. Within a few days, the border cities of Qi, such as Maling, Fan Cheng, and Gangeqiu, all fell into the hands of Jiao Shi.


    Note: “Fishing in troubled waters” is the twentieth of the Thirty-six Stratagems, which means to take advantage of chaos. Pang Juan let Gongs Yueun stir up Qi in order to deal with Sun Bin''s attack, and then took advantage of the chaos to capture several border cities of Qi. To find out what happened next, please read the next installment: “Secretly Cross the Chen Cang”.