350 BC, Qi State, Gaotang City.

A gentle breeze rose from the East China Sea and blew across the land of Qilu. It also blew the purple Qi flag on the top of Gaotang City.

As one of the five capitals of Qi State, Gaotang City, which was lost and recovered from Zhao State, has extraordinary significance to both the government and the public of Qi State.

Qi State has been fighting against the Three Jin Dynasties headed by Wei State for many years, and it can be said that Qi State has suffered repeated defeats.

Qi State not only lost its troops and generals, but also lost a large territory including Gaotang.

If we compare the territory of the Qi State at this time with the Qi State under the Jiang surname, the territory is not even half of the original.

These lost territories include Gaotang, Pinglu, Jucheng and other cities that have special significance to the Qi State.

Faced with such a decline, the young Qi King Tian Yinqi was extremely eager to one day reverse the defeat and regain the territory that originally belonged to Qi.

It was at this time that the all-powerful war between Zhao and Zhongshan gave him and Qi such an opportunity.

After assessing the situation, Qi State decisively chose to side with Zhongshan State and attacked Zhao State together with them and Yan State in the north.

Facts have proved that Qi State's choice this time was not wrong. Zhao State, trapped in the quagmire of Zhongshan State, had no time to consider other opponents.

Relying on the internal lines that had been buried deep in the city for many years, Qi State only paid a small loss and captured a large area of ​​lost land, including Gaotang.

For Qi, the recovery of Gaotang was not only the recovery of an important town, but also an improvement in Qi's external decline.

This time, the reason why Qi Houtian Yinqi chose Gaotang City as the first stop of his northern tour was because of its extraordinary significance.

Tian Yinqi wanted to tell the people of Qi and even the princes of the world that recovering Gaotang was just the first step for Qi State. Under his rule, Qi State would definitely restore its former glory as the overlord.

"Your Majesty has arrived..."

Following the roll call from the ceremony officer, the Qi soldiers standing on both sides of the steps couldn't help but straighten their waists and tightly grasp the halberds in their hands.

Under the protection of these Qi soldiers, Qi Houtian Yinqi led a group of Qi officials step by step along the stairs and climbed to the top of Gaotang City.

Slowly walking to the city wall and looking around at Gaotang City's solid defenses and the Qi soldiers standing among them, Tian Yinqi had an indescribable look of satisfaction on his face.

Moving his gaze outside the city, looking at the distant wilderness in the distance, Tian Yinqi sighed: "With Gaotang City in hand, Linzi no longer worries about the threat from the north."

After saying that, he seemed to have thought of something, and the original smile on Tian Yinqi's face suddenly disappeared, replaced by a slight solemnity.

"Zou Qing."

"I'm here."

Still looking forward, not looking at Zou Ji who had walked behind him, Tian Yinqi asked: "How long has it been since Gaotang returned to my country of Qi?"

Hearing Tian Yinqi's question, Zou Ji replied directly without thinking: "Your Majesty, because Qi State defeated Zhao State in the previous battle, Zhao State will return the land south of the river that originally belonged to Qi State, including Gaotang.

conquered Qi."

"It was the sixteenth year of the present day when Qi State regained Gaotang. It is now the nineteenth year, and it is already the fourth year."

"Four years, yes, four years." After listening to Zou Ji's answer behind him, Tian Yinqi said with emotion: "Since I came to the throne, my country, Qi, has been repeatedly frustrated by the three Jins."

"But in that battle four years ago, our country of Qi was not defeated. Our country of Qi..."

"Victory!"

Turning around to face the group of Qi officials and Qi soldiers behind him, Tian Yinqi's face was full of determination, and his voice was even more impassioned.

"This victory is not an accident, and it will not be the end."

"I think that as long as the whole country of Qi works together, our country of Qi will one day regain the lost territories one by one."

"Great Qi for Ten Thousand Years!"

"Your Majesty will live for thousands of years, and Daqi will live for thousands of years!"

"Your Majesty will live for thousands of years, and Daqi will live for thousands of years!"

…

Under the leadership of Tian Yinqi, the officials of Qi State and the soldiers of Qi Army shouted loudly, and the top of the city seemed to turn into a boiling ocean.

The ocean had been boiling for a long time before it finally calmed down. When the Qi officials retreated, only Tian Yinqi, Zou Ji, and Tian Ji were left on top of the city.

Still staring into the distance, Tian Yinqi asked calmly: "Zou Qing, I heard that a Zhao man visited you not long ago?"

When Zou Ji heard Tian Yinqi ask about this matter, he looked at his friend Tian Ji who was standing next to him and stood up immediately.

"Exactly." After bowing, Zou Ji took a few steps forward and said, "Your Majesty, this person from Zhao came from Handan."

"Handan? Could it be..."

While muttering to himself, Tian Yinqi's face looked surprised at first, and then a little more confused.

"I heard that the three Jin Dynasties have always been in harmony. Since King Zhao came to the throne, he immediately chose to send envoys to Anyi to establish good relations with Wei."

"And our Qi State has always been at odds with the Wei State. Why did the Zhao people come to our Qi State?"

"Your Majesty only sees the superficial harmony between the three Jin states, but you don't know that Zhao and Wei have long-standing grievances."

Facing Tian Yinqi's doubts, Zou Ji immediately showed a smile on his face, "In the past, when the Zhao, Wei, and Han families defeated the Zhi family, the most powerful one was the Zhao family."

"Later, the Zhao family fought internally for the throne, and the Wei family had a wise leader like Wei Wenhou. Only then did the Wei family's strength finally catch up with and overtake the Zhao family."

"Since the founding of the country, although Zhao and Wei are both in the Three Jin Dynasty, there have been many wars between them."

"Wei State has troops against Zhao State and besieges Zhongmou, and Zhao State has troops against Wei State and is trapped in the turmoil."

After briefly describing the grievances and resentments between Zhao and Wei, the smile on Zou Ji's face became even brighter.

"If Wei hadn't become so powerful now, I'm afraid Zhao would have parted ways with the leader of the Three Jin Alliance."

After listening to Zou Ji's words, Tian Yinqi immediately showed a look of understanding on his face.

"I see." After sighing softly, Tian Yinqi's brows furrowed again, "If that's the case, why did the State of Zhao send an envoy to visit Zou Qing?"

"Your Majesty, this has to start with the battle ahead."

Tian Yinqi's words fell while Tian Ji stood up on the other side, "According to General Tian Pan, the last defeat of Zhao State against Zhongshan State seems to have the shadow of Wei State."

"In that battle, Zhao State not only lost a large area of ​​territory, but King Zhao Cheng died in depression because of it."

"If this matter is known to the State of Zhao, as the monarch of the State of Zhao and the prince of the previous king, how can the current King of Zhao really choose to have good relations with the State of Wei?"

Tian Yinqi completely understood what Tian Ji said, "There are old grievances and new ones. Zhao is preparing to take action against Wei."

"With Zhao's national strength alone, it is a fool's errand to compete with Wei. Therefore, King Zhao is prepared to unite with our Qi State."

Tian Ji and Zou Ji looked at each other again, and then bowed to Tian Yinqi.

"Your Majesty is wise."
Chapter completed!