Ba and Chu are two countries separated by a strip of water, but they have a long history of grievances and resentments.

At first, Ba and Chu had no enmity. On the contrary, they were allies with the same hatred on the battlefield.

However, just when the two countries agreed to attack Shen State together, Pakistan, as an ally, violated the agreement and sent troops to attack important cities on the border between the two countries.

As an ally, such an act of betrayal has made the whole Chu State angry, but Ba State not only failed to restrain itself, but intensified its actions.

Taking advantage of the civil strife in Chu State, Ba State chose to send troops again to attack its original ally Chu State.

Facing the menacing Ba army, King Chu Wen, who was in power at the time, could only rush to fight, and the final result was naturally a huge defeat.

According to the laws implemented by the Chu State at that time, the defeated general could not enter the capital, even if the leading general was the king of Chu.

King Chu Wen, who was blocked by his ministers outside the capital Yingdu, had no choice but to lead his remaining soldiers to attack the weaker Huang State to gain the qualification to enter the city, but he did not want to die suddenly on the march.

The acts of betrayal, the lost territory, the deceased king, and what happened one after another made the Chu people hate their original ally Ba State more and more.

Thirty years in Hedong, thirty years in Hexi.

Under the diligent governance of successive kings, the Chu State, which had been repeatedly defeated by the Ba State, gradually became stronger and became a powerful country that could compete with the Jin State, the overlord of the Central Plains.

Similarly, the kings of Chu in past dynasties were not forgetful people. They always remembered everything Ba had done to Chu.

The stronger Chu State not only competed with the Jin State, but also freed up its hands from time to time to deal with the Ba State to the west of it.

Under the overt and covert encroachment of Chu State, Ba State, which was originally in the same Han River basin as Chu State, gradually moved to the west and upstream of the river.

The long river of history passed through the Spring and Autumn Period when Jin and Chu were fighting for hegemony, and came to the age of great battles between nations.

In a time of great strife, schools of thought are at loggerheads with each other, and wars between countries are constant.

Wealth, population, land, these are all things that countries in the world compete for. Of course, land with certain special products is the focus of competition among princes.

The reason why the state of Qi is the most wealthy in the world is because of the fishing and salt production on the coast of the East China Sea;

Why Han Nu is famous among the princes is because of the high-quality copper and iron veins near Yiyang;

Similarly, the salt wells occupied by Ba State that could produce brine also became coveted by Chu State.

It’s still the same sentence: Thirty years to the east of Hedong, thirty years to the west of Hexi. Just as Chu State was approaching step by step, civil strife broke out in Ba State just like the original Chu State.

The civil strife in Ba not only weakened Ba's national power, but also gave Chu the opportunity to march westward to seize the salt springs controlled by Ba.

During the reign of King Su of Chu, the State of Chu took advantage of Ba's weakening strength after the civil strife and captured the first salt spring controlled by Ba.

Four years ago, in 361 BC, King Xiong Liangfu of Chu sent a large army to capture Ba's central Guizhou territory. So far, most of the salt industry controlled by Ba fell into the hands of Chu.

By this time, the only remaining Wudi salt spring in the hands of Pakistan could not sustain its needs, and the merchants who usually relied on the salt industry to survive became increasingly difficult.

Slightly intoxicated by the wine, the merchants who made a living by selling salt freely expressed their dissatisfaction.

But what he didn't expect was that apart from the uninterested companion opposite him, there was someone not far away who was listening intently to everything he said.

"It can be used to some advantage."

He murmured softly to himself, and saw a faint smile appear on the man's face, and a bright color flashed in his eyes.

"Master Zhong, we have arrived in Ba City for several days, why is King Ba still unwilling to summon us?"

The words coming from the subordinates on the other side made this man, Xu Yan, the doctor of Wei Guozhong, calm down slightly.

Lifting the bottle of wine on the table in front of him and drinking it down in one gulp, Xu Yan stood up from his seat.

"Since King Ba is unwilling to summon us, we will take the initiative to attack."

As soon as the words fell, Xu Yan walked towards the door of the wine shop without any hesitation.

"Doctor Zhong, where are we going?"

Xu Yan's footsteps stopped at the door curtain, he turned around and looked at his subordinates.

"Prime Minister's Mansion."

An hour later, rhythmic footsteps appeared in the backyard of the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Just when the footsteps stopped outside the door of the study room of the mansion, a slightly older voice with a hint of majesty in it immediately came out from the door.

"What's the matter?"

"Master, the envoy from the State of Wei, Dr. Xu Yan, is asking for an audience."

"who?"

Another voice came from inside the door, and then the closed door was suddenly opened, and Baxiang Bahe's figure appeared in front of the waiter.

"Where are people now?"

"That person is still outside the house."

Upon hearing the waiter's report, Ba He's face suddenly dropped.

"How can you be so indifferent to your distinguished guest?"

After saying this, without caring about the waiter who had a look of fear on his face, Ba He immediately hurried towards the door of the mansion, taking three steps at a time and then two steps at a time.

Not long after, following Ba He's slightly hurried footsteps, the gate of the mansion soon appeared in his sight, followed by a figure wearing a red robe.

"Xu Yan, the envoy of Wei, asked to see the Prime Minister today."

…

If Xu Yan, who had just arrived in Bacheng, still looked embarrassed because of the difficulties along the way;

Then Dr. Wei Guozhong, who had been in Bacheng for a few days and had regained some of his former demeanor, seemed so personable.

Although it was only the first time they met, facing this handsome gentleman-like figure in front of him, even as Baxiang Bahe, he couldn't help but feel a certain fondness in his heart.

After another conversation, after hearing the calmness in Xu Yan's words, Ba He admired this Wei Guozhong doctor even more.

Immediately, Ba He invited Xu Yan, whom he admired very much, into his residence and into his study.

"Doctor Zhong, please!"

"Xiangguo, please!"

A host and a guest, the two of them sat down after a few cases in the study, and a conversation that seemed ordinary but had an extraordinary meaning began.

"I heard that the distance between Wei and Ba is more than a thousand miles, and there are countless mountains and mountains in between."

"This time, the doctor was not afraid of hardships and traveled all the way. He must have shouldered the great trust of the Marquis of Wei, right?"

Ba He's voice fell, but Xu Yan, the middle doctor opposite, did not respond immediately, but shook his head gently.

"I am not here for the sake of my country, Wei, but for the peril of the country of Ba."

A shock occurred in his heart, but a smile appeared on his face. Ba He seemed to have heard the most ridiculous joke in the world, "What is the danger to my country, Ba?"

"The powerful enemy Chu is eyeing the country, which is a major danger to the country of Ba. The salt spring, the source of wealth, falls into the enemy's hands, which is a second big danger to the country of Ba. As an important minister, he cannot foresee the danger..."

He slowly raised his head and looked at Ba He with stern eyes, "These are the three major dangers to the country of Ba!"
Chapter completed!